Support Ana's Children: A Mother's Last Wish

Before I Go: A Mother’s Last Wish for Her Children

Hello, my name is Ana Isabel Guzmán Oviedo. I am 42 years old, a single mother from Gravilias, Desamparados, Costa Rica. My life revolves around my two children: Caleb, who is 13 and in high school, and my daughter Kristel, 20, who put her own dreams of college on hold to care for me when I became ill. Their futures are the reason I am reaching out today.

In 2018, my health began to deteriorate, starting with severe abdominal pain, nausea, and blood in my stool. After many months of tests, I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to my liver. After two surgeries and many rounds of chemotherapy, we held onto a glimmer of hope. But in early 2023, the cancer returned, spreading to my peritoneum, kidneys, lungs, and spine. My condition is now terminal, and I am receiving care to manage the pain. Even as I face this reality, my greatest concern is not for myself, but for my children.

Their father abandoned us years ago, leaving me to raise Caleb and Kristel alone. With no one else to lean on, Kristel took on the responsibility of caring for me, even giving up her college education to help. My children are bright, driven, and compassionate, full of dreams for the future. Caleb is excelling in school, and Kristel has always dreamed of a professional career. But now, as I face the end, I worry about what lies ahead for them—who will support them, who will guide them, and how they will afford to build the lives they deserve.

I am humbly asking for any help or guidance that could support my children through this journey, allowing them to continue their studies and meet their basic needs as they adjust to life without me. I have done everything I could to protect them, but now I must rely on the kindness of others to give them a foundation for the future.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for any kindness, assistance, or encouragement you can offer. I am forever grateful for the hope you might bring to my family in these uncertain times.

With all my gratitude,

Ana Isabel Guzmán Oviedo