What Inspired Us

Our story begins with a remarkable man, Miguel Angel Cardenas, affectionately known as “Dreamer.” Born on April 4, 1964, in Tijuana, Mexico, Miguel's life was a testament to resilience and determination. He was raised by his young single mother, Maria Mendoza, in a small, rough neighborhood where he started selling gum on the streets at the age of six to help scrape by. Despite these humble beginnings, Miguel never stopped dreaming of a better future.

At 15, Miguel and his mother immigrated to the United States, arriving in Los Angeles with only the clothes on their backs. In a challenging environment, Miguel earned the nickname “Dreamer” because of his big aspirations. He worked tirelessly as a busboy, dishwasher, butcher, and more, all while pursuing education. With determination, he transferred from a community college to UCLA, graduating with a 4.0 GPA in Biology.

Along the way, Miguel met the love of his life, Irma Gomez, at 19, and they built a family and a life together. Despite juggling multiple jobs and raising five children, Miguel and Irma opened businesses, invested in real estate, and moved their family to a peaceful neighborhood. Through hard work and ambition, they created a thriving real estate business in Las Vegas.

Miguel's life was defined by kindness, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to his dreams. But in February 2023, our family received devastating news—Miguel was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. The diagnosis was a shock, and navigating the journey that followed was overwhelming. The wait times for specialized care were daunting. While we were fortunate to get help through connections, we realized how many families didn't have the same privilege. Even with our resources, waiting months for appointments with cancer nutritionists and specialists left us scrambling to research what foods to cook and how to support his health. We learned through trial and error, but there were gaps in the information we desperately needed—gaps that should have been filled much earlier.

Despite our efforts, Miguel's condition worsened rapidly. By April, the cancer became aggressive and spread. The weeks that followed were filled with hospital visits, emergency room stays, and heartbreaking moments as his health declined. On December 2, 2023, at 2:30 AM, we lost Miguel. Through the pain of his journey, one thing became clear to me (Edward): no family should have to face the confusion and isolation we experienced. That realization inspired me to create this app. CodeAgainstCancer was born from a desire to provide a place where families like ours can find the support and resources they need—quickly and easily. From dietary guidance to community support and essential articles, our app is designed to make navigating this difficult journey just a little bit easier.

This project wouldn't be possible without the help of my incredible team—Daniel, Kali, David, and Edwin—fellow students I met at CSUF. Together, we're building this app to honor my dad's legacy and to help others facing similar challenges. Miguel was a dreamer, and now his dreams of helping others live on through this platform.

To everyone who uses this app: you are not alone. We're here for you.