Season for Caring, Araceli Ramirez: Breast cancer diagnosis meant son put off college to help
Leyva Ramirez’s childhood was not without its challenges, but he attributed many of the bright spots in his young life to his mother, Araceli.
“When I was little, I used to watch my parents fight. I used to watch my sisters fight,” he said. “But I have happy memories from when I was little. My mom took me to the movies, to the park to hang out with my friends. My friends were nerdy like me. My childhood wasn’t perfect. But I wouldn’t change it. There was good and bad, and a lot of the good was thanks to my mom.”
The two words that come to mind for Leyva Ramirez when he thinks of his mom are “brave and strong.”
“She has shown me a lot of things. To not give up, and to be strong no matter what obstacles you have in front of you, no matter what challenges, keep your head high and keep going,” he said. “She’s done everything she has done by herself.”
By many metrics, Araceli Ramirez has not had an easy life. She was born in Mexico City and grew up in a small town a few hours away. The youngest of eight children, she was left in the care of relatives and siblings when she was 2 years old, after her father died and her mother went to find work.
Ramirez moved to Austin in 1998 and was soon followed by her two young daughters before giving birth to her son. She spent years in a bad marriage until she separated from her husband in 2014. A year later, she got her first breast cancer diagnosis.
“I felt something odd in my breast, a little lump. And I saw on the television that it’s best to get those checked out,” she said. “They told me it could be cancer. I was really nervous waiting to find out and when they called me to the clinic to tell me, I felt desperate. I was really afraid.”
After chemotherapy and radiation, her cancer went into remission for five years — until last year she started to feel tired and her breast were red.
“I was scared to go to the doctor and ask about my health because I was afraid of what they would tell me," she said. "It was like I already knew, but I didn’t want them to tell me. I didn’t want to go through it again.”
In February, Ramirez was diagnosed with stage four metastatic cancer, which means it has spread throughout her body. She had an operation last month that will likely limit the movement in her left arm, limiting her ability to work as a house cleaner. This month, new spots were discovered in her lungs. She would like a second opinion at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Her daughters are not able to provide much financial support because they have their own families. Right now Ramirez is getting by with her limited income and her son’s help.
He began working after school and on weekends in retail jobs to help bring in extra money when his mom was first diagnosed when he was 15.
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Leyva Ramirez put off college to work in construction to help take care of his mom — he wants to study international business and open his own business in Mexico City. All of his income goes toward household expenses and medical bills.
While Leyva Ramirez is at work — sometimes from 5 a.m. until 7 or 8 p.m. — Ramirez is home alone. She said her sister tried to come visit from Mexico to take care of her but was turned around at the border.
Ramirez said the idea of strangers donating to help her through this difficult time feels like “a great blessing.”
“This has been a reminder that there are good things in the world, too, and good people in this life. Sometimes it feels like everything is bad, but it’s not,” she said. “Sometimes I ask, why did this happen? But maybe it was supposed to teach me something. That there will always be bad things, but there are also good things in life.”
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The Ramirez family's wishes:
Tuition help for Jesus to study international business at Austin Community College; help purchasing the land her trailer is on; rental assistance; car repairs for both cars; paying off Jesus' car; help paying for a second opinion at MD Anderson as well as gas and hotel for travel; fence for her property; new air conditioning and heating system; new washer and dryer; new flooring in the bedroom, kitchen and dining room; replace and expand kitchen counter; new backsplash in the kitchen; create a built-in pantry; add shelves to kitchen cabinets; refrigerator; microwave; range hood; water dispenser; coffeemaker; juice extractor; dining room table with chairs; new ceiling lighting; ceiling fan and installation; night stand lamp; floor lamp; replace showerheads; replace extraction vents; living room furniture including a new couch: plates, glasses, silverware, knives and cutting boards; laundry room shelves and storage; new bedroom doors; nightstands; two 40-inch TVs; PlayStation; laptop; pillows, comforter and sheets for queen size bed; new dressers; bath and hand towels; trash can; electric toothbrushes; vacuum cleaner; new bathroom mirrors; redesign bathroom vanity; add a tub instead of a shower; new tub in guest bathroom; new toilet; repair hole in the wall; cleaning products; high speed internet; new exterior doors; add house numbers; outdoor rug; grill; outdoor furniture: blinds; new floor vent covers; new light switches; landscaping including adding a garden and grass and maintenance; new planters; landscaping tools; tree trimming; tree swing; sprinklers; deck extension and new deck with shade covering; outdoor motion sensor lights; security system; gutters to protect front door; ramp for wheelchair; roof inspection and new roof or repairs; paint the house and shed; repair the exterior side wall crack; and gift cards for clothing and shoe stores, gas and H-E-B.
Wish list available on Amazon.
Nominated by: Breast Cancer Resource Center, 8127 Mesa Drive, Suite B206 No. 131, Austin, TX 78759-8632. 512-524-2560; bcrc.org.
Its mission: To empower those affected by breast cancer with personalized support and compassion.
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Season for Caring, Breast Cancer Resource Center, Araceli Ramirez
