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As many of you know, Luke has been fighting cancer for several years. He is 39 years old. A wonderful husband and father of 5. A few weeks ago they received heartbreaking news. Through much guidance of professionals, survivors, and prayer they have found new hope for Luke. They will be heading to San Diego and Mexico for emergency treatment next week.This is treatment he desperately needs.
They will be flying into San Diego CA, then crossing the border to Mexico for 3 weeks, where he will go to a facility for treatment everyday.
We, her loving family, are looking for some support from near and afar. If anyone is able to donate funds to help offset all these expenses that they have endured would be greatly appreciated. Every dollar helps. If you are not able to donate Please Pray!
This family has been through so much. Luke rarely complains and until recently worked everyday through all of the surgeries and treatments. He had surgery on his brain and went to work the very next day on the combine. God has definitely given them lots of doors to go through. They are tough, fierce, determined fighters knocking down every one of them. This is not something Crystal has asked for, as she is never one to ask for help, always the one helping. This is something we feel we need to do for her and Luke.
Please see his history below. The last treatment was not working.
Luke is still battling the melanoma. He has been actively receiving treatments for the last 2 years when we found it had metastasized to his lung, and chest cavity. The treatments have included every FDA approved treatment for melanoma (which there aren’t many), and various clinical trials.
He has had good results at times, and then things stop working; allowing the cancer to grow. Last November it had spread to his neck. They successfully squashed that, while the lung became worse. They started him on a new drug which did truly help the cancer in the lung.
Unfortunately, in October he was operating the combine; when a sudden severe headache arrived with loss of vision. Test results showed a large hemorrhaging tumor on the back of his brain which caused the vision loss. He also had 16 smaller brain metastases. This involved a whole process where radiosurgery was used on the smaller lesions, and a craniotomy for the large lesion. A 3x3 chunk of his skull was replaced by a titanium plate. His vision came back as soon as his cornea healed from where the nurse scratched it after surgery. This was a whole process during November and December.
He healed pretty well from all of this, although he was dragging his leg. We assumed it was from the brain metastases. He started just gradually having more difficulty walking amongst other issues. These symptoms all pointed his amazing healthcare team to the spinal cord.
It was to our disbelief, and shock that they were right. 2 weeks ago, they found an intramedullary tumor. A tumor not on his spine or the area around it, but directly in the cord where your brain fluid flows. Of course, this is inoperable, and the best way to treat melanoma is to remove it. This was scary as we were told he could become permanently paralyzed from the waist down at any given moment. At this point he was already suffering from partial paralysis from the waist down, so we were anxious to try something to help.
His healthcare team developed a plan...10 consecutive days of radiation with Sundays off. Radiation is not effective with melanoma, but they decided to do this to weaken the tumor enough to allow the drugs they were going to place into the spinal cord to penetrate and hopefully kill this dangerous tumor. Radiation started immediately. They wanted to start new treatment but insurance was a battle as he is only the 3rd person to have had this treatment.
He had his first intrathecal treatment last Thursday and will continue every 3 weeks. This involves a spinal tap, extraction of spinal fluid and replacement with the drug to hopefully kill or at least shrink this tumor. He also continues with immunotherapy intravenously every 3 weeks.
He has been such a trooper through all of this. Rarely complaining. Working everyday. He is so strong, and his strength continually surprises his doctors.
We have spent endless hours in the car, and at UHIC. It has been very difficult to get many of our daily tasks done. To all of the people who have helped with this, THANK YOU! He has good days, and bad days. We thank everyone for your support. The phone calls, meals, cards, and most importantly prayers are deeply appreciated.
We would like to encourage everyone to get your moles checked, and stay on top of them. Pay attention to changes, and sensations with your moles. We hope no one else has to suffer as Luke has; and no other family has to go through what we have.
Thank you for your continued prayers!!!
They will be flying into San Diego CA, then crossing the border to Mexico for 3 weeks, where he will go to a facility for treatment everyday.
We, her loving family, are looking for some support from near and afar. If anyone is able to donate funds to help offset all these expenses that they have endured would be greatly appreciated. Every dollar helps. If you are not able to donate Please Pray!
This family has been through so much. Luke rarely complains and until recently worked everyday through all of the surgeries and treatments. He had surgery on his brain and went to work the very next day on the combine. God has definitely given them lots of doors to go through. They are tough, fierce, determined fighters knocking down every one of them. This is not something Crystal has asked for, as she is never one to ask for help, always the one helping. This is something we feel we need to do for her and Luke.
Please see his history below. The last treatment was not working.
Luke is still battling the melanoma. He has been actively receiving treatments for the last 2 years when we found it had metastasized to his lung, and chest cavity. The treatments have included every FDA approved treatment for melanoma (which there aren’t many), and various clinical trials.
He has had good results at times, and then things stop working; allowing the cancer to grow. Last November it had spread to his neck. They successfully squashed that, while the lung became worse. They started him on a new drug which did truly help the cancer in the lung.
Unfortunately, in October he was operating the combine; when a sudden severe headache arrived with loss of vision. Test results showed a large hemorrhaging tumor on the back of his brain which caused the vision loss. He also had 16 smaller brain metastases. This involved a whole process where radiosurgery was used on the smaller lesions, and a craniotomy for the large lesion. A 3x3 chunk of his skull was replaced by a titanium plate. His vision came back as soon as his cornea healed from where the nurse scratched it after surgery. This was a whole process during November and December.
He healed pretty well from all of this, although he was dragging his leg. We assumed it was from the brain metastases. He started just gradually having more difficulty walking amongst other issues. These symptoms all pointed his amazing healthcare team to the spinal cord.
It was to our disbelief, and shock that they were right. 2 weeks ago, they found an intramedullary tumor. A tumor not on his spine or the area around it, but directly in the cord where your brain fluid flows. Of course, this is inoperable, and the best way to treat melanoma is to remove it. This was scary as we were told he could become permanently paralyzed from the waist down at any given moment. At this point he was already suffering from partial paralysis from the waist down, so we were anxious to try something to help.
His healthcare team developed a plan...10 consecutive days of radiation with Sundays off. Radiation is not effective with melanoma, but they decided to do this to weaken the tumor enough to allow the drugs they were going to place into the spinal cord to penetrate and hopefully kill this dangerous tumor. Radiation started immediately. They wanted to start new treatment but insurance was a battle as he is only the 3rd person to have had this treatment.
He had his first intrathecal treatment last Thursday and will continue every 3 weeks. This involves a spinal tap, extraction of spinal fluid and replacement with the drug to hopefully kill or at least shrink this tumor. He also continues with immunotherapy intravenously every 3 weeks.
He has been such a trooper through all of this. Rarely complaining. Working everyday. He is so strong, and his strength continually surprises his doctors.
We have spent endless hours in the car, and at UHIC. It has been very difficult to get many of our daily tasks done. To all of the people who have helped with this, THANK YOU! He has good days, and bad days. We thank everyone for your support. The phone calls, meals, cards, and most importantly prayers are deeply appreciated.
We would like to encourage everyone to get your moles checked, and stay on top of them. Pay attention to changes, and sensations with your moles. We hope no one else has to suffer as Luke has; and no other family has to go through what we have.
Thank you for your continued prayers!!!
Organizer and beneficiary
Crystal Clark Brown
Beneficiary