Help Manny's Hospice Care & Medical Expenses
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Hi, this campaign has been created by the Aragon Family and Mary Bridge. We are fundraising for our dearest loved one and friend, Manny Aragon.
Manny Aragon was diagnosed with Stage IV Esophageal Cancer in March of this year.
Manny is a true one-of-a-kind soul. You’ll never meet anyone as generous, kind, and spirited as him. He’s the co-founder and owner of M & Company Hair and Color Lounge in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Our friend has been fighting Stage IV Esophageal Cancer for more than six months. And unfortunately, he is succumbing to cancer and his body is starting to fail him.
Manny had a loving partner named Marlon Long and had the the ideal life together. They were together for 35+ years and built their salon business together for over a decade. Unfortunately in 2018, Marlon was diagnosed with Leukeumia cancer and Manny helped his partner for two long years through extensive treatment which included chemotherapy, radition, and a bone marrow transplant. Marlon passed away on March 18, 2020 after a long battle with Manny by his side.
Despite the tremendous loss of his partner, best friend, and loved one. Manny continued to live on and take care of his M & Company staff throughout the pandemic. He wanted to make sure that his loving team had job opportunities in spite of tough economic conditions. Manny found a way to live again and move forward for the community in his life.
How It Happened:
On March 18, 2021, Manny was diagnosed with Stage IV Esophageal Cancer. This happened on the one year anniversary of his partner Marlon's death. An extremely sad and tough moment for Manny and his loved ones.
Upon his cancer diagnosis, the doctors recommended that Manny fight and was hopeful that they could reduce the growing tumor through a mixed treatment of chemotherapy and radition. Unfortunately, the treatment did not yield positive results.
Since the latest diagnosis, Manny’s doctors recommended either hospice care or another round of more aggressive chemotherapy. Because Manny is a fighter, he wanted to choose the more aggressive chemotherapy.
“I’m going to fight for all of my loved ones,” said Manny.
How Soon Does Manny & His Family Need Support?
As soon as possible. It’s urgent that we come together as a community and help Manny today. We don’t know how much time Manny has but we are here to fight with him.
If you can provide your support today, Manny and his family would be grateful for the support and love.
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen events, Manny’s condition has become worse. The cancer has spread to his liver and fluid is continuously filling up in his body.
On September 30th, 2021, he and his family have decided to move forward with Hospice Care due to the severity of his symptoms and situation.
How Will Your Donation & Support Will Help Manny?
Your support would help Manny and his family with the following:
- Current medical expenses. Manny currently owes $75,000+ in medical bills to various medical facilities and hospitals. Unfortunately, in the six months since his diagnosis, Manny has had several instances of emergency and urgent care, multiple rounds of chemotherapy, and more. He and his family would be grateful for any financial donations to help with his growing expenses.
- Hospice care at home and additional medical expenses. Manny was moved into full-time hospice care at home beginning September 30th, 2021. He and his family are trying to help him feel as comfortable as possible during this difficult time. Hospice teams and care can include multiple people include doctors, nurses, home health aids, counselors, pharmacists, and more to support patients. The unfortunate fact is that hospice care can cost up to $10,000 per month. Again, we are asking for support to help lessen any potential burden on Manny and his loving family.
- Funeral expenses and support. With the recent changing conditions, we want to help Manny and his family prepare for the worst scenario. The average funeral costs between $7,000 and $12,000 and we are asking for support for his family on this expense. We want to help lessen any financial burdens where possible.
Other Ways You Can Help Manny & His Loved Ones:
- Please help us share this GoFundMe page on social media to share Manny’s story. We’re hoping to reach a broader community for support.
- Send your wishes and support to the staff M & Company Hair and Color Lounge . The staff is not only losing a boss but also loving friend. Feel free to send encouraging words on the M & Company Facebook page .
- Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Encourage them to get checked out annually. Statistically, approximately 39.5% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetimes (based on 2015–2017 Cancer.gov data).
Thank you for taking the time to read Manny’s story. We're grateful to anyone who can be part of Manny's journey.
Organizer
Aragon Family
Organizer
Albuquerque, NM