Help Jason get treatment in Arizona
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Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada. Accounting for 30% of all deaths.
But if caught early enough, many cancers are treatable. Some of the most common treatments for cancer include chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which fight against the disease by killing the abnormal cells.
Cancer treatment takes a toll on the body, both physically and emotionally, but can also significantly impact the patient’s wallet.
Many don’t realize that the list of expenses for a cancer patient doesn’t only cover specific treatments, but everything from medical attention, travel, medications, supplements, and specialized food all which can add up to tens of thousands of dollars.
For someone who is regularly fighting a civil war with their body, these costs can be crippling, and can result in patients not following recommended treatment procedures.
It can be hard for someone battling cancer to deal with the physical, emotional and financial hardships brought on by their illness. So it helps to have a strong support system from friends and family backing them up. We are very lucky to say that is the case for us. We have amazing friends and family.
But often friends and family may not know how they can help when a loved one is dealing with cancer. We have had a lot of people asking what they can do to help, or say they feel helpless because there is not much they can do. I've had a few friends say that they struggle to find the right words to say to Jason because he's been diagnosed with cancer. There are no perfect words or right way to act. Sometimes just listening is often more helpful than any words you could say. The most help we could ask for, is to donate and share Jasons story. That is the best thing you can do for us.
We need your help to send Jason to Arizonia to get treatment for stage 4 cancer. He has been given 3 months to live and we are fighting to keep him alive. There is so much for him to live for including two beautiful kids Zack age 6 and Kisenya age 4.
Jason was diagnosed with stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma or tongue cancer. It has now spread (metastasized) into his blood stream. Since 2006, he has been actively going to doctors asking them to help him figure out what was wrong. After 4 negative biopsies, he was finally diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2013. Over the last year, Jason has undergone some of the most extreme surgeries anyone could go through.
His first surgery he undewent radical tongue reconstruction using arm and legs muscles, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, a second surgery to remove his tongue(glossectomy), again re-build using his own muscles and then permanently attaching his new muscle to the floor of his mouth. Not to mention removing his lower jaw, and then most of his lower teeth, Then learning to walk again because they used a bone from his lower leg to replace the one in his jaw.
Because he litteraly has no tongue, things are much more difficult for him now. He lost all ability to eat solid food, although did try to blend Turkey dinner after the first surgery so he could enjoy what everyone else had, he even put in cranberries and gravy too!
After his second surgery he had to do what is called a gravity feed, hold his breath, tilt his head up, and wait for the fluids to go down his throat. This often caused problems because when they did the glossectomy (removal of the tongue) they took all his valves that automatically close the windpipe. So when he would try to gravity feed it would go up into his nose and cause problems as well as going into his lungs. Now he is no longer even able to do that.
In the last few weeks he has encountered difficulty breathing due to severe swelling where his jaw was removed and his floor of his mouth was rebuilt. It was deemed necessary to put an opening (tracheostomy) in his neck so he can breathe. In doing so, he will no longer be able to speak. Because the trach doesn't fit well, (they say it's because of his new anatomy) even when he plugs the trach to force air to his upper airways, he is not able to speak well.
He will never be able to tell his children "I love you" again. They will never hear daddy say it. For now he can can write it down. That will have to do.
Now he has another feeding tube put in his stomach. It is very uncomfortable for him as he is a stomach sleeper, and the kids are just at that height that if they go to hug him, they hit the feeding tube and hurt their daddy. He can only ever eat liquids, or blended food that can easily pass through the feeding tube.
He will never be able to eat solid food again. Take a minute to think about that. Your favorite chocolate or chips, your family recipes. He will never taste those ever again.
Through everything, Jason has continued to provide for his family. This meant working and even attending meetings when he had a feeding tube in his nose. Yes, people stared but he held his head up high. His scars are mostly covered with a scarf he wears, and he “eats” when he is home, however in the last few months things have become more challenging.
In Edmonton, the doctors have exhausted their options; but Jason has been accepted to the Envita Medical Center in Arizona (http://www.envita.com/) where he needs to go as soon as possible to get individualized chemotherapy (compared to general chemotherapy in Edmonton) in conjunction with nutritional therapy and immunotherapy.
It is a higher cost than the family can manage. Finances have already been a challenge because his treatment to date has not been in the city that he lives in. We have spoken with Envita in Arizonia, (North scottsdale for those of you who were asking) and she said that with The individualize chemo treatment plan, the referral for radiations, the immuno-therapies, the nutritional therapy, the detoxification therapy, the building up of his immunity, could run us upwards of $175,000. At first we were just looking at getting him the down payment so he could make it down there. But because of the fundraising and all the support we have received they are willing to work with us, they will take 5% off the bill if we can raise the entire amount. All the money raised will go to help Jason live to see his kids. Any unused money will go to help support his children.
Jason and his family are determined to exhaust every option. He is too young to die. He would do anything for his children. Even staying alive
Any support you are able to offer would be appreciated. Even just sharing his story.
Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for love and support during this difficult time and please keep Jason in your thoughts and prayers!
Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada. Accounting for 30% of all deaths.
But if caught early enough, many cancers are treatable. Some of the most common treatments for cancer include chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which fight against the disease by killing the abnormal cells.
Cancer treatment takes a toll on the body, both physically and emotionally, but can also significantly impact the patient’s wallet.
Many don’t realize that the list of expenses for a cancer patient doesn’t only cover specific treatments, but everything from medical attention, travel, medications, supplements, and specialized food all which can add up to tens of thousands of dollars.
For someone who is regularly fighting a civil war with their body, these costs can be crippling, and can result in patients not following recommended treatment procedures.
It can be hard for someone battling cancer to deal with the physical, emotional and financial hardships brought on by their illness. So it helps to have a strong support system from friends and family backing them up. We are very lucky to say that is the case for us. We have amazing friends and family.
But often friends and family may not know how they can help when a loved one is dealing with cancer. We have had a lot of people asking what they can do to help, or say they feel helpless because there is not much they can do. I've had a few friends say that they struggle to find the right words to say to Jason because he's been diagnosed with cancer. There are no perfect words or right way to act. Sometimes just listening is often more helpful than any words you could say. The most help we could ask for, is to donate and share Jasons story. That is the best thing you can do for us.
We need your help to send Jason to Arizonia to get treatment for stage 4 cancer. He has been given 3 months to live and we are fighting to keep him alive. There is so much for him to live for including two beautiful kids Zack age 6 and Kisenya age 4.
Jason was diagnosed with stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma or tongue cancer. It has now spread (metastasized) into his blood stream. Since 2006, he has been actively going to doctors asking them to help him figure out what was wrong. After 4 negative biopsies, he was finally diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2013. Over the last year, Jason has undergone some of the most extreme surgeries anyone could go through.
His first surgery he undewent radical tongue reconstruction using arm and legs muscles, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, a second surgery to remove his tongue(glossectomy), again re-build using his own muscles and then permanently attaching his new muscle to the floor of his mouth. Not to mention removing his lower jaw, and then most of his lower teeth, Then learning to walk again because they used a bone from his lower leg to replace the one in his jaw.
Because he litteraly has no tongue, things are much more difficult for him now. He lost all ability to eat solid food, although did try to blend Turkey dinner after the first surgery so he could enjoy what everyone else had, he even put in cranberries and gravy too!
After his second surgery he had to do what is called a gravity feed, hold his breath, tilt his head up, and wait for the fluids to go down his throat. This often caused problems because when they did the glossectomy (removal of the tongue) they took all his valves that automatically close the windpipe. So when he would try to gravity feed it would go up into his nose and cause problems as well as going into his lungs. Now he is no longer even able to do that.
In the last few weeks he has encountered difficulty breathing due to severe swelling where his jaw was removed and his floor of his mouth was rebuilt. It was deemed necessary to put an opening (tracheostomy) in his neck so he can breathe. In doing so, he will no longer be able to speak. Because the trach doesn't fit well, (they say it's because of his new anatomy) even when he plugs the trach to force air to his upper airways, he is not able to speak well.
He will never be able to tell his children "I love you" again. They will never hear daddy say it. For now he can can write it down. That will have to do.
Now he has another feeding tube put in his stomach. It is very uncomfortable for him as he is a stomach sleeper, and the kids are just at that height that if they go to hug him, they hit the feeding tube and hurt their daddy. He can only ever eat liquids, or blended food that can easily pass through the feeding tube.
He will never be able to eat solid food again. Take a minute to think about that. Your favorite chocolate or chips, your family recipes. He will never taste those ever again.
Through everything, Jason has continued to provide for his family. This meant working and even attending meetings when he had a feeding tube in his nose. Yes, people stared but he held his head up high. His scars are mostly covered with a scarf he wears, and he “eats” when he is home, however in the last few months things have become more challenging.
In Edmonton, the doctors have exhausted their options; but Jason has been accepted to the Envita Medical Center in Arizona (http://www.envita.com/) where he needs to go as soon as possible to get individualized chemotherapy (compared to general chemotherapy in Edmonton) in conjunction with nutritional therapy and immunotherapy.
It is a higher cost than the family can manage. Finances have already been a challenge because his treatment to date has not been in the city that he lives in. We have spoken with Envita in Arizonia, (North scottsdale for those of you who were asking) and she said that with The individualize chemo treatment plan, the referral for radiations, the immuno-therapies, the nutritional therapy, the detoxification therapy, the building up of his immunity, could run us upwards of $175,000. At first we were just looking at getting him the down payment so he could make it down there. But because of the fundraising and all the support we have received they are willing to work with us, they will take 5% off the bill if we can raise the entire amount. All the money raised will go to help Jason live to see his kids. Any unused money will go to help support his children.
Jason and his family are determined to exhaust every option. He is too young to die. He would do anything for his children. Even staying alive
Any support you are able to offer would be appreciated. Even just sharing his story.
Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for love and support during this difficult time and please keep Jason in your thoughts and prayers!
Organizer
Bambi Kom-Tong
Organizer
Red Deer, AB
