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Like Rafa
our mission
As parents and siblings who have had these experiences through Rafael, we feel we might have a lot in common with what you may be going through now.
We felt the fears, insecurities, impotence, and had many sleepless nights. We experienced feelings of desolation and the frustration of knowing that we were going to lose someone that we love beyond imagination. We felt that tight knot in our throats when we held back the tears so that our children would not see us break down. At times, we felt lonely, totally abandoned, confused, and overwhelmed by all the decisions we had to make.
As such, The Rafael Foundation‘s mission is to assist in significantly easing the emotional and financial burdens of families moving through the process of what seems to be an unbearable situation, and even helping them find some benefit or strength through it.
support we provide
coaching parents & family through the process
financial support to parents & family
improving & enhancing the child’s quality of life
family coaching & guidance
Having a child or sibling given a terminal diagnosis is an incredibly traumatic, ongoing going event that can emotionally and spiritually cripple families. The Rafael Foundation works with families to connect with professionals and support groups that provide an array of different types of assistance as those families work through the different phases of this process as it happens.
financial support to the parents & family
From the combination of the cost of procedures and treatments, lost wages from time spent in hospitals rather than at the workplace, and various unexpected travel fees, this process inevitably places an immense amount of financial pressure on the family as a whole. The Rafael Foundation actively seeks to support families with these financial stresses and issues.
enhancing the child’s quality of life
When a child is diagnosed with cancer and is going through the different phases of this process, their time is often filled with pain, fear, and uncertainty. Especially when a child is terminal, there’s an intense desire to increase their quality of life as much as possible for as long as possible. Again, this desire significantly increases financial pressure on the family. The Rafael Foundation aims to significantly reduce this burden for families, enabling them the opportunity to help their children make the very most of the time they have.
rafa’s story
In September of 2006, Rafael Garcia was diagnosed with an inoperable malignant brain tumor on his brain stem. as it grew, the tumor put pressure on the nerves that control the functions of breathing, swallowing, and muscle control on his left side.
during his first few days of 1st grade that September, Rafael rapidly began losing control of first his leg, and then his arm. shortly afterwards, Rafael began to lose the ability to speak and to swallow.
after immediately going through intense medical treatment, Rafael quickly received an inoperable, terminal diagnosis with treatment options that exclusively relied on radiation and It was believed that the likelihood of successful treatment was well under 10%, and the heart-breaking decision was made to discontinue treatment in favor of maximizing Rafa's life.
He was just six years old.
Three months after discontinuing treatment, Rafael passed away on New Years Day, 2007.
Rafa was described by those close to him as kind, unselfish, generous, very strong, full of life , and always thinking of others instead of himself.
discover rafael’s full story
we’d love to share rafael’s
life story with you. we hope
he touches your heart in
some way.