Julio's journey : I won't let cancer decide my fate

My name is Julio Fierro. I am a 35-year-old registered nurse. I am a two-time cancer survivor. Now battling cancer for the third time. I struggled with cancer as a kid from age 7 to age 9. Then, again in my teens from 14 through the majority of my teens. It had a profound meaning to me. A blessing in disguise, you could say. I dedicated my life to healthcare as part of a promise I made to myself during my second encounter with cancer. A promise to help those in positions like mine. I spent years working Healthcare and bedside in the ICU.

This new battle is unlike the ones I faced as a teen and child. As for this time, not only is my life at stake but my entire livelihood is. The severity of my disease has left me unable to work in my role as a nurse. Unable to help save lives. I am unable to walk. I am left without income and without purpose. My independence is all but gone.

I have a Doberman puppy who, if you know me, you know is a huge part of my life, whom I'm struggling to care for. I rely on friends and family for most activities of daily living. I have been out of work since January of this year. In February 2025, I was diagnosed with a rare pleomorphic sarcoma to my proximal tibia, with only about 1,300 cases reported yearly.

My initial prognosis was grim. Friends and family pushed me to find a second opinion, one that has given me hope. I am currently traveling between home in El Paso, Texas, and Houston, Texas, to try and get my third shot at life. The medical bills, living, travel, mortgage, debt, and daily expenses are quickly piling up and crippling my situation even further. It is with this story that I kindly and genuinely ask for your assistance. My only goal is to return to some sense of normalcy with my loved ones. To not be on top of trying to survive, trying to stay afloat. Without income, I'm at risk of losing my Healthcare insurance and medical coverage. My name is Julio Fierro and I will not let cancer destroy my life again. May God bless you and keep you healthy. #FuckCancer