A Fight to Save A Hero
Donation protected
Please take a moment to read about our brother who has been fighting cancer for 10 years now. We are trying to help him as much as possible…
Alex Dengler was born February 25, 1986, so he is only 30 years old. He is a cancer survivor and fighter, a US Marine, a sports enthusiast, a gifted musician, a college graduate & valedictorian, a son, brother, uncle, Godfather, nephew, grandson, friend, a Hero.
In 2004, at age 18 he graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes High School and enlisted in the US Marine Corps, completing boot camp on Paris Island that summer/fall. A few months later, he was on the front lines in Fallujah, Iraq. A short while after returning home from the Iraq war, Alex began his long battle with cancer. Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease in 2006, Alex received chemotherapy and radiation treatments at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), which eliminated the Hodgkin’s disease. During his remission, Alex enrolled at Five Towns College in 2006 to pursue his love for music. He quickly jumped to the head of his class and was loving life. Unfortunately in 2010, a new and extremely rare cancer, Ameloblastic carcinoma, metastasized in his left jaw bone. Alex was forced to take time off from school in order to remove and treat the infected area. A highly invasive surgery to remove the jaw bone, and reconstruct a new one from his fibula bone, was completed in November 2010 at MSKCC. He spent a month in the hospital and had to move back home to recover. He was then required to undergo radiation on the left side of his face and neck area.
In 2011 Alex returned to school and continued his exemplary performance in the classroom and throughout multiple internships, on his way to becoming the valedictorian of his 2013 class. Alex gave a riveting speech telling of his journey and determination throughout the years. He received an inspiration-driven standing ovation.
During his post-graduation job search in 2013 he was once again diagnosed with the same Ameloblastic carcinoma, which had wrapped around the same surgically reconstructed left jaw. In October 2013, Alex had to undergo the same surgery from 2010, spent nearly 3 weeks in the hospital recovering, and radiation treatments followed.
Diagnosed with Ameloblastic carcinoma for a 3rd time in 2014 on the left side of his neck, (where the Hodgkin’s originally was located) Alex underwent surgery to remove 2 tumors in his neck (December 2014). Due to the amount of radiation received in past years, and the requirement of more after this surgery, the doctors decided it best to remove his left pectoral muscle and place it in his neck to provide a layer of tissue for radiation treatments that were to follow the surgery. There was also a biopsy performed under his skull (left frontal lobe) to determine cancer had spread to behind his left eye. In-operable, he received radiation treatment at the Procure Proton Therapy Clinic in Sumerset, NJ on both his neck and near his brain from January through March 2015.
On April 24, 2015 Alex received clear MRI results. We were all ecstatic, though that did not last long. Just a few months later, on September 24, 2015 Alex was once again diagnosed with Ameloblastic Carcinoma, this time in his right jaw. He began chemotherapy treatments on October 20, 2015. He continued an intensified chemotherapy regimen until Doctors agreed to a new trial, Novilumab. Unfortunately the trial was not able to fend off or even slow down the cancer. On July 12, 2016 Alex's doctors at MSKCC stopped the trial as it just was not working. The tumor has now grown to a point where it has seriously decreased the movement of his right eye and his vision was going. His depth perception is off. He can no longer drive. Alex had 2 MRI's done on July 13 & 14 and unfortunately they also discovered cancer cells in his lungs and lymph nodes. The Doctors are now suggesting another round of Proton radiation, which he began Monday, August 8th to try to shrink the tumor.
While Alex continues to receive treatments to slow growth of the tumor, we have made a connection through a friend at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. Through their cancer research department we have the possibility of a team looking at Alex’s specific cancer. In July, MSKCC performed a biopsy on Alex’s tumor and sent the specimen to Champions Oncology in Maryland. Champions implanted the tumor in mice, and we are now waiting for growth before they can begin their research. Through all of this pain, fight and struggle, Alex has remained positive. As his doctors continue to search for answers, Alex pushes forward with treatment after treatment looking for some relief.
Though insurance has covered some of the costs over the past decade, as the years have passed he has unfortunately accrued substantial medical debt. It is because of this that we are trying to raise money to help with some of his medical finances and the research costs (which are not covered by insurance). He is sure there will not be a cure in time for himself, but he wants us to continue with the research so that no one else will have to go through what he has.
He is a Hero, in every sense of the word… his strength, discipline, and determination are immeasurable. We love our brother more than words could ever describe. We cannot lose our brother to this horrible disease. Please help us help him, to live a long, full life without cancer.
