I recently learned about a 13 year old girl named Zharick, who lives in Chinchina Caldas, Colombia. Like me, she is in the 7th grade. Zharick is the niece of Ruby, a woman who has worked for my family for many years. Sadly, last year Zharick was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma, an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. She is currently being treated at Hospital Departamental San Juan de Dios in Columbia, a 2 hour journey from her home.
During the week she has to be in the hospital early to receive chemotherapy, blood transfusions and morphine. Zharick and her mom can’t take the bus as it takes too long and she can’t be around crowds as her immune system is weak and compromised.
Zharick has health insurance, but it doesn’t cover all of her treatments. Zharick needs four bags of blood each week, as well as morphine to help ease her pain. The cost of the blood is $100 per bag which is $1,200 per month. The Morphine is $500 dollars per month. Zharick and her mom spend $130 dollars on taxis each week. Her insurance covers one bag of blood per week, leaving the rest to come from family and friends.
In December 2008, before I was born and nearly 18 months into my brother Max’s cancer treatment, our family started the Max Cure Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3). Max Cure has only supported children living in the United States. But, as we know first-hand pediatric cancer does not discriminate. Every child diagnosed with cancer becomes a family’s worst nightmare. And with that nightmare comes an incredible amount of financial stress for the family.
Please join me on my mission to raise monies for Zharick and her family, so that she can get healthy and back to being a normal 13 year old girl!
XOXO, Ella