End of Life Support Fund for Chuck Wagenseil
Donation protected
To all beloved friends and family of Charles “Chuck” Wagenseil, and those familiar with him and his admirable campaign for life, I write to you in celebration and remembrance of him. My father, Chuck, is a true adventurer, pilot, and sailor, but a world of experience proved minute to the toughest trial of his life, cancer. For those of you who know him, you know Chuck to be a kind friend, helpful hand, and an amazingly supportive father, provider and human being. So like each and every cancer diagnosis before his, it couldn’t have happened to a better person.
It’s been a long and trying journey for Chuck and our family over the past 8 years, beginning with a striking accident in 2011. While working at a boat yard, Chuck fell from a ladder, significantly injuring his body and traumatically damaging his brain, resulting in a diagnosis of MDS (Myelodysplastic disorder) and Refractory Anemia with Ring Sideroblasts. In short, Chuck was faced with a myriad of blood disorders, ranging from extremely high platelet counts to malfunctioning red blood cells, all which led to my dad’s blood refusing to clot and raised his risk of blood loss to extreme levels. This first step of the journey was, for a time, being properly treated with weekly appointments at Mass General Hospital and his symptoms were being controlled thanks to the beyond wonderful people at MGH. But complications began to arise along the way: hernias, carotid artery surgery (which led to a half-day long struggle to fight against blood loss since his blood doesn’t clot) and multiple medical emergencies down the road lead to a snowballing of medical bills. Due to Chuck’s resourcefulness and ever lasting support, his family has managed to get by, even without him being able to physically work for close to eight years.
In November of 2017, Chuck was diagnosed with the hardest condition yet, Kidney cancer and incurable Squamish Cell Carcinoma. We were crushed, but Chuck tried to remain the fighter and provider for his family like he had his whole life prior, a commendable feat that brings tears to my eyes knowing I was raised, for a time, by such a strong man. MGH and it’s doctors did their best, removing his kidney and performing multiple immuno- and chemotherapy treatments, to elongate my dad’s remaining time and ensure some quality of life with his loved ones. For a time the treatments proved effective, shrinking most of the tumors, but in October 2018 it was revealed that while they were combatting the tumors, the immunotherapy was heavily impacting the functions of his remaining healthy kidney. Back to the drawing board, with treatments that just couldn’t finish the fight. On the eve of this summer, Chuck faced his final diagnosis, the cancer had spread to his liver and organ failure would soon follow. Since then we’ve been living out these remaining days as a broad collective family in loving warmth, trying to piece the last bits of this puzzle together.
Chuck, our families, and myself, ask now for our loved ones and family to reach out with your love and support as we transition to the next stages of our lives. As his son, I know Chuck will rest peacefully knowing those he is leaving on shore are being loved and cared for in his stead. Donations, of any size, love, and maybe stopping by the house with some brownies; we as a family would cherish and appreciate any sentiment you can find to express. Battling the snowballed bills and end-of-life costs will be hard, but we know we can do it with your help. In Chuck’s words, “Everything works out for the best.”
Sail on, captain. Your crew, children, grandchildren, and loving family rides in your wake now. We love you.
-Max Plank, Chuck’s step-son
Judy Plank, my mother, will be in charge of Chuck’s final expenses
It’s been a long and trying journey for Chuck and our family over the past 8 years, beginning with a striking accident in 2011. While working at a boat yard, Chuck fell from a ladder, significantly injuring his body and traumatically damaging his brain, resulting in a diagnosis of MDS (Myelodysplastic disorder) and Refractory Anemia with Ring Sideroblasts. In short, Chuck was faced with a myriad of blood disorders, ranging from extremely high platelet counts to malfunctioning red blood cells, all which led to my dad’s blood refusing to clot and raised his risk of blood loss to extreme levels. This first step of the journey was, for a time, being properly treated with weekly appointments at Mass General Hospital and his symptoms were being controlled thanks to the beyond wonderful people at MGH. But complications began to arise along the way: hernias, carotid artery surgery (which led to a half-day long struggle to fight against blood loss since his blood doesn’t clot) and multiple medical emergencies down the road lead to a snowballing of medical bills. Due to Chuck’s resourcefulness and ever lasting support, his family has managed to get by, even without him being able to physically work for close to eight years.
In November of 2017, Chuck was diagnosed with the hardest condition yet, Kidney cancer and incurable Squamish Cell Carcinoma. We were crushed, but Chuck tried to remain the fighter and provider for his family like he had his whole life prior, a commendable feat that brings tears to my eyes knowing I was raised, for a time, by such a strong man. MGH and it’s doctors did their best, removing his kidney and performing multiple immuno- and chemotherapy treatments, to elongate my dad’s remaining time and ensure some quality of life with his loved ones. For a time the treatments proved effective, shrinking most of the tumors, but in October 2018 it was revealed that while they were combatting the tumors, the immunotherapy was heavily impacting the functions of his remaining healthy kidney. Back to the drawing board, with treatments that just couldn’t finish the fight. On the eve of this summer, Chuck faced his final diagnosis, the cancer had spread to his liver and organ failure would soon follow. Since then we’ve been living out these remaining days as a broad collective family in loving warmth, trying to piece the last bits of this puzzle together.
Chuck, our families, and myself, ask now for our loved ones and family to reach out with your love and support as we transition to the next stages of our lives. As his son, I know Chuck will rest peacefully knowing those he is leaving on shore are being loved and cared for in his stead. Donations, of any size, love, and maybe stopping by the house with some brownies; we as a family would cherish and appreciate any sentiment you can find to express. Battling the snowballed bills and end-of-life costs will be hard, but we know we can do it with your help. In Chuck’s words, “Everything works out for the best.”
Sail on, captain. Your crew, children, grandchildren, and loving family rides in your wake now. We love you.
-Max Plank, Chuck’s step-son
Judy Plank, my mother, will be in charge of Chuck’s final expenses
Organizer
Max Plank
Organizer
Gloucester, MA
