Anyone who knows Andy Lunt already knows that not much compares to his fierce determination when it comes to hunting for that trophy beast. Now it’s our opportunity to show him our fierce support as he prepares to tackle one of his toughest excursions yet.

“How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great” - Bill Bennot.

This past November after returning from his annual hunting trip, Andy went to the ER for excruciating pain caused by what was thought to be an inflamed bowel. After further testing, it was discovered he had a very large tumor in the wall of his rectum. He was diagnosed with GIST - gastrointestinal stromal tumor and although he was originally told it was benign, after meeting with Oncology on December 22nd, he found out it was a malignant sarcoma and could potentially spread to his other organs. He was also told the testing showed two other spots on his small intestine. After months of chemotherapy treatment, one of the small spots has disappeared and the large tumor has finally shrunk enough to an operable size. On July 28th Andy will undergo two major surgeries. Surgery number one will be to remove the large tumor and most of his rectum. The second surgery will remove the spot on his small intestine, as well as explore his entire intestines to check for additional suspicious areas before reinserting them back into his body. After this operation, he will have a (hopefully) temporary colostomy bag. The anticipated healing period from this intense operation is projected to be about 3 months. Once the doctors feel Andy’s body has recovered, they will go in and perform another (and prayerfully final!) surgery where they will reconstruct his colon to his anus and the colostomy bag will come off. He will then be on chemo for another three years and have regular scans to ensure there’s no reoccurrence or complications.

I, Marni Ruroden, have known Andy the majority of his life, most recently becoming his “aunt” when he and my niece, Ashley, solidified their relationship by purchasing a home, welcoming a new baby and creating a beautiful life for their blended family. Although we are quick to question the why in their story, God’s plan is always the best plan and although their continued faith is helping them welcome each new day with a grateful heart, we all are fully aware that sometimes prayer is not enough to ensure the surmounting day to day bills get paid as they don’t stop just because life’s arrows miss the target.

Andy hasn’t been able to work full time since last year and most likely won’t be able to return to work until next spring provided there are no complications with his healing journey. I have known first-hand how immeasurable a gofundme campaign can help a family when uncertainty and fear take up too much room in their minds. No one plans to be on the receiving end of their community’s generosity yet humanity happens in the unspoken moments of one’s day whether it be donating through this campaign, paying a utility bill, cooking a meal, purchasing a gift card or something as simple as adding Andy to your prayer list so the multitude of prayer warriors can pave the way to an avenue of blessings for this deserving family.

Human kindness is a beautiful thing. I would like to say a heartfelt thank you in advance for any amount of help you are able to provide to ensure everyday expenses are the last thing Andy, Ashley and their children need to think about while they focus on helping Andy “Hunt for Health”