Friends, I am asking for your prayers and your financial help.

Last month, my brother-in-law, Fred Nichols, was laughing with his son and kissing his wife goodbye before heading to his 90-minute commute with a small pharmacy.

Today, he is home in bed, sometimes writhing in pain, with a surprising stage-4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

We want a second opinion from MD Anderson, but they are out-of-network for his insurance.

While the insurance companies drag their feet, time and care are of the essence, so they are paying out of pocket and letting other bills lapse.

And since he cannot work, we want to ensure the family can remain in their home and cover his medical costs.

Throughout his career, Fred has mentored scores of young men as a pharmacy preceptor and as a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

But I know him most as the steady brother-in-law who married my sister 40 years ago and daily guides my nephew, who is on the Asperger’s Spectrum.

My sister Vanessa, who has her own medical issues and uses a walker, has been my rock throughout my life.

When you see Vanessa, you see that big, beautiful smile. It's the smile she shared with patients as she helped deliver newborns as a certified surgical technologist at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. The smile she brings daily to Franklin so he does not worry.

This journey will be emotionally and physically hard, and Vanessa and Fred do not like to ask for help.

But they are suffering, I can see the worry in their eyes, and I want to do this one thing to ease their load.

Will you help me? Will you pray, will you contribute anything you can, and will you share this GoFundMe with your friends, family, co-workers, fraternities, and sororities? I appreciate.