Thomas Chandler
My name is Lucía Pérez, and I never imagined that one day I would have to ask for help publicly to save my son.
My son, Joel Torres, is only 7 years old and suffers from a kidney disease. Every day I watch such a small child endure pain that no child should ever know. Between medical appointments, tests, medications, and sleepless nights, my only wish is to be able to ease his suffering.
When Joel's father learned of our son's illness, he decided to abandon us. Since then, it's just my little boy and me facing this tough battle. I have no one to help me, and I cannot leave him alone for even a moment. He depends on me completely to take him to his appointments, carry out his tests, give him his medications, and be with him when the pain becomes unbearable.
Because I must care for him 24 hours a day, I cannot work. Without any income, every day has become a struggle to get his medications, pay for medical tests, and cover our home's most basic needs. Many times I find myself forced to choose between buying medicine to ease his pain or putting food on our table.
Joel is a kind, loving child full of dreams. He should be playing, running, and enjoying his childhood, but instead he spends much of his life among hospitals, appointments, and treatments. Despite the pain he feels, he still finds the strength to smile and ask me when he'll be able to play again like other children. Those questions break my heart.
As a mother, the greatest pain is not being able to give him everything he needs. I never imagined I would have to ask for help from people I don't know, but today I set my pride aside because my son's life and health matter far more than anything else.
So I ask you, with all my heart, that if you can make a donation, no matter the amount, you will be changing our lives. Your help will let us buy medications, carry out the tests Joel needs, continue his treatment, and cover our home's basic needs while I continue devoting all my time to caring for him.
And if you cannot donate, I beg you to share our story. Perhaps it will reach someone who can give us the hope we so badly need.
On behalf of my little Joel Torres, thank you for reading our story, for every prayer, for every message of support, and for any help you can give us. May God deeply bless everyone who decides to reach out a hand to us in this very difficult moment.
