SSG Gregg Enders
Donation protected
Gregg was introduced to me by Kristin Kartak. She has begun this mission to share this story and bring support to Gregg and his family. With your help we can spread his story and bring awareness of this situation and those like it. In doing so we can show the generosity and kindness that Gregg and his family deserves. 100% of the funds raised will go to Gregg and his family to help pay for the extra costs associated with his treatment.
A loving family man and protector of our great nation, Gregg is was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. We have set up this page in in Greggs honor in hopes to ease some of the stress SSG Gregg Enders is currently dealing with during his struggles with cancer. Below is his story in his own words. We have set a goal but there is no limit to the support we can give Gregg and his family. Anything helps!
"I was born on March 29th, 1980 in Port Huron, Michigan. On August 22, 2000 I enlisted in the Army as a Fire Support Specialist and was stationed at Ft Hood, Texas in HHB 2-82 Field Artillery. In 2003, I re-enlisted as Military Police and was stationed in Grafenwoehr, Germany in the 615th Military Police Company. My first deployment to Iraq was shortly after I arrived Germany. My unit had already been deployed so I was only deployed from December 2003 to February 2004. In 2006, I deployed to Iraq for a second time with the 615th MP Company. This deployment was from January 2006 to December 2006. In May of 2007, I left Germany and attended K-9 school at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Upon completion of K-9 school, I was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and served as a Military Working Dog Handler (K-9) in the 51st Military Police Detachment. While stationed at JBLM, I married my wife Kawa (Caycee) on the 6th of September, 2008. Our son was born on the 19th of August, 2010. In December of 2010, I completed my Active Duty and joined the Washington National Guard. My first unit in the National Guard was the MP platoon in HHC 81st, located in Seattle. In March of 2012, I was promoted to Staff Sergeant and transferred to the 506th Military Police Detachment (Law and Order) where I currently serve today.
In September of 2012, I was on orders to deploy to Afghanistan. I had left Washington on the 16th of September to our mobilization site located at Ft. Bliss, Texas. On the 17th of September, my wife and I had a miscarriage. Neither of us had known she was pregnant and had been told by doctors previously that we were most likely unable to have kids again. My wife insisted that I continue on with my deployment. During my deployment my wife struggled with and defeated ovarian cancer. In May of 2013, my father-in-law was diagnosed with colon cancer. After he had surgery, he was informed that the cancer had spread and that he now had Stage 4 liver cancer. I returned home from my deployment on 30th of July, 2013. After returning home, my wife, son and I went on a much needed vacation to Michigan. While we were in Michigan, I was having pain in my lower abdomen but didn't think much of it because I figured my body was just adjusting to all of the good home cooked meals. Once I returned to work, I was still having the lower abdomen issues. I finally went to the Emergency Room for the pain. I was informed that I needed a colonoscopy.
After having my colonoscopy on the 26th of September, I was informed that I had colon cancer. On the 8th of October I had surgery in which they removed approximately 1/3rd of my colon. I was called approximately 2 weeks later when the lab results had come back. I was informed by my surgeon that the cancer had spread to lymph nodes surrounding the colon and that it had progressed to Stage 3 and that I would need at least 6 months of chemotherapy and annual colonoscopies. I was told that I was being referred to the Oncology department at Madigan Army Medical Center and should expect a call within the upcoming week. on the 7th of November, I contacted the Oncology department and was told they had referred me to the VA for outside treatment. This was due to my Tricare coverage expiring during the 6 month treatment. Unfortunately, they seemed to have no intention on calling me to inform me of this. I immediately contacted the VA clinic that I had gone to prior to my deployment. Fortunately, they were able to get me in the next day. On the 8th of November, the VA doctor informed me that he would be putting me in for a referral to the VA oncology, located in Seattle. I am currently waiting for them to contact me so I can hopefully start chemotherapy in the near future. I have been told that the chemotherapy will consist of a port being implanted into a vein in my chest. Each month I will have the chemo hooked into that port, which will be in a bag that I will carry around with me for a week at a time. Once the week is complete, I will have to go back in and they will unhook the chemo but the port will stay in until all of the treatments are completed. As of right now, they are being optimistic and hoping that I will only need 6 months of chemo, but this may change once they are able to see how my body reacts to this. Right now, we are playing a waiting game and each day that I wait, I am slowly dying. I only hope that I can get the treatment I need in a timely manner."
