Rob Curtis' Medical Fund
Donation protected
We are starting this fundraising campaign for Rob Curtis. As most of you know, Rob is one of the most kindhearted and likeable individuals you could ever meet. He has a natural passion for life and a true love for anything to do with the water. His friends all know he probably talks about boats just a little too much.
In the fall of 2014, Rob was diagnosed with late stage colon cancer. Surgery was performed to remove the tumor and he underwent 6 months of chemotherapy, With no signs of cancer, the diagnoses was that the cancer had gone in remission. In the spring of this year a routine scan showed that a small amount of cancer had returned. Now it is in his peritoneum or abdominal cavity. Due to his overall good health he was a perfect candidate to go to a specialist in Pittsburgh for Cytoreductive surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. In English, that means Rob had to endure a 20 inch incision, 8 hours on the operating table and the recovery was absolutely brutal.
HIPEC surgery, as it is called, comes with two main hardships. Financial and a high risk for medical complications, as Rob found out not long after being home. While working on his recovery, Rob was once again hospitalized with a very painful gallbladder issue. Normally doctors would remove the gallbladder but because of his recent surgeries Rob would have to wait. As if this wasn't enough, Rob's post-op scar tissue put him back in the hospital for a third time. Diagnosed with a parial intestinal blockage, both painful and dangerous, he would have to suffer more before he could have that operation because his body would need more time to heal.
Time has passed and Rob will be going back to Pittsburgh for both of these operations. Did I say that the HIPEC recovery is brutal. All this time Rob has been out of work and with 2 more operations ahead of him it is hard to say when he will be able to return to work.
I am proud to say that Rob has handled all of this with his usual positive attitude and quick wit. He knows he has 2 more operations ahead of him and after that 6 months of chemotherapy.
He also is going to participate in Immunotherapy clinical trials. Rob's immune cells will be altered genetically to recognize cancer with hopes of attacking it naturally. This may or may not benefit him but the information that doctors and scientists receive will benefit cancer researchers on the forefront of cancer gene technology.
Rob would never ask, but the hard truth is he needs money. Money for travel since his procedures require him to go to Pittsburgh and money to navigate the continuing hardships that he faces. Hardships that were not of his choice and hardships that none of us would like to face.
Rob needs his friends and friends of friends. Any donation of any size will be such a wonderful gift to Rob and his family.
Please share this story with your friends and family so that Rob's journey can help others fighting this disease. Going forward we will be providing updates on Rob's progress.
Thank you for your love, support, and participation.
God bless!
In the fall of 2014, Rob was diagnosed with late stage colon cancer. Surgery was performed to remove the tumor and he underwent 6 months of chemotherapy, With no signs of cancer, the diagnoses was that the cancer had gone in remission. In the spring of this year a routine scan showed that a small amount of cancer had returned. Now it is in his peritoneum or abdominal cavity. Due to his overall good health he was a perfect candidate to go to a specialist in Pittsburgh for Cytoreductive surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. In English, that means Rob had to endure a 20 inch incision, 8 hours on the operating table and the recovery was absolutely brutal.
HIPEC surgery, as it is called, comes with two main hardships. Financial and a high risk for medical complications, as Rob found out not long after being home. While working on his recovery, Rob was once again hospitalized with a very painful gallbladder issue. Normally doctors would remove the gallbladder but because of his recent surgeries Rob would have to wait. As if this wasn't enough, Rob's post-op scar tissue put him back in the hospital for a third time. Diagnosed with a parial intestinal blockage, both painful and dangerous, he would have to suffer more before he could have that operation because his body would need more time to heal.
Time has passed and Rob will be going back to Pittsburgh for both of these operations. Did I say that the HIPEC recovery is brutal. All this time Rob has been out of work and with 2 more operations ahead of him it is hard to say when he will be able to return to work.
I am proud to say that Rob has handled all of this with his usual positive attitude and quick wit. He knows he has 2 more operations ahead of him and after that 6 months of chemotherapy.
He also is going to participate in Immunotherapy clinical trials. Rob's immune cells will be altered genetically to recognize cancer with hopes of attacking it naturally. This may or may not benefit him but the information that doctors and scientists receive will benefit cancer researchers on the forefront of cancer gene technology.
Rob would never ask, but the hard truth is he needs money. Money for travel since his procedures require him to go to Pittsburgh and money to navigate the continuing hardships that he faces. Hardships that were not of his choice and hardships that none of us would like to face.
Rob needs his friends and friends of friends. Any donation of any size will be such a wonderful gift to Rob and his family.
Please share this story with your friends and family so that Rob's journey can help others fighting this disease. Going forward we will be providing updates on Rob's progress.
Thank you for your love, support, and participation.
God bless!
Organizer and beneficiary
Tracy Umphress Laird Stone
Organizer
Gulf Breeze, FL
Robert Curtis
Beneficiary
