Wishes4Winder: Support Winder's Fight Against Glioblastoma

Wishes4Winder: A Love Story in the Face of the Impossible

There are some people who step into your life and change everything. Alba is one of those people. She is a light, a force of nature wrapped in kindness, strength, and an unwavering belief in love. I met Alba in college, and from the moment she entered my life, I realized how much dimmer the world had been before her.

Today, my dear friend, my sister, is facing the unthinkable. The love of her life, Winder, the father of their three beautiful children, is fighting glioblastoma—the most aggressive and terminal form of brain cancer. There are no words to describe the weight of this journey, but through every devastating twist and turn, Alba has remained a pillar of resilience, love, and devotion.

This fundraiser—Wishes4Winder—is about more than just medical bills. It's about time. It's about love. It's about helping a family make memories while they still can. It’s about ensuring that while Alba and Winder navigate the hardest days of their lives, they have the support they need so they don’t have to do it alone

A Love That Defies Time

From the moment she met Winder, she saw their future—a big, loud, love-filled family. That dream, that love, has not wavered, even as life has thrown them an impossible reality.

In October 2022, Winder had his first seizure, an episode that seemed strange but not catastrophic. Within hours, the world they built together shifted irreversibly. Scans revealed tumors—two in his brain, one in his chest. Surgeries, treatments, countless sleepless nights, and waves of fear became their new normal. They fought, they hoped, they prayed. And for a time, they won.

For months, Winder defied every grim statistic. He smiled through chemo, played with his kids even when it hurt, and held Alba’s hand through the storm. They took family trips, made memories, and clung to the moments of joy that still bloomed amidst the chaos. But glioblastoma does not rest. It is relentless. And in September 2024, after months of stability, the words they always feared came: It’s back. Worse, it was inoperable.

The Fight for Time

Winder is a fighter. Alba is a warrior. Their love story is one of devotion, faith, and the refusal to give up. Even when treatments failed, even when the odds were stacked against them, they chose to keep going. They sought every possible option—chemo, radiation, immunotherapy, holistic treatments, strict diets, and clinical trials. They kept hoping. Kept living.

But the cost of fighting is unfathomable. The financial burden of two years of treatments, travel for care, alternative therapies, and lost income has been staggering. And yet, Alba would never ask for help. She carries this weight, all while raising their three young children, all while trying to make sure that every single moment Winder has left is filled with love and dignity.

So now, I’m asking for her. For Winder. For their children. For time.

How You Can Help

Every donation to this fundraiser will go directly to supporting the Peña family. It will help cover medical expenses, alternative treatments, home care, and the everyday costs that come with navigating terminal illness while raising a young family. More than anything, it will give them the peace of mind to focus on what truly matters—each other.

No amount is too small. Every dollar, every share, every prayer is a gift. If you’ve ever loved someone so deeply that you can’t imagine life without them, you understand why this matters. Let’s come together for Alba. For Winder. For their children.

Let’s help them hold onto hope, onto love, onto time.

With gratitude and love,

Mercy A. Quaye