Hi, my name is Mohammed, Zareek's nephew. I’m writing this on his behalf. Zareek is 39 years old, and happily married to Safiya who shares two beautiful daughters Zobiya, 13 and Sabah, 6. About 5 years ago, they all migrated from the tropical islands of Fiji to Sunny California to join the rest of Zareek's family who he has been apart from for 25 years. A few years later, Zareek found his passion and discovered a great career opportunity in Kauai, HI. Although this meant living far away from his parents, siblings, etc... he decided to chase his dream to provide the best he possibly could for his wife and daughters.

My uncle started feeling ill in July 2022. He complained of feeling extremely fatigued, had a loss of appetite and noticed a number of mouth sores. He was in and out of the hospital for months not knowing the exact cause of his illness. He received numerous blood transfusions because his platelet counts were severely low. Due to the lack of healthcare in Kauai, he had to seek medical treatment in California. At this point, he was very weak, and frail and had lost so much weight. His family decided to bring him to Stanford Hospital where they knew they would get a definitive diagnosis. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in September 2022.

With the pressure of this diagnosis weighing in on his finances, since he was the breadwinner, my uncle started battling on two fronts, one from cancer and the other for the stability of his family. My aunt is all by herself taking care of my two little cousins back in Hawaii while my uncle goes through the process of treatment. He was treated with chemotherapy for 5 months and thankfully he was able to undergo a bone marrow transplant in February.

One of the risks involved with bone marrow transplant is Graft vs Host Disease. GVHD occurs when donor cells (called the graft) attack the organs and tissues of the patient who received them (or the host). Unfortunately, Zareek was diagnosed with this disease a month after his transplant. This can affect people in many different ways, but this targeted his gastrointestinal system. He is currently admitted to Stanford for treatment battling diarrhea and severe abdominal pain for almost a month. Since his admission, he hasn’t been able to eat food. He has transitioned from ice chips to liquids and jello! These are the only things he can tolerate right now. He is progressing, but it is a slow process.

My brothers and sisters, I ask of you, please include my uncle in your prayers for healing and a swift recovery so he can be together with his family again. We are humbly asking for any support you can offer for his medical expenses. This is the perfect time to unite and support those who are suffering.