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Dear friends, lovely family, and caring community.
My name is Nicolas, and I’m raising money on behalf of my family and my older sister, Sara, who has taken care of me for so long. It is with heavy heart that I share her news and difficult journey so far when she was recently diagnosed with advanced lung cancer on February 14th, at the young age of 22.
For those of you who don't know her, and those of you who do can back up my words: Sara is the warmest smile that can brighten your whole day. She’s a sister, a daughter, a student, a teacher, a volunteer in a pet shelter (and mother of an adolescent Dobermann), a friend, and a funny, authentic, brilliant, hard-working and wholehearted woman… Don’t get me wrong though, she might be goofy and incredibly stubborn and in her own words “a master in overthinking, with years of experience in social awkwardness”, but she’s still amazing, full of live and happens to be the heart and soul of our family in so many ways.
I will try to express what words cannot express when all of this started. I know she doesn’t like attention and it’s hard for her to decide going public with her diagnosis, so I’ll try to be gentle. Everything happened really fast and somehow some things not enough as we could wish. She started feeling unwell with a persistent cough around Christmas last year, by then we noticed she has lost weight but It was thought to be nothing and they sent her back home. Then we started hearing words like asthma, pneumonia, TB and so on, but she was just getting worse day by day. She has faced countless tests and procedures… from constant laboratory and imaging tests to a fibrobronchoscopy and a thoracic surgery with pulmonary resection from which she is still recovering. It all came to her final diagnosis of Stage 4 Lung Cancer, due to its lymphangitic dissemination and pleural effusion.
Despite spending her birthday and many weeks in the hospital, she is cheerful, sweet as always, and demonstrating a physical and mental strength that we often only wish we could match. For her, that her disease takes her essence or smile is not an option. She recently started treatment. We got our first good news that she’s able to receive a targeted drug with greater efficacy before starting a traditional form of chemotherapy. With some days better than others, she has being entertaining herself by making us smile and laugh with her peculiar sense of humor in the darkest of times.
We understand that absolutely everyone is fighting their own battles, but to us, hers means everything right now. In a fairer world no one would feel so much pain and helplessness, only to add the concern for money. This is why, when time is of the essence, your generosity could make all the difference. The funds raised will contribute to alleviate the financial burden and will go directly towards treatment costs, radiotherapy (when possible), medical appointments, tests, procedures, travel expenses and palliative care. However, we got our goal set at guaranteeing every single month of her treatment. This is why even the smallest contribution will go a long way in providing great solace to our family. In spite of this, if monetary donation isn't feasible, we humbly ask that you share Sara’s story across your social networks, spreading awareness and hope. Last but not least, any intentions or prayers are also deeply appreciated.
With profound gratitude,
Her little brother, mom, dad and all the people who cannot imagine life without Sara.
Message from my parents:
“As many of you know her, everything is still incomprehensible because of her lifestyle, age, and so many things we could add to that list. But there’s not time to understand or maybe it’s just not for us to understand. We are positive, with a lot of patience but doing what is in our hands to streamline processes and fight with our resources, accompanied by God and all your good wishes and prayers that both my beautiful daughter and I are always grateful for… You all light a candle in our darkness and we are forever grateful for that.”
Link to Instagram’s account:
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