Help Ryan beat cancer

I am starting this fundraiser for my son Ryan so that he can afford medical and travel expenses to receive cancer treatments. In 2021 at the age of 23 Ryan was diagnosed with a very rare form of bone cancer called high grade chondroblastic osteosarcoma. In July of 2021 he had to have a major surgery consisting of a maxillectomy, fibular free flap reconstruction, and a neck dissection. After surgery Ryan completed seven months of chemotherapy and was declared cancer free for three months.

When Ryan’s cancer came back we were all devastated. His cancer came back as stage 4 bone cancer that had metastasized to both lungs as well as to his lymph nodes. He immediately restarted chemotherapy and spent a week in the hospital every three weeks until January of 2023. These hospitalizations made Ryan so sick that he would need to have blood transfusions at every chemotherapy so that his blood counts would not drop too low. Due to developing life-threatening neutropenic fevers, Ryan spent an extra several weeks in the hospital.

Now that his cancer has progressed to where it is, Ryan is facing limited treatment options. The tumor in his face has greatly affected his sinuses, facial bones, and lymph nodes. The best life-saving option for him is to have surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. They will need to remove most of the tumor as well as the fibular free flap reconstructed maxilla, his septum, and several lymph nodes. He will also need to have a prosthetic device created that will help him to eat, drink, and breathe. After this surgery, Ryan will need to complete months of specialized proton beam radiation therapy at the Mayo Clinic in order to remove any remaining tumor in the area.

Ryan is looking at extensive travel and medical expenses for these life-saving treatments. If you can, we ask that you please help so that he can continue to travel to the hospital and receive these treatments. Any donation big or small will make a huge difference and we will greatly appreciate your contribution to our son’s cause. Thank you!