- Chiko - MandalAmor -
~ Holistic Fitness ~ Wellness ~ Sacred Ceremony ~
Support Diego's Recovery
After Emergency
Main
Spine Surgery
Support My Recovery
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I’m creating this fundraiser for my partner, Diego,
because for most of his life, his body has been one of the ways he has given to the world.
He has used it to perform and entertain, to dance, to teach, to train, to help people heal, and to inspire others to discover what their own bodies are capable of.
Movement isn’t simply something Diego does.
It has been his work, his passion, his creative expression and, in so many ways, his way of being of service to the people around him.
For many years, he has been the person helping others become stronger, move better, heal and reconnect with themselves.
Right now, he is the one who needs some support
What happened :
In late April, while we were living in Guatemala, Diego had an accident that resulted in surgery on his left hand.His hand healed well, and at the time, we thought that was the extent of his injuries.
We didn’t know that the same accident had also injured his spine in several places.
It started quietly — a small ache and some pain in his lower back. Over the following months, that pain steadily grew, eventually travelling down his leg and all the way into his toes.
For a while, he managed it as sciatica with medication and continued trying to live his life as normally as he could.
But the pain kept getting worse.
Eventually it became chronic and unbearable, and the medication that had been helping was no longer enough.
Diego flew to Mexico City for further testing. X-rays led to MRIs, and those finally revealed what had really happened:
~ Three injured discs in his lower spine compressing multiple nerves
~ A dorsal injury near his spinal cord
~ Two cervical injuries in his neck with the potential to affect nerves and motor function
Suddenly, what we thought was a stubborn case of sciatica had become something much bigger.
The Surgery ( 3 in 1 )
After meeting with several doctors and getting multiple professional opinions, Diego was facing the possibility of three separate operations involving permanent screws and metal plates.
Eventually, he found a surgeon who proposed another approach: addressing all three problem areas in a single procedure using a less invasive method.
In September, Diego underwent the surgery.
Thankfully, the procedure went well.
But his medical insurance denied coverage for it, leaving him to pay the entire $15,000usd cost out of pocket.
And surgery was only the beginning.
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What's Ahead
&
Why Diego needs our help
The next chapter is recovery.
Diego is now facing what is expected to be at least,
a full year of physiotherapy, structured rehabilitation,
medical follow-ups and eventually, a supervised
return to strength training and movement.
For anyone recovering from spinal surgery, that is significant.
For Diego, there is another layer to it :
This isn’t only about being able to move through everyday life without pain again.
His body has been his livelihood. His art. His playground. His classroom. His way of helping people.
It has carried him through a lifetime as a dancer, performer, trainer, therapist, teacher and adventurer.
And right now, the very thing he has relied on to make a living is the thing that needs his full attention to heal.
His recovery means he will remain unable to return fully to his work for some time. So alongside the unexpected medical and rehabilitation costs is another reality:
Navigating a long recovery without the income his body has always allowed him to create.
That is part of what we are asking for support with too — giving him the space to heal properly, without the financial pressure to return to work before his body is ready.
Watching someone whose instinct has always been to move suddenly have to negotiate every movement has made me realize just how much we take our bodies for granted until something changes.
And I also know Diego.His goal isn’t simply to get through this. He's goal is to do the work required to heal properly, rebuild his strength and eventually return to the life and work he loves — safely, patiently and with the support of the right professionals
...and this will take time.
And right now, it also takes help.
Our help.
- September 2026 post surgery -
Support My Recovery
Where your donations go :
The surgery itself cost $15,000usd, which Diego has already paid entirely out of pocket.
We anticipate approximately another $15,000 in recovery-related expenses over the coming year, including:
Physiotherapy
Rehabilitation
Sports rehabilitation
- supervised return-to-training program -Medical follow-ups
Recovery-related expenses
Essential living expenses while
Diego is unable to work during recovery
Our minimum fundraising goal is $20,000, which would help offset the enormous cost Diego has already taken on and support the rehabilitation ahead.
Our ideal goal is $30,000, which would help cover the full anticipated cost of the surgery and his recovery.
How We Can Show Up for Him :
Diego has spent so many years giving his energy, knowledge, strength and care to other people.
This is one of those rare moments when I think we get to return some of that care to him.
If Diego has taught you, trained you, treated you, performed for you, inspired you, made you move, made you laugh, or simply been someone who has brought something meaningful into your life, this is a chance to help carry him through a chapter where he cannot do everything on his own.
If you’re able to contribute, no amount is too small.
And if donating isn’t possible right now, sharing this page with someone who knows or has been touched by Diego is another beautiful way to help.
More than anything, I want him to have the time, care and support he needs to heal without feeling that he has to rush the process because of the financial weight of what happened.
He has spent a lifetime helping other people move, heal and become stronger.
Now we have an opportunity to help him do the same.
Thank you for showing up for him.
With love and gratitude,
Amélia
