Supporting Wes & Jill (Peternel) Byrd
Donation protected
Jill is always the first to raise her hand when someone needs something. She and Wes give of themselves to not only better our community and those that live here but their giving has no boundaries. Unfortunately, the tables have turned and now Wes and Jill NEED US.
On July 16, they made a trip to the ER for Wes when his back pain became unbearable. After almost 12 hours in the ER, they did an MRI only to discover a mass in his neck. Wes’ back doctor referred them to an ENT where they conducted a CT scan and biopsy which diagnosed the mass as a rare Paraganglioma tumor (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/paraganglioma/cdc-20352970). Not only does this tumor produce the catecholamines (adrenaline or fight-or-flight) hormone leading to very high anxiety, panic attacks and heart damage but Wes will not know until it’s removed whether or not it’s cancerous. To complicate things further, the tumor in his neck is connected to several nerve endings on his spinal cord, intertwined with his voice box and has almost flattened his carotid and jugular arteries on his left side.
This condition is very rare and they have been fortunate enough to find a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic that is known worldwide for his expertise in this area. On September 3rd Wes, Jill and the entire family will begin a very long journey to have the tumor removed and tested for cancerous cells and also confirm there are not anymore tumors in his body.
They will be traveling back and forth to Cleveland many, many times for doctor’s appointments and testing along with extended hospital stays for Wes as they fight this battle. Funds will be used to help offset travel and living expenses as they split their time between Maumee and Cleveland.
Thank you so much for your consideration, prayers and donations.
On July 16, they made a trip to the ER for Wes when his back pain became unbearable. After almost 12 hours in the ER, they did an MRI only to discover a mass in his neck. Wes’ back doctor referred them to an ENT where they conducted a CT scan and biopsy which diagnosed the mass as a rare Paraganglioma tumor (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/paraganglioma/cdc-20352970). Not only does this tumor produce the catecholamines (adrenaline or fight-or-flight) hormone leading to very high anxiety, panic attacks and heart damage but Wes will not know until it’s removed whether or not it’s cancerous. To complicate things further, the tumor in his neck is connected to several nerve endings on his spinal cord, intertwined with his voice box and has almost flattened his carotid and jugular arteries on his left side.
This condition is very rare and they have been fortunate enough to find a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic that is known worldwide for his expertise in this area. On September 3rd Wes, Jill and the entire family will begin a very long journey to have the tumor removed and tested for cancerous cells and also confirm there are not anymore tumors in his body.
They will be traveling back and forth to Cleveland many, many times for doctor’s appointments and testing along with extended hospital stays for Wes as they fight this battle. Funds will be used to help offset travel and living expenses as they split their time between Maumee and Cleveland.
Thank you so much for your consideration, prayers and donations.
Organizer and beneficiary
Kim Barboza
Organizer
Maumee, OH
Jill Byrd
Beneficiary
