Cancer Fund for our friend Tess

Dearest Friends and Sand Tribe Community:

I am creating this fund to make an appeal to our community to come together to help a fellow Sand Tribe member who has touched many of our hearts and who is need of our love, healing and financial assistance at this time.

Tess Ocasio, whom many of you have had the pleasure of meeting, hugging and knowing, is a person whose smile can light up a room.  Tess was diagnosed last year - after suffering from debilitating back pain - with metastatic breast cancer that has now spread to most of her spine, pelvic area and liver.  She has had three unsuccessful chemo treatments and needs to undergo several more treatments to continue her fight and to have a chance at winning this battle.  

Many of you may remember Tess's appeal last year at our Sunday mediation to start a cancer-support group called "Sand Survivors."

For a person that has always been independent, a nature lover, a beach goer and someone that loves sports and being active, dealing with this disease has been incredibly challenging on more than just the physical level.  But Tess has taken each day with grace and hope.  

She unfortunately can no longer work and her FMLA benefits have run their course. She needs our help to pay for her benefits, continued treatments and medical care, as well as just to pay for her daily bills.

Please support Tess in any way that you can - even a small donation will also help her morally to know that there is a community rallying behind her.

Thank you for opening your hearts.

In deep gratitude,

Shelly