Dennis Hankins Medical Fund
Donation protected
The Back Story
On Monday, September 7, my mother and sister insisted that Dad allow them to take him to the emergency room. He had been exhibiting stroke-like symptoms for a number of days, and these had advanced to the point they had become very worrying to Mom and my sister. In the emergency room, the attending physician determined that Dad’s symptoms were more likely caused by a mass in his brain. A CT scan confirmed this suspicion and Dad was diagnosed with a mass in the right frontal lobe of his brain. Additional CT scans and MRIs further confirmed that Dad indeed had a mass, shaped like a two-tiered snowman, growing in his brain. He was not diagnosed with tumors anywhere else in his body.
Dad’s neurosurgery team recommended immediate surgery, and Dad underwent surgery on Thursday, September 10. The surgery lasted around five hours, but, of course, with prep and recovery it was an all-day ordeal. We saw Dad off to surgery around 6:30 Thursday morning and didn’t see him in the surgical ICU until 10:00 that evening. When I saw him after surgery, the first thing he said to me was “I woke up praising the Lord!”
The surgeon operated with a fairly aggressive approach, trying to get as much of the tumor out as possible. The pathology report comfirmed that Dad had a glioblastoma, a very agressive form of brain cancer.
Thank the Lord, the surgery went well, and the surgeon was able to remove "the majority, if not the vast majority" of the tumor. Dad has been rehabilitating for the past several weeks since the surgery, and his physicsal therapy has gone very well indeed. He will be discharged from in-patient rehab on Friday, October 2. He begins radiation and chemotherapy October 12.
The Need
The costs associated with a devastating diagnosis like glioblastoma are difficult even to describe. While Dad has benefits through his workplace that help to soften the blow, the long-term effects of an event like this can be devastating. Dad will not be able to work for the next few months at least. We are establishing this fund, as well as a medical fund through First Tennessee Bank, in order to help Dad, Mom and Hiedi weather this unexpected storm. Any amount you can give will help beyond measure, and all donations recieved will be deposited in the medical fund held at FTB. If you would prefer to send a donation through the mail, you can send a check directly to the fund:
Dennis Hankins Medical Fund
Alcoa Financial Center
112 South Hall Rd
Alcoa, TN 37701
Thank you very much for considering this fund. And thank you to everyone who has already reached out with prayers, good wishes, and help. God bless you all.
On Monday, September 7, my mother and sister insisted that Dad allow them to take him to the emergency room. He had been exhibiting stroke-like symptoms for a number of days, and these had advanced to the point they had become very worrying to Mom and my sister. In the emergency room, the attending physician determined that Dad’s symptoms were more likely caused by a mass in his brain. A CT scan confirmed this suspicion and Dad was diagnosed with a mass in the right frontal lobe of his brain. Additional CT scans and MRIs further confirmed that Dad indeed had a mass, shaped like a two-tiered snowman, growing in his brain. He was not diagnosed with tumors anywhere else in his body.
Dad’s neurosurgery team recommended immediate surgery, and Dad underwent surgery on Thursday, September 10. The surgery lasted around five hours, but, of course, with prep and recovery it was an all-day ordeal. We saw Dad off to surgery around 6:30 Thursday morning and didn’t see him in the surgical ICU until 10:00 that evening. When I saw him after surgery, the first thing he said to me was “I woke up praising the Lord!”
The surgeon operated with a fairly aggressive approach, trying to get as much of the tumor out as possible. The pathology report comfirmed that Dad had a glioblastoma, a very agressive form of brain cancer.
Thank the Lord, the surgery went well, and the surgeon was able to remove "the majority, if not the vast majority" of the tumor. Dad has been rehabilitating for the past several weeks since the surgery, and his physicsal therapy has gone very well indeed. He will be discharged from in-patient rehab on Friday, October 2. He begins radiation and chemotherapy October 12.
The Need
The costs associated with a devastating diagnosis like glioblastoma are difficult even to describe. While Dad has benefits through his workplace that help to soften the blow, the long-term effects of an event like this can be devastating. Dad will not be able to work for the next few months at least. We are establishing this fund, as well as a medical fund through First Tennessee Bank, in order to help Dad, Mom and Hiedi weather this unexpected storm. Any amount you can give will help beyond measure, and all donations recieved will be deposited in the medical fund held at FTB. If you would prefer to send a donation through the mail, you can send a check directly to the fund:
Dennis Hankins Medical Fund
Alcoa Financial Center
112 South Hall Rd
Alcoa, TN 37701
Thank you very much for considering this fund. And thank you to everyone who has already reached out with prayers, good wishes, and help. God bless you all.
Organizer and beneficiary
Timothy Sanford Hankins
Organizer
Lebanon, VA
Debbie Hankins
Beneficiary
