Hernando Giraldo Barrera Fundraiser

Hello, my name is Akari Giraldo and I have created a GoFundMe account for my father, Hernando Giraldo Barrera.

This fundraiser is being organized by the Giraldo family, with support and special notice from the Hirano's, Garay's, and Castellanos's.

Hernando Giraldo Barrera is an educated, passionate, and disciplined individual who cares deeply for his family. He was born and raised in Cali, Colombia, and grew up with 5 siblings. As a child, he would rescue stray animal from the street and take them back home to help them. In the 1970s, he went to university and graduated with a Bachelors in Colombian Law. After graduation, he became a secretary for a judge, helping the poor during his service. Hernando is a very head-strong, health-conscious individual who enjoys salsa dancing, working out, martial arts, and collecting car/watches. He married my mother, Makiko Misaki, in Japan, and then they moved to Florida around 1996. They have 3 kids together. As a father, he was always focused supporting his family, as he was very devoted by making sure we had the resources we need.

On March 2019, my father was diagnosed with Stage III Throat Cancer. Our family was devastated from the announcement. But we had hope. His cancer was treatable. My father is a very strong individual, both physically and mentally. He has spent most of his life eating healthy and was very focused on staying in shape. Our hopes were high for a positive outcome. We believed my father would be able to return to his healthy normal self.

On May 2019, his treatment began with chemotherapy once a week and radiation everyday. During his treatment, he would experience episodes of chemobrain, which was known to cause severe and scary side effects. We were told they were temporary and they would go away after treatment.

In August 2019, the treatment was complete. From there, we could see him return back to his original self, but after a few month or so of improvement, his mental health suddenly worsened without explanation. After many months of doctor appointments and questions, he was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia early 2020.

Our family has done everything we can to try and help him; however his condition has deteriorated quite significantly these past few years. Currently, he has been in the hospital for 2-3 months and we have struggled to get him the proper medications and treatment to help his symptoms. Once he is released from the hospital, he will continue to need constant professional care and attention for the remainder of his life. This situation has been a roller coaster for everyone involved.

Taking care of a loved one with dementia is very mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting. It has been very tough on our family financially as well. We are currently struggling to pay his bills and need the money to get him proper continued care so that he may suffer less. We are asking for any assistance to help for his medical and personal expenses. Our goal is to obtain some financial relief and so we may focus on making sure my father is as comfortable as he can be...

Please keep Hernando in your prayers. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.