For almost two months our family has been dealing with a sad and harsh reality in front of us. Our father has been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, which has rapidly taken over his body. This news came as a complete shock to our family. Because two months ago he was playing soccer and running around with his grandsons in the front yard.

If you know our dad then you know that he is the life of the party! He’s always got jokes to tell, a song to sing, or a history lesson to give. But over the last two months that light has dimmed significantly. Watching our father disappear before our eyes has been one of the hardest things to witness, especially for my mother and sister who are with him day in and day out. Our dad is not the same. He is currently in hospice and we are doing our best to keep him as comfortable as we can.

I write this fully knowing what we are asking.

Our mother and sister have been trying to balance work and taking care of Dad since his diagnosis, which has caused a financial burden on our family. This week, our mother has stopped working and applied for FMLA and Paid Family Leave to care for our father, but as you can imagine the system does not move quickly enough for my family to be financially protected. This includes any and all medical costs.

Our father’s health is declining at an alarming rate, his inability to eat, and exercise has left my father in an almost unrecognizable state. We are all doing our best to support our mother as much as we can but we are in need of help from our family, friends, and community. All of the money will go to medical expenses and costs for after our fathers passing.

If you want to help, please consider donating even the smallest amount is deeply appreciated.

The Jimenez Family