Toby Versola #43
Donation protected
SUMMARY
Toby Versola, 14, football star, hilarious and creative guy with kitchen skills, is in the process of mercilessly defeating Hodgkin Lymphoma. The family is accepting emotional and financial support to ensure his full recovery.
HOW WE GOT HERE
A couple of weeks ago Toby took a hard hit at football practice. A few days later he wisely told his parents that his chest was still sore beyond what he would expect for a hit of that magnitude. They brought him in to see their family doctor and for chest X-rays. An urgent phone call from the doctor on Wednesday, August 15, directed Courtney and Nick to take Toby to another facility for a CT scan right away.
Upon receiving the results of the CT, their family doctor called Nick and Courtney into the office and shared with them that the imaging revealed a large (17x8x6cm) mass just under Toby’s ribs and sternum, and over his heart, lungs, and part of his trachea. They were sent straight to U of M Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor for further treatment.
What followed was a whirlwind 5 days of agonizing waiting for the results of more images, tests, and procedures that included biopsies of 12 samples of the mass itself, a bone marrow biopsy, a lumbar puncture, a PICC line placement, ultrasounds, CT scans, and a PET scan. Toby the titan endured all of this without general anesthesia because the doctors were concerned about the size and location of the mass if he were lying on his back unconscious and also because he’s a total badass.
All of this led to a diagnosis on Saturday, August 18, of Hodgkin Lymphoma, Stage 2A with bulky disease and a treatment plan of chemotherapy every other week for four months. What that means for Toby is cancer, chemo, no football, no regular freshman year of school, diet restrictions, face masks, mass amounts of hand sanitizer. Still, he hasn’t stopped cracking jokes. His confidence is high and rightly so. The doctors believe that he will respond well to treatment, and the survival rate for HL sufferers Toby’s age is around 95%.
While the prognosis is good, this ordeal still takes a toll. The side effects of treatment can be rough, the emotional roller coaster is draining, keeping a high school freshman occupied but away from germs while getting parents and siblings where they need to be is logistically challenging, and of course the medical bills are burdensome.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Prayer and encouragement! Already, the support has been wonderful and the prayers have been felt. Please keep them coming.
There has already been an overwhelming amount of people that have reached out to the family. We welcome encouraging and positive messages in the comments section below. This diagnosis has come as a shock, please continue be mindful of the family as they adjust to the new dynamic of their life.
Funds collected here will go toward Toby’s medical treatments and supplies so that he and his family can focus on healing and carrying on life as usual.

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!
#43versolastrong
Toby Versola, 14, football star, hilarious and creative guy with kitchen skills, is in the process of mercilessly defeating Hodgkin Lymphoma. The family is accepting emotional and financial support to ensure his full recovery.
HOW WE GOT HERE
A couple of weeks ago Toby took a hard hit at football practice. A few days later he wisely told his parents that his chest was still sore beyond what he would expect for a hit of that magnitude. They brought him in to see their family doctor and for chest X-rays. An urgent phone call from the doctor on Wednesday, August 15, directed Courtney and Nick to take Toby to another facility for a CT scan right away.
Upon receiving the results of the CT, their family doctor called Nick and Courtney into the office and shared with them that the imaging revealed a large (17x8x6cm) mass just under Toby’s ribs and sternum, and over his heart, lungs, and part of his trachea. They were sent straight to U of M Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor for further treatment.
What followed was a whirlwind 5 days of agonizing waiting for the results of more images, tests, and procedures that included biopsies of 12 samples of the mass itself, a bone marrow biopsy, a lumbar puncture, a PICC line placement, ultrasounds, CT scans, and a PET scan. Toby the titan endured all of this without general anesthesia because the doctors were concerned about the size and location of the mass if he were lying on his back unconscious and also because he’s a total badass.
All of this led to a diagnosis on Saturday, August 18, of Hodgkin Lymphoma, Stage 2A with bulky disease and a treatment plan of chemotherapy every other week for four months. What that means for Toby is cancer, chemo, no football, no regular freshman year of school, diet restrictions, face masks, mass amounts of hand sanitizer. Still, he hasn’t stopped cracking jokes. His confidence is high and rightly so. The doctors believe that he will respond well to treatment, and the survival rate for HL sufferers Toby’s age is around 95%.
While the prognosis is good, this ordeal still takes a toll. The side effects of treatment can be rough, the emotional roller coaster is draining, keeping a high school freshman occupied but away from germs while getting parents and siblings where they need to be is logistically challenging, and of course the medical bills are burdensome.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Prayer and encouragement! Already, the support has been wonderful and the prayers have been felt. Please keep them coming.
There has already been an overwhelming amount of people that have reached out to the family. We welcome encouraging and positive messages in the comments section below. This diagnosis has come as a shock, please continue be mindful of the family as they adjust to the new dynamic of their life.
Funds collected here will go toward Toby’s medical treatments and supplies so that he and his family can focus on healing and carrying on life as usual.
THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!
#43versolastrong
Fundraising team: #43versolastrong (2)
Tiffnie Versola
Organizer
Fenton, MI
Neko Versola
Beneficiary
Lindsey Hagan
Team member
