The Rojas family's appeal centers on donations: Leena Rojas uses TikTok to direct viewers to a fundraiser for her mother, Sonia, rather than earning money from video views, according to Local Memphis and KVUE. Leena and her sisters set up the fundraiser to help pay for Sonia’s care.
What the campaign has raised
The outlets reported that the family had raised more than $40,000 toward Sonia’s treatment. Leena’s account had thousands of followers and hundreds of thousands of likes, while her videos had received more than 2.5 million views. The reports say she uses the videos to bring attention to the fundraiser and encourage donations.
Sonia has stage 4 breast cancer. The family has faced substantial out-of-pocket medical expenses despite having health insurance, according to Local Memphis and KVUE. Their reporting does not provide a current breakdown of those costs or the fundraiser’s latest balance.
What insurance out-of-pocket limits may exclude
For people with ACA-compliant coverage, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance says plans are not required to count out-of-network spending or costs for non-covered services toward the annual out-of-pocket limit. Those expenses may therefore fall outside the cap.
Finding the official fundraiser
Leena has warned that fake social media accounts are impersonating her and promoting fraudulent fundraisers. The outlets reported that the family directs supporters to its fundraiser through the link in Leena’s TikTok bio. She plans to continue posting music and family updates while Sonia’s treatment continues.
Before her health declined, Sonia worked as a nonprofit case manager serving people experiencing homelessness and people facing mental health challenges, according to the same reports. Leena now accompanies her mother to chemotherapy appointments.
