Farmer Dave's Fight with Cancer

My aunt Anita is my mom's baby sister. She and her husband, my uncle Dave, were a big part of my childhood and I always looked forward to visiting with them and their children, Daniel and Katherine, my youngest cousins.  They are loving, open, warm and hospitable people. We've always gotten together at Christmas and in the summer, and, over the last few years, on their amazing Down on the Corner farm on the beautiful South Shore for wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations, where we feasted on pasture-raised poultry and other delicious dishes, enjoying the scenery and the company. My family has grown in recent years, and my oldest boy, Milo, pictured here with his 'uncle' Dave, has enjoyed many a visit to the farm to see the animals, and even get a ride on the tractor! My middle son, Levi, has been a time or two. But the youngest, Oscar, just approaching 18 months, has yet to partake in the farm festivities. He is adored by all and would be welcome anytime, but, for most of his life, things have been tough for my uncle Dave. He was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in January of 2014, and had major surgery in March of that year. Everything was looking good, but then there it was in his liver, and a significant portion of that had to be removed as well. The liver regenerated and things were looking up again. But then the cancer came back in the original area, and in new places too. Severe pain and sleeplessness brought Dave to the hospital in May 2016, where more tumours were removed and a nerve block procedure performed. Despite many surgeries and aggressive treatments, the goddamn cancer has spread, and it just won't stop.  Through it all, Dave has done his best to continue his work on the farm and to sell his amazing products at market. And, despite the horrible disease that's been eating him up inside, he's done so happily and with his fantastic sense of humour in tact. Sadly, though his mind is as sharp and witty as ever, Dave's body is failing him. It just can't beat the incessant onslaught of friggin cancer. He and my aunt need love and support at this difficult time, but they also need help. Anita has a job to go to and can't manage that as well as the farm chores. Dave will continue to do what he can for as long as possible, but will not be able to maintain the level of production he has in the past, and, eventually, he won't be able to do much of anything. Both of their children will be attending university in the fall. At some point, it will become more difficult to make ends meet. Dave and Anita are the kindest, funniest, most hard-working people you could ever hope to meet, and would never ask for anything. And because my heart is breaking for them and all the people who love them, I am doing it on their behalf. I am hoping to raise $5,000 for them so that Dave can focus on resting and enjoying his days instead of having to worry about whether there will be enough, and so that Anita need not worry about missing time at work to care for her soul mate. Please contribute what you can to help ease their financial burden so they can focus their energy on the other tremendous burdens they have to bear. It is one small way I can help my favourite aunt and uncle and I will be so grateful for anything you can spare.