Hello.

My name is Chris Martinez, I was born and raised in Houston Texas. I own and operate a Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school in Houston and have been in business for the last 15 years. I am here to ask my community, family and friends for some help raising funds concerning my mother Betty Jean and her cancer diagnosis. We found out Monday August 25, 2025 that she has less than a year on this earth to live and I am ready to fight that by getting her to Hope4Cancer in Mexico.

My Mother Betty was diagnosed with squamous carcinoma of the tongue and neck in July of 2024 by doctors at Kelsey Sebold. Surgery was scheduled that following October. There was a successful removal of cancer on the tongue and reconstruction of the tongue that day. Also, in the same surgery, lymph nodes in her neck were removed along with a tumor on the right side of her neck that was surrounding a nerve leading to her shoulder and her carotid artery. She has lost use of certain muscles in her right shoulder due to the nerve being severed during surgery. We waited over 3 weeks after surgery for the surgeon’s release. Mid November, a radiation mask was made for administering treatments. The radiation treatments were being pushed back due to the holiday season. During this time, the tumor in the neck started to grow which caused concern. The doctors wanted to do a biopsy in December 2024 and my mother said no. They talked her into doing an aspiration which she said she did not know what that was. We believe both a biopsy and aspirations helped the cancer spread. Late December, a PET scan was done and radiation was scheduled for December 26, 2024. The day of her radiation treatment, my mother asked about the PET scan results. Again, treatment was postponed due to lack of communication between departments.

At this point I am infuriated with the bureaucracy. On December 30, 2024, I took my mother to MD Anderson, valet parked, walked in and asked the first person to greet me, “My mother is dying of cancer. Can you help us?”

MD Anderson had our first appointment set for January 13, 2025 and treatment started January 28, 2025. My mother went through her first rounds of chemotherapy. On her third round, they did not give the treatment since her tumor was still growing. She had a new type of chemotherapy that was working. She had about 7 sessions of the second drug and the tumor started to grow again. Then she had three sessions of a third type of chemotherapy which did nothing. The tumor grew.

The doctors can no longer do anything to help my mother. I am now scheduling interviews and treatments with Hope4Cancer. We received our quote today from Hope4Cancer for $57,000.00 to complete her 3 week treatment. Every dollar raised will go directly toward Betty’s treatment. If we exceed our goal, any surplus will be used to improve her living environment by eliminating mold from her home.

My mother has always been a fighter, but right now she needs all of us in her corner. With your help, we can get her the treatment she needs at Hope4Cancer. Time is critical, and we cannot do this alone. Please donate what you can and share this campaign with as many people as possible. Together, we can give my mother Betty hope and more time with the people who love her.