David's Support Fund
Donation protected
For over a year now, I have been wondering what I could do for David. I have come to the point that I now think we need to all start thinking of what we can do. David needs our love and support right now more than ever.
For those who don’t know his story, I’ll tell you a little of what’s been going on…
Last Christmas, just before his 24th birthday, David was really not feeling well and hadn’t been for a week or two. He finally gave in to the hassling and went to Patient First to get checked out. He was examined there and had an x-ray taken, and was advised that they believed he had a horrible case of pneumonia. He was given a prescription and sent home.
A couple days later, he received a call from the physician that treated him, and was told there was just something about his x-rays that didn’t seem right to him, and he sent them to radiology. After a few days he went back to the doctor for his pneumonia follow up. David wasn’t feeling any better so they suggested he head to the hospital where he was informed that it was not a case of pneumonia and instead it was a 16 cm tumor in his chest. He went through a round of chemo which did not shrink the tumor so after meeting with a surgeon the decision was made to surgically remove the tumor.
After the surgery he had some time to recover before starting his next rounds of chemotherapy. During this time he got engaged and enjoyed some summer relaxation before starting more treatment in June.
David went through several rounds of chemo treatments, and all the terrible side effects that come along with it. He toughed it out and pulled through like a champ. His family, friends and loved ones were so relieved that he was finally getting back to himself.
Nine months after this all started, in September, David was able to ring the bell that he was finally done with his chemo treatments, and he was sent home to start his recovery believing he was cancer free.
Sadly, in early November David went back to his doctor after having chronic headaches he couldn’t get rid of. After his oncologist performed and MRI, he was told they found a new tumor in his brain. He was taken almost immediately to surgery to have the tumor removed. He again pulled through the surgery and again thought the worst was over. He was sent home only 2 days after the surgery, because he was recovering so well.
Throughout this process, he learned that he had a very rare type of germ cell tumor. It is actually the same type of cancer cells that Lance Armstrong had, except David’s cells grew in his chest and brain. His oncologist here in Richmond said that there just hasn’t been a ton of research on this particular type of cancer because it is so rare. He advised him to go to Indiana to meet with the oncology team that actually treated Lance, as they had done the most research on this.
With their advice a plan was made that David was going to fly home, and have radiation therapy on his brain, as well as another round of chemo, before returning to him. He was then, upon his return to Indiana, going to have stem cells harvested, and cultured to replicate, and then undergoing 6 weeks of really intense chemo. After the chemo treatment, he would then have the stem cells placed back in, and hopefully they would continue to replicate and he would finally truly be done with this battle.
In January he went to the hospital to have a Lumbar Puncture prior to radiation. However that would not happen. He started vomiting at the hospital and after a CT scan they found out David was bleeding into the tumor bed. He got sent home on medication to manage the hemorrhage. The next week he finally got brain radiation.
Then, January 14th he celebrated his 25th birthday, and was hoping for a much better year ahead.
Right after his birthday he started another round of chemotherapy, sticking with his plan for Indiana. While in the hospital the headaches were getting worse, and another MRI showed his brain was still bleeding and there was another tumor. The tumor has grown exactly in the bed left from the removal of the last one. He was transferred to St. Mary’s to the ICU. He is currently in surgery right now for his brain hemorrhage, and tumor.
At this critical time in David’s journey, we all need to wrap him in so much love. Please join me in doing this for him. David is such a kind wonderful guy that I have had the luck of getting to know over the past 5 years he has been dating my sister. They are now engaged and this is certainly not how they planned to start their lives together. David means so much, to so many people. He is a wonderfully amazing “Uncle David”, and fiancé, brother, son, grandson, friend, etc. I cannot think of another person that deserves this less.
If you are unable to help financially, please just reach out to him with your love and support so he knows how much he means to everyone.
For those who don’t know his story, I’ll tell you a little of what’s been going on…
Last Christmas, just before his 24th birthday, David was really not feeling well and hadn’t been for a week or two. He finally gave in to the hassling and went to Patient First to get checked out. He was examined there and had an x-ray taken, and was advised that they believed he had a horrible case of pneumonia. He was given a prescription and sent home.
A couple days later, he received a call from the physician that treated him, and was told there was just something about his x-rays that didn’t seem right to him, and he sent them to radiology. After a few days he went back to the doctor for his pneumonia follow up. David wasn’t feeling any better so they suggested he head to the hospital where he was informed that it was not a case of pneumonia and instead it was a 16 cm tumor in his chest. He went through a round of chemo which did not shrink the tumor so after meeting with a surgeon the decision was made to surgically remove the tumor.
After the surgery he had some time to recover before starting his next rounds of chemotherapy. During this time he got engaged and enjoyed some summer relaxation before starting more treatment in June.
David went through several rounds of chemo treatments, and all the terrible side effects that come along with it. He toughed it out and pulled through like a champ. His family, friends and loved ones were so relieved that he was finally getting back to himself.
Nine months after this all started, in September, David was able to ring the bell that he was finally done with his chemo treatments, and he was sent home to start his recovery believing he was cancer free.
Sadly, in early November David went back to his doctor after having chronic headaches he couldn’t get rid of. After his oncologist performed and MRI, he was told they found a new tumor in his brain. He was taken almost immediately to surgery to have the tumor removed. He again pulled through the surgery and again thought the worst was over. He was sent home only 2 days after the surgery, because he was recovering so well.
Throughout this process, he learned that he had a very rare type of germ cell tumor. It is actually the same type of cancer cells that Lance Armstrong had, except David’s cells grew in his chest and brain. His oncologist here in Richmond said that there just hasn’t been a ton of research on this particular type of cancer because it is so rare. He advised him to go to Indiana to meet with the oncology team that actually treated Lance, as they had done the most research on this.
With their advice a plan was made that David was going to fly home, and have radiation therapy on his brain, as well as another round of chemo, before returning to him. He was then, upon his return to Indiana, going to have stem cells harvested, and cultured to replicate, and then undergoing 6 weeks of really intense chemo. After the chemo treatment, he would then have the stem cells placed back in, and hopefully they would continue to replicate and he would finally truly be done with this battle.
In January he went to the hospital to have a Lumbar Puncture prior to radiation. However that would not happen. He started vomiting at the hospital and after a CT scan they found out David was bleeding into the tumor bed. He got sent home on medication to manage the hemorrhage. The next week he finally got brain radiation.
Then, January 14th he celebrated his 25th birthday, and was hoping for a much better year ahead.
Right after his birthday he started another round of chemotherapy, sticking with his plan for Indiana. While in the hospital the headaches were getting worse, and another MRI showed his brain was still bleeding and there was another tumor. The tumor has grown exactly in the bed left from the removal of the last one. He was transferred to St. Mary’s to the ICU. He is currently in surgery right now for his brain hemorrhage, and tumor.
At this critical time in David’s journey, we all need to wrap him in so much love. Please join me in doing this for him. David is such a kind wonderful guy that I have had the luck of getting to know over the past 5 years he has been dating my sister. They are now engaged and this is certainly not how they planned to start their lives together. David means so much, to so many people. He is a wonderfully amazing “Uncle David”, and fiancé, brother, son, grandson, friend, etc. I cannot think of another person that deserves this less.
If you are unable to help financially, please just reach out to him with your love and support so he knows how much he means to everyone.
Organizer and beneficiary
Rachael Baughan
Organizer
Ashland, VA
Frances Brent
Beneficiary