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Please Help Kona Skatepark Ramos Family

The Marty Ramos family could use your help as daughter Roxanne battles cancer. Please donate and share and lend a hand if you can. Thank you.

Help Roxanne Conquer Ewing’s-Like Sarcoma Cancer

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-roxanne-conquer-ewing039slike-sarcoma-cancer

Roxanne Ramos, the Ramos family’s high school aged daughter has been fighting an aggressive form of cancer since 2018,  having received 74 rounds of chemo in addition to experimental gene therapy treatment- none of which have stopped the tumor from growing. Doctors implanted a special pump in her body to deliver pain medication directly into the tumor so she can “function.”

The skatepark was already struggling, but COVID forced it to shut down in March. The family has a fundraiser going to help fund Roxanne’s treatment and a home health care team to limit exposure and trips to the hospital. 

The Ramos family has been a bedrock of Jacksonville’s skateboarding community and have kept the oldest running skatepark alive through thick and thin. Please share their fundraiser and donate. 

12/1/2020 PLEASE READ NEW DIAGNOSIS UPDATE. Help us reach our goal. 
Roxanne’s cancer journey began in February 2018 when she started having lower back pain. Within a couple of months, the pain traveled to her hip then down her leg. While on the family’s dream vacation Roxanne’s pain increased dramatically and her toes became numb. They rushed back to Jacksonville and straight to the ER. A mass was discovered on a CT scan and Roxanne was rushed by ambulance to Wolfson Children’s Hospital. An MRI and several tests exposed the heartbreaking diagnosis… a rare aggressive cancer. The cancer is called Undifferentiated Round Cell Sarcoma. The mass was on her left pelvic covering her sacrum, Sacroiliac joint, ilium and nerves. Roxanne endured 10 long months of intense treatment (64 rounds of Chemo and 38 Radiation and 70 blood transfusions, etc.) that successfully shrunk the tumor. Each time she had to receive Chemo she would have to be Inpatient for 5-6 days.

After battling and winning the fight against cancer she now had to endure Physical Therapy, Serial Casting, Achilles Tendon Surgery and Aquatic therapy to learn to walk again…another battle she conquered in December 2019! Fast forward 10 months of remission…a routine MRI scan revealed the tumor started growing again and the pain in the hip and leg has returned. This was devasting news to Roxanne, family and friends. Roxanne started a new Chemo regiment but after 10 rounds an MRI revealed the tumor continued to grow and her pain increased. She is now on a trial Gene Therapy treatment. Her pain has been controlled by surgically implanting a pain pump that delivers pain medicine straight to the tumor. The Oncologist are doing everything possible to kill this cancer, but the road ahead will be a difficult one. Please continue to pray for Roxanne and her family for Gods miracles and new research medicine to be available.

Through this difficult journey Roxanne has persevered! Although, pausing her opportunity to attend Douglas Anderson School of Arts was hard, she has maintained her a great sense of humor. Her doctors and nurses often visited for a good laugh (her parents called it a good roasting). Her goal eventually is to get her driver’s license and work at Brew Hound Dog Park. Roxanne is blessed to have a strong and determined family to help her through this nightmare. Her mother, Laurie, is no stranger to cancer. She fought her own battle with breast cancer for two years in 2013 and won! I have faith and believe Roxanne’s battle with cancer will be won too! The Ramos family will not quit until their daughter is cured! Watching this family in action battling this ugly disease has motivated me to do something to help them. Understanding firsthand the enormous cost of hospital facilities, all the physicians and medications… I know they need support. I always ask if there is anything I can do to help as do many others. Laurie and Martin are very humble and kindly respond with we will figure it out. You see, the Ramos Family are givers so receiving is not their norm.

As the owners of Kona Skate Park, they have hosted various charitable events over the years to help organizations and families in need. The Boys and Girls Clubs, Women’s Pink Social, Go Skate Day to name a few. The Covid pandemic has added extra challenges for Ramos family. Kona Skate Park had to close for business on March 13th and has not reopened. Also, hospitals only allowed one parent at a time to be with her which has been emotionally difficult for all the family. Your generous donations will help pay for past, present and future medical cost. Also, for possible travel expenses to research hospitals and fees. With Roxanne’s love of swimming and doctors’ recommendations for Aqua Therapy, the hope is to raise enough money to gift her a swimming pool. During Roxanne’s first treatment year, her parents ‘pool hopped’ with her to different friends and families swimming pools for physical therapy and relaxation.

Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic has changed the circumstances, with her low immune system they must stay home, and visitors are very limited. Let us help create the perfect Healing House for Roxanne during her battle! Laurie and Martin now have an “In Home Health Care Team” so they can limit her exposure and less trips to the hospital. I have known the Ramos Family for 22 years and they have ALWAYS been there when needed. I personally will never forget how they were there for me 5 years ago in my time need. They knocked on my door, marched in, sat down and would not leave until we told them how they could help. I am sure there are many others who can share similar stories about this wonderful family. We recognize this is a difficult time for everyone due to the pandemic, so if you are not able to donate money, Prayers are ALWAYS welcome. Thank you!

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