Alexander’s Road to Recovery

The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved ~Mother Teresa.

Hello, my name is Alexander Mojica. I am 35 years old and I currently have no place to call home, have no transportation, and no one to lean on. I have always been strong and independent despite life’s challenges, but I am currently alone and in need of help. How did I get here?

I was diagnosed with rectal cancer in May 2023 and it has turned my world upside down. I grew up poor, made many mistakes when I was younger, have lost many important people in my life, and have worked hard to make a better life for myself. I lost my mother 2 years ago. I lost my cousin (like a brother) 4 months ago. I lost my sister 2 months ago (at the age of 43) to esophageal cancer. She was diagnosed 6 months before I was diagnosed with rectal cancer. She was the only person who understood what I was going through with my own cancer.

Even though there were lots of things advertised to help cancer patients it always seemed like I didn’t qualify- I didn’t have a steady home address, a caregiver, and other things that I needed to qualify. I endured 6 weeks of chemoradiation and 4 months of chemotherapy which left me tired and feeling sick most days. I had surgery to remove my cancer a few days after my sister’s funeral. This was the loneliest time of my life. The doctors and nurses have been supportive but when I am alone in my head it is difficult. As I have worked through physical changes to my body and have been working through my grief and survivorship, I have gained new perspective on the things that are important to me. I am hopeful but am overwhelmed with how to move forward with my life.

Prior to my diagnosis, despite so many losses and adversities in my life, I was 34 years old and was finally thriving- I was proud of a home improvement business I had grown and moved from Boston, MA to Tampa, FL in January 2023 after the hurricane for work. While I was on the job one day, I had some rectal bleeding and abdominal pain. I dismissed it because I needed to work to afford to live. Finally, it got so bad one day that I had to go to the hospital. I was in disbelief that I was told I had rectal cancer. I am so young. I had no real support going through treatment. Everyone around me sort of scattered away. I had moved to Tampa and didn’t know anyone. My friends and family were far away and didn’t understand what I was going through. I had to give up so much to pay for treatment and to live. I lost a roof over my head, my truck, my tools, my computer, and many other things that we don’t think about until we don’t have them anymore. Day to day tasks have become difficult and I have days when I feel all hope is lost for me to regain my independence which is immensely difficult for me.

I am blessed that I have beaten cancer but it has taken almost EVERYTHING from me to do this and I need help to rebuild my life. I have been able to share my story with others and this has helped me have purpose again. I am reaching out with a heavy heart hoping that the compassion of strangers and new friends can help me get a start on this so I can begin to truly live again in a new meaningful way. Thank you for being a beacon of hope. I hope to pay it forward someday.

Please read more about my journey.

https://www.abcactionnews.com/morning-blend/march-is-colorectal-cancer-awareness-month. (check out the Tampa Morning Blend Facebook page from 3/18/24 if link doesn't work)

https://baycare.org/newsroom/2024/march/young-colorectal-cancer-patient-i-never-thought-it-could-happen-to-me