Bryan Curty - Fighting Pancreatic Cancer

Updates after 10/13/23 will appear in the updates section at the bottom.

10/13/23 Sincere thank you.

Hey everyone, Bryan here. I wanted to reach out to thank all that have donated. It isn’t easy asking for help, as I’m usually the one to help others. I appreciate you helping me in this fight and wanted you to know that. I’ve had more support, prayers and love sent my way than I could’ve ever imagined. Makes me feel good and is shocking to some extent as I’m a person you either love or hate. I’m not the “he’s okay” type. :).

I’ve fought my whole life. Growing up in projects, I’ve always wanted more out of life. Never resented growing up there, because some of my closest friendships were formed in those 4 blocks. Started at the bottom of my job, always being honest, putting in the work and sometimes to my detriment I’ve added my opinion. :). I’ve been lucky to work for some great leaders that are/were my mentors, my friends and sometimes my priest. Most of the people that have worked alongside and for me have become family of sorts. Most are all good people. It brought tears to my eyes to see union business agents, chiefs and stewards reach out when I needed an uplifting msg.

Some say I don’t deserve this, some will say I do, I’m sure. I’m not a perfect man, but I am loyal. If I love you, I’ll die protecting you. A good friend who says my name 3 times every time she addresses me told me that she believes God is reaching out to say that him and I are too far apart at the moment. This could be and I’m doing my best to work that out.

That being said I’ve been blessed with great friends, a bright, talented and beautiful daughter who is good hearted (I love that about you), a terrific family, a brother who loves and hates me at the same time :) and in times like this his strength really shines. (Love you Jim) and an absolutely, outstanding wife. How I closed that deal and won her hand in marriage is beyond me. What she sees in this project kid, I’m unsure but I love her and she loves me, that I’m sure of.

So I’m here to say I’m still fighting!!! I’m gonna rock my f$ck cancer hat and my F$ck cancer socks Tuesday walking into chemo. Gonna do a lot of meditation between now and then. Gonna prepare my body and my mental state for the fight and gonna rid myself of this nasty disease.

Cancer may have started the battle but I’m just about to rise up folks.

#cancersucks #nolayingdownallowed

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UPDATE:

Bryan saw a doctor at the Pancreas Center at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University on Weds, 10/4/23. The Pancreas Center is led by a highly experienced team of physicians, nurses, researchers, social workers, and more. Each individual specialist works in close coordination with the rest of the team to make sure every patient receives full, comprehensive care.

The doctor promised him a pathway to surgery. He said they’d hit the cancer hard.

*First chemo drug (3 drug combo) to shrink

*Second chemo drug (3 drug combo) to shrink if first doesn’t work

*Radiation if they both don’t work

*If radiation doesn’t work, they have a tool to separate the tumor from the blood vessels it’s attached to for surgical removal.

*Early 2nd month ct scan to see if the plan is working.

*Data points will tell us direction we should take. Ready to do what data tells us.

*Chemo will be 1 treatment every 2 weeks.

*Once they start treatment, Bryan’s continued weight loss should subside.

*Get Flu shot/get COVID shot he was told

*Don’t sit home staring at walls

*Use Reasonable caution

Surgery offers the only realistic chance to cure pancreatic cancer. Curative surgery is done mainly to treat cancers in the head of the pancreas. Because these cancers are near the bile duct, they often cause jaundice, which sometimes allows them to be found early enough to be removed completely. This is what happened to Bryan resulting in early detection, diagnosis, and upcoming treatment.

More updates to follow as progress is made!

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Hi! I’m James, and this request is on behalf of my little brother Bryan Curty. (He’s 49 lol.)

Bryan is embarking on a battle against stage 2 pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Deemed a “silent” killer because it has no symptoms in its earlier, more treatable stages, pancreatic cancer is often too advanced at diagnosis to be effectively treated. As a result, more than 90 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within five years of diagnosis and only 7.7 percent survive beyond five years. Bryan is in stage 2 at the moment. His chances of being in that 7.7% that beat the “silent killer” are high because his doctor found this early before it metastasized and when it’s more treatable, but we need your help.

Earlier intervention in people at risk and the development of new therapies for pancreatic cancer offer some promise to save more lives. My brother Bryan’s life included. Thank God my brother will receive treatment while it’s early enough to give him a fighting chance.

Bryan is married to Kristen, and is the proud father of Skyler. He lives in New Egypt, NJ, and is receiving his care at the Pancreas Center at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University.

Average monthly cancer-attributable out of patient pocket costs among patients who receive active treatment range from $3868-$9393 for stage II patients like Bryan. Insurance will cover most of the treatment, but not all. There are also other costs besides treatment like travel and accommodation on days when commuting isn’t feasible.

We are asking for your help with these costs as these are just the costs of the initial phase. Any monies we receive that are above and beyond his out of pocket costs will be put toward what’s called the “continuing phase” which has its own costs albeit lower than the initial phase. Anything left after treatment will be donated.

Thanks in advance for considering a donation to my brother Bryan’s fight against Pancreatic Cancer. #CancerSucks