STEVEN'S FIGHT
Donation protected
UPDATE ON STEVEN CHILLINGIRIAN'S THROAT CANCER BATTLE
The power of prayer...it works!!!
As many of you are aware, my brother Steven was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer in the spring of 2015. At that time his throat was almost closed by an inoperable tumor. He received a feeding tube to receive nutrition while he underwent aggressive chemotherapy and radiation. As the main provider for his family and our elderly parents, he was financially devastated. His treatments left him unable to work as a self employed plumbing contracter on a consistant basis. We reached out during that time with the initial GOFUNDME page and the love and support Steven received was overwhelming.
He recently was given the terrible news that the cancer had spread to his voicebox and threatened his life. He had no choice but to have surgery to have it removed on July 21st. When he entered the hospital he was extremely malnourished and weak. He endured an 11 hour surgery to remove his voicebox, thyroid, lymph nodes and to reconstruct his throat muscles that were destroyed by radiation. He is not expected to be released from the hospital for 2 to 3 more weeks. He will need ongoing therapy to relearn how to speak in a new way and learn how to swallow again. His doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery but it will take months for him to rebuild physical strength before he can return to work.
His inability to work and produce income to pay his mortgage, buy food, and pay for household expenses has continued to weigh heavily on him and he is now in danger of losing his home.
We are reaching out once again to those who can donate in order to assist Steven in reducing this financial burden while he works toward getting back on his feet and back to work. He is an incredibly strong man and his work ethic is calling to him but he needs to recover first.
While we celebrate the fact that his body is free from cancer, his journey the last year has been one that has tested him physically and emotionally and it has tested his faith as well.
The love and support he has received from family, friends, and even strangers has continued to uplift him even when he felt he had nothing left.
That is the power prayer has....the power that friendship has...the power that family has...the power that love has....
Thank you to all....
Organizer and beneficiary
MARYANN BRIONES
Organizer
Merrick, NY
STEVEN CHILINGIRIAN
Beneficiary