DI resident spearheads 'Mahjong for Ray' cancer benefit

Ray Berrouet woke up on New Year’s Day in a hospital bed, unsure if he’d get to walk out. It was supposed to be the start of a new year, but the cancer he thought was gone had come back – faster, sharper, and inoperable. 

Just weeks earlier, Berrouet had been told he was in remission after nearly a year of intensive treatment for pancreatic cancer and a separate lung cancer diagnosis. 

“I was blown away when the doctors first told me about it. I felt like I was given a death sentence,” Berrouet said of his initial diagnosis in early 2025. “Leaving my family was not an option.” 

Berrouet, a Park Circle resident, endured emergency surgery to place a stent in his liver, six-hour chemotherapy sessions, radiation, and a Whipple procedure to remove the pancreatic mass. Between treatments, he tried to live as normally as possible, keeping routines with his wife, Nicolette, and their two children – a daughter, 13, and a son who just turned 10. 

“All my numbers and tests came back as normal,” he said. “I had hope for my future and time with my family.” 

That hope was shaken when doctors found a new tumor obstructing a bile duct and causing a serious infection. 

“My surgeon came by and told me that the tumor is inoperable,” Berrouet said. “My ‘it is what it is, let's fix it’ perspective was definitely shaken. This time, the cancer has been much more painful and invasive. I’ve had to dig deep to try and get back to that outlook.” 

Berrouet has been unable to work for more than a year, and Nicolette, who works on Daniel Island, has taken on two jobs to support the family. “Our kids are aware of the diagnosis,” she said. “They put on a brave face, but I'm sure they are scared and have questions they’re afraid to ask.” 

Support has poured in from friends, coworkers, and neighbors, many from Daniel Island. “I have been blown away by the genuine support,” Berrouet said. “It’s been an opportunity to reconnect with many people. When I get better, I will give a lot more of my time to helping others as they have helped me. That’s community.” 

That spirit will be on full display April 11 during Mahjong for Ray, a fundraising event organized by friends to help ease mounting medical expenses and lost income. The event was spearheaded by Cindy Jones, Nicolette’s coworker and a Daniel Island resident. “She has been nothing short of a miracle,” Nicolette said. 

The fundraiser runs from 3-7 p.m. at Paradiso Charleston Club, featuring 30 tables of Mahjong, light refreshments, a cash bar, a curated silent auction, and raffles. Tickets are $75 per guest and include mahjong play and two raffle tickets. 

“This fundraiser is a celebration of community support,” Berrouet said. “It shows that people are good and that we need to be there for one another…. There is hope.” 

And hope, he says, is what keeps him going. “My 13- and 10-year-old children keep me hopeful. I need to be there to see them graduate, see them get married, and be there for them when they need me.” 

For more information, text 610-360-9799. All proceeds directly benefit the Berrouet family.