My sisters husband Shun Green is in the fight of his life!

He has squamous cell carcinoma at the base of his tongue. The only life saving treatment is a major surgery on March 21.

He will have a feeding tube in his stomach, a tracheotomy tube in his throat so he can breath, they are cutting his neck ear to ear to remove his neck lymph nodes and then removing most of his tongue. They are taking a muscle graft from his left forearm and the artery and vein attached to that muscle for the graft, and then a piece of skin to make the surface of the tongue.

They told them that the surgery takes 12-15 hours.

He will be in intensive care for 3-4 days followed by another 5-7 days in the hospital.

After he is discharged from the hospital he has to stay on hospital grounds since he has physical and occupational therapy 3 days a week for 6 weeks followed by radiation therapy 5 days a week for an additional 6 weeks. The hospital is 4 hours from home.

Thankfully, the hospital has a place for them to park their camper so they can stay on hospital grounds. However, during his treatment he cannot work, and he requires around the clock care, so my sister cannot work either. He needs trach care, tube feedings, and assistants with his daily living activities. In therapy he will learn to talk, swallow and eventually eat again!!!

Shun has spent his life serving others. Immediately after High School he joined the United States Marines. He graduated first in his class from basic training and received the leatherneck award. He served in the Presidential Honor Guard at the White House, and at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He completed an overseas tour in Japan. He served as a Marine for 6 years.

After his Honorable Discharge from the Marine Core, he attended the Michigan State Police academy. He served as a Michigan State Trooper for over 20 years. In 2005 he received The Bravery Award, Lifesaving award, and was honored as The 2005 Trooper of the year.

After he retired from the police force he continued to work with youth at Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo.

Two years ago they moved to the White Mountains in Arizona where Shun is working with his indigenous brothers and sisters building a self sustaining community.