Riley Dawson
My name is Ana Rodríguez, and today I write these words with my heart completely shattered.
My husband, Ricardo Castillo, was diagnosed with colon cancer, an aggressive disease that develops in the large intestine and that, little by little, is consuming not only his body, but also the hope of an entire family.
Our life changed completely.
The strong, hardworking man full of dreams who always held up our home is today extremely weakened. The cancer and the treatments have left Ricardo very weak. He has lost a lot of weight, lives with constant pain, can barely eat, spends most of his time lying down, and has less strength every day to get out of bed. On top of that, the treatments cause him nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue, and a weakness that keeps him from doing even the simplest activities.
Despite all the suffering he faces, there is a phrase he repeats every day while looking at our little son:
"I don't want to die… I just want to live to see my son grow up."
There is no greater pain for a wife than hearing those words and not knowing how to ease that fear.
Ricardo can no longer work because of his illness. And I can't either, because I must care for him 24 hours a day. He depends on me to take his medications, to help him get up, to go with him to his appointments, and to be by his side through every moment of this difficult battle.
Our only priority now is to fight for his life.
Without income, our situation has become desperate. Beyond the costs of appointments, tests, medications, special diets, and transportation for his treatments, today it is also hard for us to buy food and cover the most basic needs of our little son.
I never imagined I would have to ask for help publicly, but today we have no other option.
If you can make a donation, no matter the amount, you will be helping Ricardo continue his treatment, be able to access the medications he needs, and ensure our son has the essentials while we keep fighting to hold our family together.
And if you cannot help financially right now, I ask you with all my heart to share our story. Perhaps it will reach someone who can give us a chance to move forward.
On behalf of my husband Ricardo, our son, and our whole family, thank you for taking the time to read our story.
May God bless your life and your family's.
