Letter from Social Worker:
Dear Supporters of Jessica June Children’s Cancer Foundation,
I am writing on behalf of the family of Eli, a 13-year-old child who is currently receiving care for osteosarcoma, a serious form of bone cancer requiring ongoing medical evaluation and treatment. He is currently receiving care at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Fort Lauderdale Pediatric Hematology/Oncology clinic.
Eli’s diagnosis has placed a significant emotional and financial strain on the family. His family must manage the demands associated with Eli’s cancer treatment and medical appointments while also maintaining the needs of the household. His mother, Brittiny, is currently pregnant, and the family also includes the patient’s 8-year-old sibling, Ezekial. In addition, the family has previously experienced the devastating loss of another child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), further contributing to the emotional challenges they have faced as a family.
Due to Eli’s cancer diagnosis and the associated treatment-related responsibilities, his family is experiencing financial hardship and would greatly benefit from financial assistance. Any support available would greatly help alleviate some of the financial and emotional burdens associated with caring for a child with a life-threatening diagnosis and allow his family to focus their resources on Eli’s ongoing care and the well-being of the family.
I respectfully ask that you consider this family for financial assistance. Any support provided would be meaningful to Eli’s family during this particularly challenging period.
Thank you for your consideration and for supporting families of children undergoing cancer treatment.
Sincerely,
Victoria Arcay, MSW RCSWI
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Social Worker
Plea from Mother:
Dear Jessica June Children’s Cancer Foundation,
My name is Brittiny, and I am writing as the mother of my firstborn son, Eli-Earnest, who was recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer.
Receiving this diagnosis has been devastating for our family, emotionally, physically, and financially. Before his diagnosis, Eli was an active young man who enjoyed playing football. However, since August 2026, doctors have discovered two cancerous tumors in his left femur, leaving him unable to walk and drastically changing his life.
Eli has already endured more than most children should ever have to experience. Last year, he underwent emergency surgery for a twisted testicle.
In 2019, he was severely attacked by a pit bull, just three months after the birth of his younger brother. Through every challenge, he has remained strong, but this cancer diagnosis has been one of the hardest obstacles he has ever faced.
As a single mother and primary caregiver, I have been carrying the responsibility of caring for Eli while also providing for his siblings. For nearly three weeks, I traveled back and forth between Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami and our home in Broward County while trying to care for my other children. Because of Eli’s medical needs, I have been unable to work consistently, causing financial hardship and making it difficult to pay rent, utilities, and everyday household expenses.
Many times, I had to rely on trains and Uber rides just to get to Miami so I could be by my son’s side during biopsies, radiation treatments, surgeries, testing, and other medical procedures. Some days I traveled back and forth in the same day so I could continue caring for my children at home while remaining present for Eli in the hospital. Every trip, every expense, and every missed day of work has added to the burden our family is carrying.
Our family has also endured unimaginable loss. In April 2024, Eli and his younger brother Ezekiel lost their baby brother to SIDS at only five months old. The grief from that tragedy remains with us every day. I am also currently expecting another baby boy while trying to meet the increasing needs that come with Eli’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.
I am doing everything I can as a mother. I am present. I love all my children unconditionally, just as God loves His children. Watching my son suffer is one of the most painful experiences I have ever faced. It breaks my heart to see him in and out of hospitals, enduring procedures, treatments, and pain that I cannot take away from him. All I can do is pray, support him, and trust God to carry him through this journey.
Eli is incredibly brave, but he cannot fight this battle alone. Every dollar raised will go directly toward these relocation, travel, and dietary support costs, ensuring he keeps uninterrupted access to his oncology team while surrounded by family love. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, prayers, and generosity during the hardest chapter of our lives.
Brittiny
Eli’s mom