Coming together for Jeremy




UPDATE 10/09/2017:
We wanted to reach out today, not only with an update, but also to express our sincerest gratitude and heartfelt love. The support so many people have shown to Jeremy and his family through this most difficult time is beyond words. Thank you for being such an incredible blessing in their lives, as he and his family navigate this "new normal".

The incredible staff at Jeremy's oncology office advocated for him and was able to provide some financial support. What a blessing! That $300,000 cost estimate has decreased with assistance, but there is still much left uncovered... They are still facing over $75,000 in medical bills alone (from chemo/radiation to scans, feeding tube surgery, and more). In addition, Jeremy has been out of work for nearly 3 months now. There is still much to come, but Jeremy is currently two weeks out of his last chemo and radiation treatment. The road was rocky, but luckily he is on the other side of it. Now, recovery begins - not just physically, but also emotionally, spiritually, and financially. And, once again, the waiting game begins, too: CT Scan first and PET Scan to follow. Let us stand in agreeance that this cancer is gone! Let us continue to stand with Jeremy and help share the journey he is up against! We won't let him fight this alone!!


FROM JEREMY'S MOM, AMY:
This wonderful, blue-eyed man is my son, Jeremy. Jeremy is 40 and is married with two children, ages 10 and 4. He is the sole supporter of his family. He has been diagnosed with Stage 4a squamous cell carcinoma in his neck. Like 23 million other American citizens, he has no health insurance. He had a PET scan a couple weeks ago which showed that the cancer has not spread beyond his neck, for which we are infinitely grateful. But "self-pay" cancer care is incredibly expensive. He has been quoted $4000 just to put in the feeding tube, which will be necessary because he will not be able to eat during the course of treatment. His treatment will include both radiation and chemo. He continues to work, and will do so as long as he can, to bring funds into his household. But his care has been delayed as the upfront costs are way beyond his means to pay. Yesterday we were quoted that the cost of care will be $300,000. Many people have been incredibly generous and supportive and through this GoFundMe page, so many people have reached out to Jeremy, people who have known him through many years and many different situations and challenges, showering him with love and compassion. He, and we, his family, greatly appreciate the love and support. Jeremy is kind, loving, generous, possesses a sharp Yankee wit, has a great work ethic, and excels as a father. He will help anyone in any way he possibly can and is just an all-round good guy....hence the outpouring of love from so many he has known over his life. Each time his little girl wraps her arms around her daddy and gives him a big smooch, each time his son runs and tackles him and they dissolve into a laughing heap on the floor, my heart aches for the suffering he is now enduring and for the fear around prognosis. And of the many, many people who love him, as his mom I am the most blessed...he came from my body and has enriched the last 40 years of my life in ways that can only be shared between mother and child. And my heart is breaking. Thus far, he has not been able move beyond diagnosis, and although he and his wife Liz have submitted all the necessary paperwork to determine what sort of discount they qualify for, the process seems to be taking a long time, and waiting for treatment to begin is excruciating.
There is great need in our world today....we're all doing the best we can, trying to sustain our own families and lives. And I am asking you, from the depths of a mother's heart, to please consider making a donation to Jeremy. Any amount helps and is SO greatly appreciated. He has been told by his oncologist that this cancer is treatable, and even beatable, but not without treatment. I feel that as human and humane beings, our greatest gift is our ability to serve each other. As Ram Dass said, "We're all just walking each other home". None of us gets through this life without the help of our fellow human beings....Walking each other home means that we're going out of our way to do things, big and small, to support and care for others. We thank each and every one of you who chooses to hold Jeremy's hand and walk this journey with him.