Support Pat’s Fight Against Stage IV Melanoma

Hi, my name is Rita Sullivan, and roughly two years ago, I was lucky enough to meet the LOVE of my life. You see, I have always been considered lucky, but never when it came to love. With a little encouragement from my sister, Tara Nechev, I figured I would give on-line dating one last shot.

When we met...our lives changed.

Pat and I have been inseparable for over two years now. Throughout our time together, I have been most impressed with his passion for dog training. After surviving a traumatic brain injury at the age of 21 (learning to walk, talk, and eat again), Pat jumped at the opportunity to go to school, in North Carolina, to become a Master Dog Trainer. Pat was able to learn all types of methods of working with dogs. Such as basic obedience, behavior modification, service dogs, decoy work, and detection. He continues his passion working for New England Dog Training Company.

To put it simply, Pat changed my outlook on love. We dance when nobody is watching, we laugh and enjoy each other's presence, and we take on life's adventures together. When you find the one you want to be with for the rest of your life, you can only imagine a beautiful life together.

However, on March 17th, our lives changed, again.

Pat had a large tumor forming under his armpit. My sister, Dr. Erin Barthel, encouraged us to head to Boston (Brigham & Women's Emergency Room) to have it checked out. After waiting countless hours, Pat received an ultrasound and a CT-Scan to check out the tumor. The doctors were concerned when the results came back. They found 5-6 enlarged lymph nodes in just that area. They confirmed that day that Pat had cancer. The biggest mystery was the type of cancer he had. Countless phone calls were made with doctors and insurance companies. Finding a hospital that we could trust to give Pat the best care and in network, was to say the least, difficult. We were determined to not give up.

Finally, we were able to get his biopsy with Beth Israel. Pat needed 6 biopsies taken from his mass, which at this point 6 cm in size. These biopsies confirmed that Pat has Melanoma. At this point, we were able to make an appointment at Dana Farber (the BEST Cancer Institute in Boston) for a second opinion.

Two weeks ago, our biggest fear was confirmed! Pat's cancer had metastasized and he is now battling Stage IV Melanoma. His cancer is not only in his armpit, it is also in his neck, thigh, and small intestine. This was confirmed by a PET scan at Dana Farber. Our world has been turned upside down!!

Currently, Pat is receiving Immunotherapy at Dana Farber, and this will continue for 2 years. As a result, he will travel to and from Boston to complete his treatment, and he may not be able to work for some time (because he is on a contract basis). He will need to change his nutrition, and follow a structured meal plan. Pat will need to purchase additional medications to deal with symptoms caused by the Immunotherapy. There is so much that is unknown about this journey for us. We do not know if his body will react well to the immunotherapy, and there is concern for multiple surgeries during this time.

Overall, we are determined to fight and beat this cancer But, expenses will be insurmountable. Any donation will help Pat. Then, our lives can be changed for our future together!!