Alex Dengler was born February 25, 1986, so he is only 30 years old. He is a cancer survivor and fighter, a US Marine, a sports enthusiast, a gifted musician, a college graduate & valedictorian, a son, brother, uncle, Godfather, nephew, grandson, friend, a Hero.
In 2004, at age 18 he graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes High School and enlisted in the US Marine Corps, completing boot camp on Paris Island that summer/fall. A few months later, he was on the front lines in Fallujah, Iraq. A short while after returning home from the Iraq war, Alex began his long battle with cancer. Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease in 2006, Alex received chemotherapy and radiation treatments at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), which eliminated the Hodgkin’s disease. During his remission, Alex enrolled at Five Towns College in 2006 to pursue his love for music. He quickly jumped to the head of his class and was loving life. Unfortunately in 2010, a new and extremely rare cancer, Ameloblastic carcinoma, metastasized in his left jaw bone. Alex was forced to take time off from school in order to remove and treat the infected area. A highly invasive surgery to remove the jaw bone, and reconstruct a new one from his fibula bone, was completed in November 2010 at MSKCC. He spent a month in the hospital and had to move back home to recover. He was then required to undergo radiation on the left side of his face and neck area.
In 2011 Alex returned to school and continued his exemplary performance in the classroom and throughout multiple internships, on his way to becoming the valedictorian of his 2013 class. Alex gave a riveting speech telling of his journey and determination throughout the years. He received an inspiration-driven standing ovation.
During his post-graduation job search in 2013 he was once again diagnosed with the same Ameloblastic carcinoma, which had wrapped around the same surgically reconstructed left jaw. In October 2013, Alex had to undergo the same surgery from 2010, spent nearly 3 weeks in the hospital recovering, and radiation treatments followed.
Diagnosed with Ameloblastic carcinoma for a 3rd time in 2014 on the left side of his neck, (where the Hodgkin’s originally was located) Alex underwent surgery to remove 2 tumors in his neck (December 2014). Due to the amount of radiation received in past years, and the requirement of more after this surgery, the doctors decided it best to remove his left pectoral muscle and place it in his neck to provide a layer of tissue for radiation treatments that were to follow the surgery. There was also a biopsy performed under his skull (left frontal lobe) to determine cancer had spread to behind his left eye. In-operable, he received radiation treatment at the Procure Proton Therapy Clinic in Sumerset, NJ on both his neck and near his brain from January through March 2015.
On April 24, 2015 Alex received clear MRI results. We were all ecstatic, though that did not last long. Just a few months later, on September 24, 2015 Alex was once again diagnosed with Ameloblastic Carcinoma, this time in his right jaw. He began chemotherapy treatments on October 20, 2015. He continued an intensified chemotherapy regimen until Doctors agreed to a new trial, Novilumab. Unfortunately the trial was not able to fend off or even slow down the cancer. On July 12, 2016 Alex's doctors at MSKCC stopped the trial as it just was not working. The tumor has now grown to a point where it has seriously decreased the movement of his right eye and his vision was going. His depth perception is off. He can no longer drive. Alex had 2 MRI's done on July 13 & 14 and unfortunately they also discovered cancer cells in his lungs and lymph nodes. The Doctors are now suggesting another round of Proton radiation, which he began Monday, August 8th to try to shrink the tumor.
While Alex continues to receive treatments to slow growth of the tumor, we have made a connection through a friend at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. Through their cancer research department we have the possibility of a team looking at Alex’s specific cancer. In July, MSKCC performed a biopsy on Alex’s tumor and sent the specimen to Champions Oncology in Maryland. Champions implanted the tumor in mice, and we are now waiting for growth before they can begin their research. Through all of this pain, fight and struggle, Alex has remained positive. As his doctors continue to search for answers, Alex pushes forward with treatment after treatment looking for some relief.
Though insurance has covered some of the costs over the past decade, as the years have passed he has unfortunately accrued substantial medical debt. It is because of this that we are trying to raise money to help with some of his medical finances and the research costs (which are not covered by insurance). He is sure there will not be a cure in time for himself, but he wants us to continue with the research so that no one else will have to go through what he has.
He is a Hero, in every sense of the word… his strength, discipline, and determination are immeasurable. We love our brother more than words could ever describe. We cannot lose our brother to this horrible disease. Please help us help him, to live a long, full life without cancer.
Organizer and beneficiary
Kristen Marie
Organizer
Cold Spring, NY
Alex Dengler
Beneficiary