Non-profit seeks to raise $10k to make 3-year-old El Paso cancer patient’s dream come true
EL PASO, Texas -- A 3-year-old El Pasoan is battling cancer and there's a group out there trying to make dreams come true for him and his family.
Benny Acosta was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at the end of last year. When they found the tumor it was 10cm.
Benny and his mom were forced to uproot their lives from El Paso to Fort Worth for treatment. In the process, leaving behind Benny’s dad and two siblings.
"Benny is a total boy. He loves cars, dinosaurs jumping, wreaking havoc, scaring the daylights out of me,” Korina Acosta, Benny’s mom said.
Although 99% of Benny's tumor was removed, he still has a long battle ahead of him; he's just seven months into his 15 months of treatment.
The family hasn't been together now for two months.
"(Benny's father) has his job, he has two kids, he has what you would consider the normal typical life and I'm living in a room with my son in constant torment watching him suffer,” Acosta said.
If Benny completes his treatment, he has an 85% chance of surviving and being cancer free for the next five years.
"He just settles into his role and he accepts it and he's just willing to get this over and done with and I mean that's a lot to expect out of a 3-year-old,” Acosta said.
A California-based nonprofit, 'Campaign One At A Time,' heard about Benny’s story and wanted to give him something to look forward to.
The group is trying to raise $10,000 by the end of June to send Benny and his entire family to Hollywood Studios in Orlando to make his dream of seeing Lightning McQueen (the main character from the movie 'Cars') come true.
"That would be super cool for him, leave an impression on him - 'oh my god, I saw Lightning McQueen in person.'"
If you want to donate and help give Benny something to beam about, you can go to the 'Campaign One At a Time' website: campaignoaat.org/fightforbenny.
By donating $20 through the website to Benny’s campaign, you will receive a custom wooden #FightForBenny bracelet. You can also make a donation via VENMO to @campaignoaat with a note that says Benny.
