'People do care when times matter'
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WILSONVILLE, Ore. – The Catalan family’s world seemingly shattered in just one day.
Their son, Estevan, was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer so rare that doctors know almost nothing about it.
“One of the doctors told us there’s little to no hope,” said Estevan’s father Gonzalo Catalan. “They told us it could be weeks, to months, to maybe a year.”
Estevan has to wear an eye patch to keep from seeing double.
“Only 20 kids in America were sick like me,” said Estevan.
Estevan’s cancer wasn’t the only bad news the family received on Tuesday. The family was given a notice that they were being evicted from their home.
“We didn’t know what we were going to do,” said Gonzalo Catalan, who has been out of work for several months.
That’s when neighbors came up with a plan to help the Catalan family. Tim Alexander helped raise thousands of dollars to keep the Catalans in their home for at least six more months.
“I literally went door to door and knocked on every single door here and spread the word,” said Alexander.
Neighbors also called Portland General Electric and got them to waive the family’s power bill for a few months.
They also set up a support website for Estevan where people can donate to the family.
“Being able to keep Estevan with his friends and his family, the people he knows, the home where he’s been, and not change things for him right now I thought were especially important,” said Yesenia Catalan, Estevan’s mother.
"People do care when times matter," said Gonzalo Catalan.
Bless everyone who has helped this family. Â I wish the family the best and will pray for recovery for Estevan.
Why don't they care regardless? Why is it only in times of crisis we realize how we're all connected and we need to nurture those relationships? To an extent, it can be just for self-gratification. Bless this family and I pray for the kid's health, but don't get bamboozled by the fakes, especially the fake sympathy from the beloved KATU community.Â
We have put together a facebook page for Estevan www.facebook.com/MakingADifferenceForEstevan Please like and share this page. We want to get the word out about this story, about this condition, and inspire others to be the helping hand your neighbor may need!! We will do our best to keep it updated and help everyone follow his progress. The site also has his donation sites listed if you or anyone you know can help. Thanks for looking and being invovled.
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 @Holly You letter is touching to me as a gramma. My 4 y.o. grandson survived 11 months in Seattle Children's Hospital, battling Burkitt's Lymphoma. That was 6 years ago, and though cancer has come to many family members in the past 10 years, he is thankfully the only child to have to deal with it. Honey, I understand you do not pray, but you have such a gift of caring and compassion. I do have a very strong belief in prayer, so that is what I will give. Each one of us has something.  *******  Estevan!  What a handsome, young, beautiful young man you are. I know your family must be so proud of you, to have the strength to fight the battle you are! I wish I could just give you a big hug, and tell you that you have a whole bunch of people out here that are on your team !!! You and your family just concentrate on being a family, and finding a zillion fun things to do together. I am praying my biggest prayers ever for you, Estevan ~~~ (((Catalan Family)))
just contributed to this fund. Â I pray for all of them. Thank you everyone for posting thisÂ
I can go without my Dutch brothers mocha for a week also, I was gaining weight anyway. I will also contribute noble Irishmen
@pattypepper ....great patty, lets all do it. If we put as much effort into this as burying ourselves in stupid politics, what a difference we can make.
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@hankhandsome ........your feelings for humanity are underwhelming. And shameful !!!
Another Irishman would like to help. I'll be going to your website. If all of us gave up a cup of coffee at Starbucks this week and sent the money to this family, it could make a difference. Anybody think thats a good idea?
@LongTimeLocal .......great idea fellow Irishman........lets do it !
Buenos suerte, estevan. Good luck from an Irishman to a child with a real tough road ahead !