A loving family man and protector of our great nation, Gregg is was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. We have set up this page in in Greggs honor in hopes to ease some of the stress SSG Gregg Enders is currently dealing with during his struggles with cancer. Below is his story in his own words. We have set a goal but there is no limit to the support we can give Gregg and his family. Anything helps!
"I was born on March 29th, 1980 in Port Huron, Michigan. On August 22, 2000 I enlisted in the Army as a Fire Support Specialist and was stationed at Ft Hood, Texas in HHB 2-82 Field Artillery. In 2003, I re-enlisted as Military Police and was stationed in Grafenwoehr, Germany in the 615th Military Police Company. My first deployment to Iraq was shortly after I arrived Germany. My unit had already been deployed so I was only deployed from December 2003 to February 2004. In 2006, I deployed to Iraq for a second time with the 615th MP Company. This deployment was from January 2006 to December 2006. In May of 2007, I left Germany and attended K-9 school at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Upon completion of K-9 school, I was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and served as a Military Working Dog Handler (K-9) in the 51st Military Police Detachment. While stationed at JBLM, I married my wife Kawa (Caycee) on the 6th of September, 2008. Our son was born on the 19th of August, 2010. In December of 2010, I completed my Active Duty and joined the Washington National Guard. My first unit in the National Guard was the MP platoon in HHC 81st, located in Seattle. In March of 2012, I was promoted to Staff Sergeant and transferred to the 506th Military Police Detachment (Law and Order) where I currently serve today.
In September of 2012, I was on orders to deploy to Afghanistan. I had left Washington on the 16th of September to our mobilization site located at Ft. Bliss, Texas. On the 17th of September, my wife and I had a miscarriage. Neither of us had known she was pregnant and had been told by doctors previously that we were most likely unable to have kids again. My wife insisted that I continue on with my deployment. During my deployment my wife struggled with and defeated ovarian cancer. In May of 2013, my father-in-law was diagnosed with colon cancer. After he had surgery, he was informed that the cancer had spread and that he now had Stage 4 liver cancer. I returned home from my deployment on 30th of July, 2013. After returning home, my wife, son and I went on a much needed vacation to Michigan. While we were in Michigan, I was having pain in my lower abdomen but didn't think much of it because I figured my body was just adjusting to all of the good home cooked meals. Once I returned to work, I was still having the lower abdomen issues. I finally went to the Emergency Room for the pain. I was informed that I needed a colonoscopy.
After having my colonoscopy on the 26th of September, I was informed that I had colon cancer. On the 8th of October I had surgery in which they removed approximately 1/3rd of my colon. I was called approximately 2 weeks later when the lab results had come back. I was informed by my surgeon that the cancer had spread to lymph nodes surrounding the colon and that it had progressed to Stage 3 and that I would need at least 6 months of chemotherapy and annual colonoscopies. I was told that I was being referred to the Oncology department at Madigan Army Medical Center and should expect a call within the upcoming week. on the 7th of November, I contacted the Oncology department and was told they had referred me to the VA for outside treatment. This was due to my Tricare coverage expiring during the 6 month treatment. Unfortunately, they seemed to have no intention on calling me to inform me of this. I immediately contacted the VA clinic that I had gone to prior to my deployment. Fortunately, they were able to get me in the next day. On the 8th of November, the VA doctor informed me that he would be putting me in for a referral to the VA oncology, located in Seattle. I am currently waiting for them to contact me so I can hopefully start chemotherapy in the near future. I have been told that the chemotherapy will consist of a port being implanted into a vein in my chest. Each month I will have the chemo hooked into that port, which will be in a bag that I will carry around with me for a week at a time. Once the week is complete, I will have to go back in and they will unhook the chemo but the port will stay in until all of the treatments are completed. As of right now, they are being optimistic and hoping that I will only need 6 months of chemo, but this may change once they are able to see how my body reacts to this. Right now, we are playing a waiting game and each day that I wait, I am slowly dying. I only hope that I can get the treatment I need in a timely manner."
Organizer
Jim Walthrop
Organizer
Bremerton, WA
