BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A Boca Raton community is rallying around a beloved first-grade teacher and her longtime partner as they prepare for a pair of life-changing surgeries. Cathy Wojcik, a dedicated educator at Saint Andrew’s School, has been approved as a living kidney donor for her partner, Carlos, who is living with advanced kidney disease. The couple — middle school sweethearts who have spent more than 25 years building a life together — will both undergo major surgery, and a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help ease the financial burden on their family. GoFundMe asked BocaNewsNow.com to share their story.
The transplant will be performed through Carlos’ medical team in New York, requiring the family — including the couple’s two children, Abby, 9, and Chase, 7 — to temporarily travel and relocate during the procedure and recovery. Expenses are expected to be significant, encompassing travel, temporary lodging near the transplant center, childcare, lost wages, and ongoing medical-related costs. Because Carlos is expected to be unable to work for several months following the surgery, the family faces a substantial loss of income on top of those out-of-pocket costs.
Once Cathy is medically cleared to travel following her own surgery, she and the children will return to Florida, where she will continue recovering while caring for her family and eventually returning to the classroom. Carlos, however, will need to remain in New York for an extended period before he is able to come home and resume work. For their children, the transplant represents more than a medical milestone — it is the chance to have their father present, healthy, and actively involved in their lives for years to come.
A GoFundMe campaign, “Supporting Cathy and Carlos’s Transplant Journey,” has raised more than $11,700 toward a $25,000 goal as of Thursday afternoon. Organizers are asking the community to consider donating and, equally importantly, to share the campaign widely on social media to extend its reach. To support the family, visit the GoFundMe page directly.
