Back the Blue for Cj’s Cancer Treatments

My name is Nina Martin and I am starting this GoFundMe for my brother, CJ Lewis. Many of you know CJ from his years of dedication with the Virginia State Police, and even before that, he was a lifeguard for Starmont Pool in Danville, VA. CJ has spent his life protecting people and keeping communities safe and would give the shirt off his back to help a stranger. In fact, he was just promoted to Task Force Coordinator with the Holston River Regional Drug Task Force, which includes Washington County, Russell County, and Bristol City.

Recently, his whole world, including his family's, was turned upside down. It all started about a month ago when CJ was seen at his local hospital due to some abdominal pain. A CT scan was done, and it showed a kidney stone (thank God for that kidney stone), a large mass in his abdomen, and another spot on his liver.

After several doctor’s appointments and two biopsies, it was believed to be Stage 4 Sarcoma, and he was referred to MD Anderson in Houston, TX.

CJ was seen the week of May 12-16 in Houston, and MD Anderson followed it with their own biopsy. So after two biopsies, he received the results, and at first, MD Anderson diagnosed these tumors as a Sarcomatoid Carcinoma. Then, on 05-28-2025, his diagnosis changed to Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor. All of these tumors are in the sarcoma family, and his prognosis hasn’t changed from Stage 4 cancer.

This is currently his 6th, yes 6th, diagnosis since this journey began. CJ has started inpatient treatment at Johnson City Memorial in Tennessee to stay close to family and friends. This was the only facility that could administer one of the three types of chemo. He stays at the hospital for 5 days to receive this treatment, then he will be home for 2 weeks, and then the chemo cycle will resume. This will happen for the next 18 weeks. The chemo regimen is very aggressive and forward. So far, he is on two chemotherapy regimens but will start a third on his second round of treatments starting on June 15th.

After the first two treatments, CJ will travel back down to Houston, Texas, to MD Anderson to receive scans and blood work to see if the treatments are working and the tumors are shrinking. This will continue every 6 weeks to Houston for an unknown amount of time.

Tentatively, surgery is set for sometime in September if the chemo works and the tumors are responding well to the chemo.

The road ahead is unknown, and we will need all the prayers we can get.

I am starting this GoFundMe to ask for donations that will go directly to CJ as he will have a very long, tough road ahead. These donations will be used to relieve any financial burdens from medical and travel expenses for CJ.

Even if you cannot give, I wanted to start this to also ask for all the prayers for CJ and our family. He’s got two little kids, Harper and Cole, 10 and 9, who are the light of his life.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. It truly means the world to our family.

Luke 6:38 - Give, and it will be given to you.

Hebrews 13:16 - Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have as it is pleasing to God.