Help Our Mom Fight Stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma

As the season of giving approaches, there is no gift more profound than relieving a family in-need of the heavy burden of bills while their loved one fights for their life.

Read on for a daughter’s plea for her parents..

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Hello friends, family, and kind-hearted strangers,

My name is Lavinnia Reyes, and I’m reaching out on behalf of my family, the Reyes clan, with a wish from the depths of my heart.

My mom, Dianne Reyes, who is not just my mom, but my best friend, my rock, and the beating heart of our tight knit family, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma - a rare subtype of lymphoma that is a medium aggression cancer of the white blood cells, that has made its way into her bone marrow.

Upon a routine medical exam back in June 2024, she was rushed to emergency and given the cancer diagnosis. Upon further testing, it was revealed she had another cancer - a GIST tumor in the lining of the stomach, that will need surgery. This diagnosis was so sudden and out of the blue, and it’s been nothing short of a nightmare, for not only my mother having to endure it, but for me, my 3 siblings - Jasmine, Damon and Ethan - and my father, Ron Reyes, who all love her so dearly.

Throughout her life, my mom has faced many difficult challenges, but nothing has ever stopped her from serving her family, community and friends with kindness and generosity. Now, she’s in the fight for her life, and we are determined to help return the support she’s always given us, because she deserves it, and our family is not ready to be without her. ♡

The Road So Far

Mom’s treatment has already been underway, as she’s completed 4 rounds of chemotherapy.

The Road Ahead

Once this BR Chemo is complete in February 2025, she will be hospitalized for 1 month while she undergoes stem cell replacement therapy, and a more aggressive chemo called BEAM. Once she is well enough, she will be released to go home under the help of a care aide for 2 months. After a recommended 3 more months of at-home recovery, we hope she will have the stamina to return to work. This treatment is our mom’s best chance of sending this cancer into remission. There is no cure for Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

Mom has been handling this process as best she can, and we have every hope for healing, but the accumulative effects of the chemo are aggravating previous conditions that she has fought in her body for years. This has made it so she has been unable to work for the past 5 months. Her sick benefits also run out this month in December, leaving her with no income.

To make financial matters worse, my father, who is the pillar of the family and primary financial support, had his career of 32 years ripped out from under him a couple months ago when the company he worked for suddenly went bankrupt and closed their doors. He was left without severance or a pension and he lost his extended medical benefits, which have greatly impacted the ability to care for our mother’s needs. This scenario, on top of learning of his wife of 37 years' cancer, has put my dad through a great deal of anguish and stress. While he has secured a new job, it alone does not provide the amount of income they need for the staggering costs of treatment, housing, bills, etc. His new job also has him working more, meaning he’s often away from my mom during a time he wishes to be more present with her.

We are seeking financial help to ensure our mother gets every chance to fight this disease, including providing her specialized integrative treatments to help manage side effects, pain, and keep her body strong enough to endure the rest of this journey, as well as afford her and our father some financial stability while they go through these difficult times.

We want to acknowledge and thank those who have already helped our family these past few months with providing meals, groceries and donations. Some friends are also putting on a musical benefit event for those in our local community to attend. The support thus far has made us feel so loved, and helped carry my parents up till this point, but we still have a long road ahead of us.

The desire to raise $40,000 through this campaign is to help with:

No amount donated is too small, and every dollar raised will go towards our mom’s treatment as well as contributing towards the daily responsibilities of rent, bills and groceries. Under these current economic times, we understand that giving can be difficult, so we ask that if you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this

campaign with your network of people. It would mean the world to our family.

My mom is the most reliable, strong, caring, creative, and generous woman I know. Through every twist and turn of my life, she's been an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, and a supportive hand to hold. As a grown adult, I need my mom - sometimes I think now more than ever before. But I'm not the only one who needs her. Of all the reasons I hope my mom beats cancer, I think I want her to survive cancer mostly for Josie.

My mom and dad are first time grandparents to three-and-a-half year-old Josie, my youngest brother Ethan's daughter. Josie adores and is completely obsessed with her grandma. It is my wish that Josie gets to grow up knowing the love and strength of Dianne Reyes like I have had the privilege of knowing. Please help us make this wish come true. ♡

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for taking the time to read this and for considering supporting my mom’s fight. Your generosity means more than words can express.

With gratitude and love,

Lavinnia and the Reyes Family