Behind every design at Nena & Co.

are the hands of our artisans, their stories, and their families.

Today, one of the most beloved members of our production team in Guatemala is facing the fight of his life. If you have ever interacted with our team, you likely know Alan. His journey with Nena & Co. began back in 2017, and over the last nearly ten years, he has woven himself into the very fabric of who we are. He is the definition of pure joy-always helpful, filled with uplifting energy, and carrying a smile that lights up any room.

Today, we are pausing our usual stories of textiles to ask our community

to come together to save a life.

  • CHOOSING HOPE

    Alan's family is looking forward with faith. With a miracle baby on the way, we are choosing to hold onto hope right alongside them.

  • SPREADING LIGHT

    Medical stress is a heavy shadow. Together, we can clear the financial worry and bring peace and light into their home.

  • SAVING A LIFE

    Every dollar directly funds the weekly dialysis keeping Alan alive, ensuring he is here to hold his newborn baby.

The Beautiful News
and the sudden storm

To understand Alan's journey, you have to understand the resilience of his family. Last year, Alan and his wife suffered a devastating, heartbreaking loss when they lost their first baby. It was a dark time, but this year brought a wave of profound hope: his wife is currently seven months pregnant with a miracle baby.

They were joyfully preparing their home for new life when, our of nowhere, a sudden crisis struck. One morning, Alan's body simply collapsed; he could no longer stand or lift himself out of bed.

URGENT MEDICAL TESTING REVEALED A TERRIFYING REALITY. ALAN WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 5 CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD).

Understanding the Diagnosis:

  • WHAT IS STAGE 5 KIDNEY FAILURE?

    To understand the gravity of Alan’s situation, it helps to understand the medical reality of this condition.

    The kidneys are the body's natural filtration system. They work 24/7 to remove waste, toxins, and excess fluids from the blood, while regulating blood pressure and producing vital hormones. Stage 5 CKD is the final, most critical phase of kidney disease, also known as End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). At this stage, a patient's kidneys have lost 85% to 90% of their functional capacity. They can no longer filter toxins, meaning that without immediate intervention, life-threatening waste builds up in the bloodstream rapidly.

  • WHAT IS DIALYSIS?

    Because Alan's kidneys can no longer keep him alive on their own, he must rely on hemodialysis.

    Dialysis is an intense, invasive medical treatment that acts as an external, artificial kidney. During a session, Alan is connected to a machine that draws his blood out, filters it through a high-tech membrane to wash away the toxins, and pumps the clean blood back into his body.

    While dialysis is a literal lifeline, it is not a cure—it is a life-support system. It is physically grueling, leaving patients profoundly exhausted, and it must be done continuously. Alan requires three dialysis sessions every single week just to stay alive.

Why we are asking
For Help: The Financial Reality

Medical care of this magnitude comes with an overwhelming financial burden that no single working family can carry alone. In Guatemala, the cost of specialized healthcare must largely be paid out of pocket, and for Alan, the math is staggering:

Each single dialysis session costs approximately Q2,500 ($325 USD). Facing three sessions a week means his basic survival costs nearly $1,000 USD every single week.

The upcoming birth of their baby in just two months will cost an estimated Q10,000 ($1,300 USD) for a safe medical delivery and immediate care.

When you add it all up, the cost just to keep Alan stable and safely welcome his child over the next three months is $14,000 USD (Q107,500).

As a dedicated member of our production team, Alan wants nothing more than to work and provide for his family. But the exhausting nature of Stage 5 kidney failure and a grueling three-day-a-week dialysis schedule makes it physically impossible for him to carry this financial weight alone.

Our Goal:
Weaving a Circle of Safety and Hope

  • Nena & Co. is stepping in because we refuse to let a member of our family fight this alone. Our goal is to raise $14,000 USD to give Alan, his wife, and their unborn baby a three-month medical runway.

    We want to remove the crushing weight of medical debt from their shoulders so that Alan can focus entirely on staying alive, and his wife can focus on a healthy, safe third trimester. We want to ensure that when their miracle baby is born in a few weeks, Alan is there, stable and strong enough, to hold his child.

  • we are inviting you into an act of radical community solidarity. A burden that is completely impossible for one family becomes entirely achievable when shared by thousands of hearts across the world.

    100% of all funds raised through this campaign will go directly to paying Alan’s medical bills, his ongoing dialysis treatments, and the delivery costs for his wife.

    I want to be there when my baby is born.

    - Alan