Help Christopher Crush Cancer

CANCER IS TOUGH. CHRISTOPHER IS TOUGHER.

For five years, my sweet husband and incredible father to our children has been fighting a battle that no one should ever have to fight - the fight against cancer. Christopher, a beloved teacher at Valle Crucis School (aka Mr. King), was diagnosed with prostate cancer at an unusually young age. Until now, he’s been on active surveillance with frequent PSA tests plus MRIs and biopsies every couple of years. In the words of his doc at Duke, “if we don’t have to cure you, we won’t.”

Unfortunately, his recent biopsy in July showed increased cancer growth within the prostate and a change in his Gleason score-now 3+4=7 (math we certainly don’t like!). We are so blessed to have an incredible care team at Duke Cancer Center~ they are now recommending that Christopher choose a course of treatment within the next few months. Fortunately, a recent bone scan shows the cancer has not spread into his bones; however, we are still waiting on results from a genomic test to determine how aggressive the cancer might be down the road.

Y’all, this Go Fund Me is something we certainly never wanted to do. We’ve gone five years without asking for any assistance, but the financial hardship is increasing exponentially as we journey down the treatment road. Over the next days, weeks, and months ahead, we will have countless doctor appointments, tests and ultimately, prostate cancer treatment.  As you can imagine, the normal costs of everyday living plus medical costs are astronomical. Travel will be required as most of the latest treatments for prostate cancer aren’t available in North Carolina and Duke Cancer Center is three hours from our home. At Christopher’s young age, we are exploring every possible option for not just saving his life, but for saving his quality of life as the side effects of most prostate cancer treatments are extremely physically and mentally detrimental. Thank goodness, Christopher has health insurance but many of the tests and treatments aren’t covered or are only partially covered by his policy. The potential exists that depending on treatment course, Christopher may have to miss 6-8 weeks of the school year, and I will have to miss work to be by his side.

From the bottom of our hearts, we humbly ask that you share this link with friends and family, and if possible, please donate to our fundraiser. Your donation will help Christopher fight this wicked disease called cancer and alleviate the financial stress associated with treatment.

We are beyond grateful for all of the love, prayers, hugs, etc that you’ve shared during this journey towards healing. Please keep them coming!

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YOU CAN HELP CHRISTOPHER CRUSH CANCER!!!

1) GIVE whatever you can. No donation is too small (tax-deductible).

2) SHARE on social media (#ChristopherCrushesCancer)

3) EMAIL this page - to your family + friends. 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/dgcvs-help-christopher-crush-cancer?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_cp_guide_do&member=30381709

4) CONTACT Christopher- words of encouragement, dinner, drinks, anything!

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Your generosity will help cover past and future medical bills, travel associated with treatment and household expenses. Any help is truly appreciated.

If you prefer a direct donation, Christopher’s Venmo is @Christopher-King-230.

We are absolutely choosing FAITH over FEAR!!! I will continue to keep everyone updated as we learn more. Many, many thanks to each of you! We love you all and couldn’t navigate this journey without you.❤️❤️❤️

BACKGROUND (from my Facebook page)

9/27/21

A tale of two Christophers....

Yes, these are both my husband~ Christopher now and “Big Chrissy” then. He was a power lifter for most of his adult life. Yep, he’s pulling a school bus. He weighed 215 lbs. Currently, he weighs 155.

Some of you have known Christopher through all of these times. Some of you only know the recent Christopher. But what many of you don’t know is Christopher’s story of his physical transformation. It hasn’t been a secret but it doesn’t define who he is so mostly only our closest friends know the why.

Prostate cancer.

Diagnosed in November 2018 after a PSA test of 5.2. A PSA high of 8.2 in June 2019 led to a complete, radical diet change with amazing guidance from Alex and Pam Isaenko. Within four months, a PSA drop to 4.4- all the way to a low of 4.0 (at the top end of the normal range) in August 2020- just from diet change alone. Within that same first four months, a loss of 55 pounds, aches and pains gone and no longer a need for acid reflux or high blood pressure medications.

Christopher’s dedication to his health and diet are so very inspiring and I’m so very proud of him each and every day. We call it Keto plus (no dairy, no red meat, no gluten, very little sugar and extremely limited carbs means no rice, potatoes or corn). Additionally, he takes numerous organic supplements and works out multiple times a week. The health impact of this strict regimen has been astonishing.

Since last November, however, the PSA has slowly crept back up. A couple of tenths at a time but the last test was at 6.2. We continue to research and modify the diet and supplements. With knowledge comes power so we are headed to Duke this afternoon for a MRI this evening. We are so unbelievably grateful and blessed to have a friend, Steve Patierno, that’s

Deputy Director of the Duke Cancer Institute and a leader in prostate cancer research. He has connected us with his amazing team and we will meet with them tomorrow morning.

