Physician Becomes a Cancer Patient

WHEN A YOUNG PHYSICIAN BECOMES A PATIENT SUFFERING FROM AGGRESSIVE LYMPHOMA

 Jose Roberto Peraza (known by his relatives as Rowie) is a 28-year-old Venezuelan physician who graduated from Universidad Central de Venezuela in December 2015.  He studied his career facing the social, economic and political crisis that his country was going through. After working for a year as a rural doctor in an underserved area, he decided that in order to continue his training and become an academic pediatrician, he had to do it somewhere besides Venezuela. He decided to become certified as a physician in the US in the hopes of becoming a skilled professional, to someday return home and bring back everything he learned. What he didn't know is that one night in the emergency room, his life would change forever.



During this past month, Rowie was experiencing facial congestion, chest pain, and jugular venous distention. Though he knew this was problematic, the fear of facing outrageous bills and being without insurance in a foreign country led him to wait until the pain was no longer bearable. Having severe difficulty breathing, he was taken to the Emergency Room at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, IL where a chest CT revealed a 9x10x13cm mass in the anterior mediastinum, a mass bigger than his own heart, pressuring his trachea and major blood vessels.


A team of specialists including Cardiothoracic surgeons, Interventional Radiologist and Pulmonary & Critical care were immediately informed about the case and planned an emergency biopsy guided through CT. Sadly, it revealed what all doctors expected: Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma - one of the most aggressive and fast-growing Lymphomas. Following his diagnosis with no insurance of any kind, not even basic coverage, Rowie was discharged and his hope for a cure was far from possible.

Since he is a non-US citizen the fight has become overwhelming, however we trust that with your help for proper medical treatment, Rowie will overcome his disease.

We come to you today, family and friends to ask for financial aid for chemotherapy, radiation, and possible complications of the treatment lasting at least one year. Already the expenses for diagnosis and intensive care stay after the admission exceed $50,000; however we still have a long way ahead of us:

- Insurance (that will only cover 75% of treatment): $10,000/year.
- Chemotherapy $75,000
- Radiation $40,000
- Prescription medicine $20,000
- Household and basic living expenses: $8,000/year.


José Roberto's brother Marcos Jose Brizuela Anciani,  will be the one receiving the funds you contribute and handling all the billing since Rowie will be undisposed due to the aggressive chemotherapy treatment.

We greatly thank you for taking the time to help José Roberto fight this disease so that someday, in the near future, he can become the specialist he desires and help others overcome difficult diseases.



EL DIA EN QUE UN JOVEN MEDICO VENEZOLANO SE COVIERTE EN PACIENTE SUFRIENDO DE UN AGRESIVO LINFOMA 

José Roberto Peraza (conocido por sus allegados como Rowie) es un médico venezolano de 28 años, graduado de la Universidad Central de Venezuela. Obtuvo su título de Médico-Cirujano a pesar de las dificultades políticas, económicas y sociales que atravesaba su país. Luego de trabajar un año como médico rural prestando servicio médico a los más necesitados, toma la difícil decisión de dejar atrás familiares y amigos para enrumbarse en lo que él creía sería la única forma de educarse como Pediatra Universitario, y un día así volver a su país a sanar a los suyos.

En aras de revalidar su título universitario, y ya residenciado en los Estados Unidos, Rowie comienza a sentir dolor torácico, congestion facial, y distensión de las venas del cuello. Sabía que algo andaba mal pero su miedo a tenerque enfrentar cuentas extraordinarias para recibir atención médica, lo llevaron a postergar la consulta hasta que el dolor se hizo insoportable. Una vez en la emergencia del Centro Medico “Rush” en Chicago, un estudio de Rayos X reveló una masa en el pecho, más grande que su mismo corazón.  


Un equipo médico conformado por Cirujanos Cardiotorácicos, Radiólogos, Oncólogos, Neumólogos e Intensivistas fue informado del caso y decidieron realizar una biopsia de emergencia guiada por tomografía, que reveló lo que todos temíamos, un Linfoma Mediastinal primario de células B, tumor agresivo y de rápido crecimiento. Sin seguro médico o ayuda del estado, la esperanza de cura se desvanece; es por ello que cualquier ayuda que podamos recibir para cubrir gastos de quimioterapia, radioterapia, complicaciones imprevistas y gastos básicos durante al menos un año será enormemente agradecida.

Para el momento, los gastos durante su hospitalización exceden los 50.000$ con un desglose previsto aproximado de:

 Seguro médico (Que cubrirá el 75% de los gastos de hospitalización) $10,000 anual.
Quimioterapia: $ 75,000
Radioterapia: $40,000
Medicamentos de altocosto de prescripción medica: $20,000
Gastos para el sustento básico incluyendo vivienda: $8,000 anual.

Marcos Jose Brizuela Anciani es el hermano de José Roberto y será quien recibirá las contribuciones y se encargará de todos los pagos, puesto que Rowie estará indispuesto debido al agresivo tratamiento de quimioterapia.

Queda un largo y enmarañado camino, con el sobreagregado nerviosismo de ser desatendido por razones económicas, pero nos negamos a rendirnos y que se sume en depresión. Únete a nosotros y logremos ayudar a Rowie a vencer su enfermedad permitiendo que algún día, él pueda llegar a los más desventajados.