Samantha Rivera, the homemaker that wears 100 hats, has recently been diagnosed with triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma, a very serious, aggressive and rare form of breast cancer, and has immediately started at least 5 months of chemotherapy, with surgery to follow.

This post has been set up with authorization from the Rivera's and all funds go directly into their account. The purpose of this post is to provide an avenue for the “cheerful giver” who wants to “do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Many small donations are just as valuable as a few massive donations, so please understand that ‘two coins of little value' will not go unnoticed and will be greatly appreciated by the Rivera Family (Mark 12:41-44). Sharing this page with others is a gift in itself so please, please, PLEASE SHARE THIS PAGE on all of your social networks. We cannot thank you enough for doing that! It is impossible to know how much money will be needed but for now we are supposing the worst for the next 5 months.

You can imagine the challenges this must pose for this family with 4 young children (Mama's boy Aaron, Energetic Hayden, Spunky Felicity, and Goofy Kaylee) with so much personality and their small zoo. Dario, her husband, works very hard full time to support this family and has been generously volunteering his free time as a spiritual shepherd in their local congregation Hall now in NC.

I can recall many instances of Samantha proving to be the “Lydia” of our congregation and always following the course of hospitality, but I struggle to recall Samantha ever asking for help herself. This family has truly been a prime example of our spiritual paradise, often giving up their personal comforts, even their home, to assist the “widows and orphans” in the congregation! (James 1:27; Proverbs 17:17; 3 John 8) Those who personally know this deeply loved and cherished family likely have partaken of this hospitality themselves.

Proverbs 3:27 states: “Do not withhold good from those to whom you should give it, If it is within your power to help.”

Although financial donations to cover medical expenses* are very much appreciated, if you can offer your TIME to provide practical assistance, this is of great appreciation as well.

ABOVE ALL, PRAYER for the family is the best support and within all of our power to do!

For the friends that have the circumstances and are moved to provide practical hands on help, please reach out to me @ [email protected]

These next 5+ months are going to be extremely challenging, painful, exhausting, and filled with all sorts of uncertainty. The day to day essential activities that most of us take for granted can easily become overwhelming when 4 young children, 2 dogs, and a cat are involved. Sam needs to rest as much as possible to reserve her energy for fighting this dreadful disease. Dario will be home often but also working to adjust a full time work schedule, and is also juggling fortifying the family to maintain as much joy as possible and not lose sight of the real life to come! (1 Timothy 6:19). To make things a bit more challenging, Dario's mother was just diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, with many uncertainties to handle on that front as well. Any help, no matter how small, can make all the difference to this family as we suffer along with them. (1 Corinthians 12:26; Matthew 25:40) Let us each reflect “the Father of tender mercies” and assist them in whatever way(s) we can. (2 Corinthians 1:3,4; Psalms 84:11,12) 

On behalf of the Rivera family, our tears are not enough to thank you all for the prayers and the spirit that you show! As they benefit from your Prayers, know that the Rivera family will also be continually offering Prayers of gratitude to all of you. Please remember to share this post with your friends and family.

*Did you know? “Chemotherapy, the most common treatment for cancer, has famously unpleasant side effects, including nausea, fatigue and hair loss. Less known is how much all that misery costs. Although costs vary by the type of drug and cancer, a month of chemotherapy by infusion typically costs more than $10,000. And for many people, that's just the beginning of a grueling course of treatment that may involve months of chemo, radiation, surgery to remove tumors and drugs.”… “The average cost for a year of treatment in 2014 was $58,097, according to the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics.” From: www.deseretnews.com/article/865656424/What-cancer-costs.html