As we go along this journey, we would love and so deeply appreciate prayers, love, good vibes... whatever you can send our way. I believe completely in the power of prayer and positive thinking and without a doubt, we have the best tribe in the world! Love you all!

9/29/21

The latest fashion in the hallways of Duke! My hubby can rock anything!

10/11/21

Still smiling... at least on the outside.

At Duke~ biopsy time. Not quite Monday funday though the shirt says otherwise.

Prayers and good vibes greatly appreciated!!!!

#wegotthis

Adult diapers ‘r us!

Still smiling….

10/15/21

We are jumping for joy!!!!

Great news from Christopher’s doc-

From Dr. Abern:

Your biopsy results are favorable - still low grade (Gleason 6) prostate cancer safe for active surveillance.

We will know more after our appt on Oct 25th. Many thanks for all the love!!!❤️❤️❤️

#wegotthis #friyay

10/26/21

Fantastic news calls for bubbly!!!!

Best case scenario from our Duke team!!!! The tumor has not spread and is still located in just the apex of the prostate. We can continue active surveillance with regular PSA checks and another MRI in 18-24 months. Dan said, ‘If we don’t have to cure you, then we won’t.’ We will stay the course for now with fighting cancer through nutrition and exercise.

Many, many thanks for all the love and prayers!!!!

Woohoo!!!! Cheers!!!

11/17/22

Thanks for all the kind words! PSA dropped .7! Still too high but headed in the right direction!!!❤️❤️

4/24/23

Please send love, good vibes, prayers, etc our way! Christopher’s last PSA was the highest it’s been so we are back at Duke today. Grateful to be in the best hands on the East Coast.

#cancersucks

4/25/23

Thank you all for the love!!! We felt every bit of it!

PSA was down (yay!) and exam was “unremarkable” (big YAY!!!). Christopher goes back for another MRI in May; fusion biopsy in June. We won’t really know if anything is changing until then.

Thank you again for wrapping us in all the good vibes!!! Love y’all!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

5/25/23

Back at Duke for the MRI… please send all those awesome prayers, positive vibes, good juju, etc for great results. Thank you!

PS~ Christopher is rocking the scrub shorts!!! Def wearing those out afterwards!

#CANCERSUCKS #fashionista

5/26/23

I so love this smile! Always making the best of a situation and having fun!!! So weird they made him put on a shirt♀️

#thatsmyguy

7/24/23

Here we go again!

Biopsy time at Duke… we would greatly appreciate all that love, prayers, good vibes, etc.

7/25/23

Many, many thanks for all the well wishes yesterday! We felt all of the love! Will take about a week to get results.

#cancersucks #discotumor

8/16/23

Sooooo… my prostate drawings are just about as stellar as my napkin maps (not to scale!). Unfortunately, this drawing isn’t quite as fun as our adventure guides.

The biopsy news from Duke was not what we were hoping, praying, longing for… active surveillance is no longer an option for Christopher. My fancy drawing shows the areas of new cancer but most notably, the original lesion which had a Gleason of 3+3=6 now is 3+4=7 (truly, not fun math!).

On August 30th, we head back to Duke for treatment consultation (they are recommending nerve sparing surgery or radiation). We are extensively researching treatment options including proton therapy. If anyone would like to share their treatment journey, please reach out to us.

Words cannot express our appreciation at the outpouring of love, prayers and support. We couldn’t navigate this journey without y’all. Our hearts are overflowing with love and gratitude. ❤️❤️❤️

#kickcancersbutt

8/31/23

Thank you all for the love!!!

At our Duke visit yesterday, we decided to proceed with genomic testing and a bone scan followed by meetings with two other specialists at Duke. We were given a six month window to make a treatment decision.

One step forward on crushing cancer!!!!

P.S. Despite our repeated suggestion on that form you fill out EVERY SINGLE TIME at Duke on how to make the experience better… they STILL don’t offer mimosas in the waiting room. Maybe next time….

#f*ckcancer

10/17/23

Here we go!

My sweetheart is radioactive! Gamma rays activate! Bone scan time…

We’d love all those prayers, positive vibes, etc that the scan is clear and no evidence of cancer spread.

10/19/23

Thank the lord! Glory, hallelujah!

Bone scan is clear!!! Cancer hasn’t spread into the bones! We are so relieved and immensely grateful. Second to last piece of the testing puzzle… guiding us on our journey to a treatment decision!

Thanks to all of you for the love, prayers, good vibes, well wishes and messages! We love you all!

#blessed #gratitude #duke #bonescan #sexyskeleton #cancersucks