EVERYONE FOR MÁRCIO: ART, MUSIC AND THE FIGHT AGAINST MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
WHO MÁRCIO WAS
My name is Marcelo Alves Gomes. I am 56 years old and I live in São Paulo, Brazil.
I am creating this fundraiser for my brother, Márcio Alves Gomes, who is 58 years old and is facing an extremely serious and complex medical situation.
Márcio is my brother, whom I love deeply. I am his full-time caregiver and the person responsible for his daily care throughout the day, night and early morning. It is extremely exhausting, but I have faith in the One who gives me strength.
Before his illness progressively changed his life, Márcio was an active, creative and talented person.
Since childhood, he loved drawing. He was especially interested in caricatures, cars and other subjects that allowed him to express his creativity.
When he was young, Márcio was also a musician. He was part of a band and played the keyboard, but he could also play drums, guitar and acoustic guitar. During that same period, he took two courses: one in drawing at Escola Cândido Portinari and another in painting at Escola Panamericana de Arte, and continued to develop his artistic skills.
Our father was also a painter and worked with oil painting on canvas. He passed some of his techniques and knowledge on to Márcio, who gradually developed his own talent and began creating beautiful paintings.
Márcio did not paint only for himself. He also began selling his paintings and teaching oil painting on canvas to other people.
Drawing, music and painting were important parts of Márcio's life and reflected his creativity and love for art. He also used these artistic abilities to sculpt Star Wars characters and spaceships using Durepox modeling compound.
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|  |  Márcio
Gomes painting a picture outdoors at Horto Florestal Park in São
Paulo in 2013. |
It is difficult for me to look at this photograph today because it reminds me of the brother I knew before his illness progressively took away so much of his independence.
WHEN HIS LIFE BEGAN TO CHANGE
Around 2018, Márcio began experiencing health problems that progressively affected his mobility and, later, his mental and cognitive functioning.
At first, he needed a walking cane.
As his condition worsened, he needed a four-point cane. Then he needed a four-point front walker. Eventually, he required a wheelchair.
Little by little, his loss of mobility became more severe until he became completely bedridden.
During this same period, the neurological effects of his multiple sclerosis also became increasingly apparent, affecting not only his physical mobility but also his mental and cognitive abilities.
What began as difficulty walking gradually became a complete loss of independence.
THE LOSS OF HIS INDEPENDENCE
The progression was gradual, but devastating.
- Cane.
- Four-point cane.
- Four-point front walker.
- Wheelchair.
- Bed.
Each step represented another part of Márcio's independence being taken away from him.
With time, he became 100% bedridden and completely dependent on others for his daily care.
MY LIFE CHANGED WITH HIS
BECOMING HIS FULL-TIME CAREGIVER
Márcio's health eventually became so serious that I could no longer care for him only during the day.
There were periods when his respiratory secretions became so severe that they obstructed his breathing, creating a serious risk of aspiration and airway obstruction. Because of the severity of his condition, I had to learn how to perform suctioning and began constantly monitoring his breathing.
This need for continuous vigilance led me to leave my own bed and sleep in a chair in the living room, allowing me to respond immediately whenever he experienced an episode of choking or respiratory difficulty and helping keep him safe during the night.
From that moment on, caring for Márcio became a **24-hour responsibility**.
I am not simply his caregiver during the day. I am the person who needs to be present during the day, at night and throughout the early morning to **ensure his safety and respond to his needs at any time**.
MÁRCIO'S CURRENT MEDICAL CONDITION
Today, Márcio is 100% bedridden and completely dependent on others.
He has multiple sclerosis, dysphagia, a cystostomy and a gastrostomy (G-tube).
He is severely malnourished. He is approximately 1.85 meters tall and weighs only about 49 kilograms, corresponding to a BMI of approximately 14.32 kg/m².
He also has significant visual impairment and very limited pulmonary capacity, which prevents him from speaking normally.
His health condition requires continuous care, close observation and assistance with virtually every aspect of his daily life.
