It is with a heavy heart I share that our father was recently diagnosed with Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). The cancer has metastasized and spread to other organs in his body and engulfed his liver. Sadly, it is inoperable due to its size. Cholangiocarcinoma is a very rare, aggressive form of liver cancer. 

My father is a vetran and a father of three beautiful daughters and myself. Our father is a fighter, we know this is an uphill battle and he is prepared for the climb. Life is the most precious thing in this world. Our father has told us that he is not ready for this journey to be over, he is ready to fight and live.

What I love about my father, and have come to really appreciate in recent years, is how he simply accepts ‘what is’ in life. He naturally embodies what I actively try to put into practice --- no matter what his experiences bring him (i.e. loss, joy, pain), he never complains. Instead, he smiles and asks about your day.

He is the kindest and most honest man I know. Our father has shown us that with hard work and dedication, anything is achievable. He taught us that wealth isn’t measured by the things we have but by what we share. 

For those of you who do not know my dad, he has light brown hair and sparkling hazel eyes. He is a fun-loving man. I have learned through his actions what it means to be selfless. He is the person of whom I am most proud. Taking care of his children and others is his top priority. Everyone that knows him sees him as a brilliant man because of his generosity and kindness. 

We refuse to let this be the end of Our Dad's journey and ask for your help in raising funds to support his fight. The road ahead isn’t going to be easy, but we aren’t out of options. For those of you who know Pat, you know he would be the first one at your side to help. As a community, we have an incredible opportunity to support my dad in his greatest time of need.

Our dad has chosen to begin his fight with traditional chemotherapy treatment in an effort to shrink his tumor. His next step is a three-week stay at the Gerson Institute, which includes juicing, detoxing, whole food supplementation, and using food as medicine. We hope this will kick start his healing journey. Through a 70-year old practice, with a proven track record of success, the program is designed to restore and reactivate all the body systems, correcting the functioning of all essential organs, and bring the body into homeostasis. https://gerson.org/gerpress/the-gerson-therapy/

After raising his baseline of health, traditional chemotherapy could prove to be even more successful. My father's chances of survival will be increased from 10% (with chemo alone) to 60%, if he includes the Gerson method and additional homeopathic therapies and protocols. My dad realizes that time is of the essence and is working hard to finish his comprehensive application to the Gerson Institute program. 

This week, we learned that he has been accepted for the alternative cancer treatment program. The funds for this are very urgent as they have told us time is of the essence. In order for us to make these arrangements, we need to raise 37,000 immediately.

According to the Gerson Institute; "Degenerative diseases render the body increasingly unable to excrete waste materials adequately, commonly resulting in liver and kidney failure. The Gerson Therapy uses intensive detoxification to eliminate wastes, regenerate the liver, reactivate the immune system, and restore the body's essential defenses enzyme, mineral, and hormone systems. With generous, high-quality nutrition, increased oxygen availability, detoxification, and improved metabolism, the cells and the body can regenerate, become healthy, and prevent future illness."

Want to learn more? Please check out the Gerson Institute web site, or watch The Gerson Miracle on YouTube or Netflix.

Unfortunately, insurance companies do not cover this type of alternative cancer treatment. The initial treatment in Mexico is three weeks and they recommend continuing the program at home for a minimum of two years. 

It's incredibly humbling to be in a position where you need the help of friends, relatives, and even strangers to get the medical treatment needed to survive! As you can imagine, this has been a huge financial burden for our father. We are looking to raise 140,000 to help minimize all of his medical treatments and expenses.

It is a great privilege to have the support of many loving friends and family members. He realizes the limits of what his closest friends and family are able to give. Although this diagnosis has completely turned his life upside down, it has also given him an amazing gift, the gift of asking for what he needs, which is very humbling. We could have never imagined ourselves in a position like this. Our father is a beautiful, great man with a heart of gold and we all love him so much.

"The nature of our immortal souls is in the consequences of our words and deeds that go on apportioning themselves throughout all time. Our lives are not our own; from womb to tomb, we are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness we all birth our future.”

NOMI (Cloud Atlas)
From his loving son and daughters, we thank you all for the time you took to read this. Even if you are not able to donate please share with your family and friends and keep our father in your thoughts and prayers. 

With love and gratitude,