Pico Union’s “Big Sleeps” — David Cavazos — helped define a generation of Chicano art in Los Angeles. But now, the world-renowned tattoo artist is fighting for his life.
After surviving years of violence, incarceration and life on the streets, Cavazos built a career that took his lettering from alleyways and prison cells to the walls of the Getty Museum. Today, he’s on dialysis and urgently searching for a kidney donor.
He’s also using his platform to raise awareness about kidney disease and hopes to open a youth center that blends art with health education.
“I don’t want to spend any second of the time I have left worrying. If this goes bad, I want to enjoy every second of it,” he said.
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God give me the strength to get through this day🙏🏽 and to continue to be thankful no matter how rough things get 🙏🏽
I’m off to dialysis even though I had a rough night vomiting and was unable to get any sleep I need to continue keeping my faith strong and pushing forward😃this morning. I feel so tired to even take the drive but I know I have to show up with a positive attitude. I just wanted to share how I’m feeling. I know a lot of people out there that are on dialysis understand the battle. I guess I need to post a little bit more about this. Thank you everyone for always supporting and sending prayers. It means a lot. I definitely tap in and read them, especially days like this that seem harder than ever at 4 in the morning…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SIDEKICK @CHAMPDOGGYDOG ITS BEEN FIVE AMAZING YEARS SINCE WE RESCUED YOU FROM THE BORDER CROSSING IN TIJUANA 🐕
YOU OVERCAME PARVO ANEMIA LIME DISEASE TO NAME A FEW AND YOUVE BROUGHT US ALL SO MUCH JOY 😀
❗️ ❗️ATTENTION ❗️❗️
I am in urgent need of a life-saving kidney donor. If you would like to learn more about becoming a living donor, please join us at the “Gift of Life” Health Fair on March 7, 2026, at The Graff Lab in Pico-Union.
Dr. Anjay Rastogi and his team will be on-site to answer questions about the kidney donation process. There is no obligation—just an opportunity to learn.
If you can’t attend this event, you can email our team at [email protected] or call us at 310-794-5023
LETS HELP OUR BROTHER @bigsleeps FIND A DONOR SOON AS POSSIBLE🙏🏽
REPOST FROM MY HOMEGIRL @reverielove
CALLING FOR HELP ✊🏽🚨 Prayers for one of my favorite Los Angeles ICONS @bigsleeps 💖🙏🏽 EMAIL [email protected] FOR MORE INFO OR TO BECOME A DONOR 🔥 PLEASE REPOST ‼️
For those that missed the @univision34 Segment
Here goes the recap ✅
The goal now is to not only get a Kidney Transplant but to help use my platform to spread the word about Kidney Disease to help our people be more educated on this issue and possibly make the proper Changes in lifestyle to avoid ending up with CKD 👈🏽
I’m just sharing my experience with the 🌎 World Hoping to motivate and inspire ♥️
A huge thank you to @univision34 for This segment and to @corekidney and @kidney_fighter For helping me change my whole perspective on this Disease🙏🏽
Thank You @iamjaychin 👊🏽 For these words I’m am definitely hanging in there and I know that GOD will give me the Perfect Match Soon…
In the meantime I’m keeping that positive mindset thru this Intense Battle With
👉🏽E•S•K•D👈🏽
David @bigsleeps has had some complications from his Dialysis and needed to be hospitalized Tuesday evening 🥲
Please keep him in prayer as he will be going into surgery on Monday morning to Place a new catheter as his current one was not working properly and the toxins in his blood got extremely bad…