HIS PRESSURE WOUNDS
Márcio also has severe pressure wounds (bedsores) that require continuous treatment, wound care and monitoring.
Medical documentation has identified multidrug-resistant bacteria associated with his wounds, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter and Acinetobacter.
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These wounds require regular dressing changes, wound-care materials, antimicrobial dressings, medical attention and constant monitoring.
The photographs below show the current condition of some of his pressure wounds.
I am including these photographs not to shock anyone, but to provide an honest and transparent view of the medical situation we are facing.
NUTRITION AND DAILY CARE
Because Márcio is unable to eat normally, he depends on enteral nutritional support through his gastrostomy.
His severe malnutrition makes adequate nutritional support an essential part of his ongoing care.
His treatment includes nutritional support and medically appropriate nutritional supplements, which help maintain his nutritional status and support his body's recovery and wound-healing needs.
In addition to nutrition, his daily care requires medications, wound-care materials, medical supplies, hygiene products and professional assistance.
OUR FAMILY
Our family has also suffered profound losses during this difficult period.
Our mother passed away in September 2025.
Our father passed away in November 2025.
Our father was also a painter and shared his knowledge of oil painting with Márcio. The artistic connection between them is something I will always remember.
Losing both of our parents within such a short period, while Márcio was already in such a fragile condition, made an already difficult chapter of our lives even more painful.
WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR HELP
I never imagined that one day I would need to ask people I do not know for help.
But Márcio's health condition has reached a point where the costs of his ongoing care have become extremely difficult for us to manage on our own.
Because I am responsible for his overall care and provide direct full-time assistance outside the caregiver's shift, maintaining a regular job or a stable source of income has become impossible.
At the same time, Márcio requires continuous medical care and supplies.
That is why we are asking for your support so that I can continue providing the care he needs and ensure that Márcio can maintain a daily life with as much dignity and safety as possible.
HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED
Funds raised through this campaign will help cover the essential costs associated with Márcio's care, including:
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Medications
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Wound-care materials and dressings
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Nutritional support and appropriate nutritional supplements
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Medical and hygiene supplies
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Professional caregiving assistance
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Medical equipment and necessary care items
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Transportation and other medical-related expenses
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Other essential expenses directly related to his daily care and treatment
TRANSPARENCY
I understand that anyone considering making a donation has the right to know whether this situation is genuine.
For that reason, I am willing to provide medical reports, prescriptions, photographs and other documents that can help verify Márcio's medical condition and our circumstances.
I am also fully available for a video call (via Google Meet or Zoom) with anyone who wishes to speak with me directly and verify our situation. Although I do not speak English and understand Spanish better, we can easily communicate using real-time translation features for captions so we can understand each other perfectly. Sharing this campaign helps us reach someone who might be able to support us.
I want this campaign to be completely transparent. Anyone who wishes to understand our situation more fully is welcome to contact me.
A PERSONAL REQUEST
I am not asking anyone to take responsibility for my brother's medical care.
I am simply asking for help so that I can continue providing the care Márcio needs.
I have dedicated years of my life to caring for him, and I will continue doing everything I can.
But I can no longer do this alone.
Every contribution, regardless of its size, can help us purchase something that Márcio needs for his daily care.
IF YOU CANNOT DONATE
This campaign has just launched. Be the first to offer your support and help us kickstart this mission! If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing Márcio's story.
Sharing this campaign helps us reach someone who might be able
to support us.
If you know an athlete, artist, foundation, humanitarian organization, healthcare professional or anyone else who might be able to help, introducing them to Márcio's story could make an enormous difference.
Sometimes one person cannot make a large difference alone, but many people making small contributions can make an enormous difference together.
THANK YOU
Thank you for taking the time to read Márcio's story.
Thank you for seeing him not simply as a medical case, but as a human being, a brother, an artist and a person whose life is still worth fighting for.
Thank you for any donation, share, message or act of kindness.
With deepest gratitude,
Marcelo Alves Gomes
São Paulo, Brazil
WhatsApp: +55 (11) 96873-8210
E-mail: marceloalvesgomes.futebol@gmail.com
