TL;DR 

Dear Friends, Family, and Kind Supporters,

This Christmas, I’m reaching out with a humble and heavy heart to ask for help. Chemotherapy saved my life, but no one tells you it can destroy your mouth. The treatment has devastated my teeth and gums, causing constant pain, limiting me to soft foods and liquids, and leaving me too embarrassed to even smile. To give some context, I now have no back teeth that touch. They have crumbled or broken off at the gumline. I have 2.5 of them left, and the teeth in the front are starting to rapidly deteriorate too.

My dentist told me that because of the chemotherapy, I need a full mouth reconstruction–extractions, bone grafting, implants, and the final arches. I found a good oral surgeon I trust, and by some miracle, I’ve convinced my health insurance to cover this as a medical need (no easy feat!), but they still will only cover part of it. When you factor in other things like high insurance deductibles, the financial obstacle become frustratingly high.

Before getting sick, I could have easily gotten a loan for this. My pay was good, and so was my credit. Unfortunately, while I’m managing to scrape by on a lower salary at work because of physical limitations, and I’m doing side hustles like ride share (Uber/Lyft), cancer has bankrupted me, and I simply can’t afford this on my own.

It’s overwhelming and embarrassing to ask for assistance, but I’m left with no other option but to check my pride at the door and ask for help.

This isn’t vanity. Dentures are not an option. They are functionally difficult to eat with. They are made from substandard materials, and must be replaced every 5-10 years. Plus, not only are they painful, but over time your face becomes disfigured from bone loss. The insurance company will pay for final permanent arches that are much stronger, will preserve my jaw bone, and will last the rest of my life.

According to my oncologist, good nutrition in cancer remission increases the odds of long-term survival. It’s more than that, though. It’s being able to eat without pain, speak without shame, and smile with confidence again; things so many of us take for granted. The damage from chemo has been life-altering, and I’m asking for your kindness and compassion to help move me forward.

Every contribution–no matter the size–brings me closer to this life-changing goal. If you can’t donate, then please share my story. Either would mean the world to me.

Your generosity this holiday season could give me the chance to regain what I’ve lost and live without near-constant pain. Thank you for helping me turn this Christmas into a season of hope and renewal.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Patrick