Brad’s Cancer Fight

Brad Byer is so many things, to so many people. He is a father of two beautiful and amazing children. He is a husband to a loving and supportive wife. He is a son to a remarkable Mom and Dad. He is a little brother who still looks up to his big bro. He is the best friend a person could possibly ever hope for. He is an uncle, a cousin, a brother-in-law, a coach, a teammate, a neighbor and a co-worker. He is also a cancer survivor!

Sadly, cancer does not care about all of the things Brad represents to us. He and his family are faced again with uncertainties that go hand in hand with someone who has been diagnosed with cancer.

With your generous help and support, we can all pitch in to help shoulder this burden and lighten the load for Brad and his family. Together we will win!

Brad’s Story:
In 2013 Brad was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer. As you might imagine, it was a terrible surprise for Brad, his family, and his friends. True to his nature, Brad immediately set to work on the treatment and healing process and in 2014 was pronounced by his doctor to be in remission. 

Since 2014, Brad has been getting scans and checkups regularly to look for any signs of a recurrence of the cancer. The scan at the beginning of 2016 detected a small spot on his lung. At the time, the spot was very small, in fact too small for his doctor to determine if it was cancer or not.

The doctor continued to monitor the spot very closely to track its growth and development.  As the scans continued, it was revealed that additional spots were now appearing. It was still too early to tell if these spots were cancerous or something else altogether. All they could do was wait until one of the spots grew big enough to biopsy.

Finally, in April of this year, the scan revealed that the largest spot was now a viable candidate for a biopsy. Brad went in for biopsy surgery, then anxiously waited for the results. He has said many times that one of the most difficult parts of this process is the waiting, especially this time.  

The results eventually came and it was not the news everyone was hoping for. His cancer was back and had spread to his lungs. Because the melanoma had spread beyond the original area of skin and nearby lymph nodes to other organs, this classified Brad as having stage 4 melanoma.

Now that it was confirmed that the cancer was back and in his lungs, the doctors ordered an extensive MRI of his entire body. What they discovered was, that in addition to his lungs, he now had a spot near his kidney as well as one on his brain. 

This news was a game changer.  With the stakes being raised, it was time for a second opinion. Brad and Steph traveled to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. While staying overnight in a hotel, they waited anxiously to meet with a team of specialists to review his case. 

The meeting went well and was very informative. Best of all, the doctors were cautiously optimistic. They presented Brad with options for treatment, which have been successful in similar cases. He and his family will now need to weigh these options, and balance them with what is best.

No matter which road leads to Brad’s healing, he and his family need our support. Please consider donating as they will be impacted by extensive medical bills, medications and lost wages. In addition to financial support, Brad and Steph need you. They need you to reach out to them by phone, email or a visit. They need the love and support of family and friends. 

Together we will win!