SAN ANTONIO – Eryka Vasquez and Alejandro Lopez know sarcoma as more than a diagnosis.
It’s the phone calls, the surgeries and the bills that keep coming for doctor visits, medications, procedures and even parking while patients often can’t work.
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Sarcoma is a cancer of the connective tissue, found in muscle, bone, cartilage or tendons. There are more than 70 types. Ewing and osteosarcoma are among the most common.
Vasquez was 27 when she was diagnosed in 2023 with Ewing’s sarcoma of the mandible, a rare bone cancer in an even rarer location. She spent nearly a year in treatment at University Hospital.
“During treatment, Alejandro and I were both in survival mode,” she said. “It wasn’t until afterward that we were able to reflect and realize how little awareness exists for sarcoma and how much this nonprofit is needed.”
In October 2024, after a follow-up appointment, Vasquez told her medical team she would start a foundation for the patients who came after her, and she says doctors and nurses have since stepped up to support the effort.
Now, Vasquez and Lopez, a below-knee amputee and osteosarcoma survivor, have helped launch the Vasquez Sarcoma Foundation alongside fellow survivor Jake, a two-time Ewing’s survivor. Their mission: make sure no sarcoma patient in San Antonio faces the financial and emotional wreckage alone.
The need is urgent, they say, especially for young adults building their lives. More than 88,000 new cancer cases have been reported among adolescents and young adults so far in 2026; about 1% are sarcoma diagnoses.
And in many homes, the most immediate need is money.
“A donation of $10, $25, or even $50 may not seem like much for some, but for a sarcoma cancer patient, it’s hope,” Vasquez said. “It’s being able to breathe again, knowing something will be handled, whether it’s parking for the week, groceries, a home bill, or a meal during treatment. But mostly, you know you’re not alone.”
Blessing Bags
You can bring comfort to a Sarcoma Warrior in a very meaningful way; The Vasquez Sarcoma Foundation has created a registry to help sarcoma patients. By filling Sarcoma Support Blessing Bags with practical comfort items, they can use; these are practical essentials that ease treatment and side effects and can brighten a long hospital or clinic day.
Even small things from the list can help with the side effects of treatment and just make a hard day a little better. Every gift is a simple act that delivers real relief, it’s a powerful way to show up for patients and families with visible, local impact and is basically a reminder that people are rooting for them.
It’s an opportunity to surround every patient with care, hope, and a community that won’t let go because no one should face this fight feeling like they are all alone.
The Vasquez Sarcoma Foundation is founded by sarcoma survivors, for sarcoma survivors and is dedicated to providing comprehensive support to sarcoma patients, survivors, and their families. The VSF, offers resources to help individuals and caregivers navigate the challenges of a sarcoma diagnosis and treatment from emotional support to practical guidance and community connection. The Vasquez Sarcoma Foundation exists to ensure no one faces sarcoma alone.
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