Elly’s Fight Against Grade 4 Glioblastoma

On May 27th, 2023 our family’s lives changed forever.

My father was experiencing trouble sleeping for months. Unsure of the reasons, he tried his best to get as much rest as he could and went on with his daily routine. Weeks after, he started to have severe tension headaches, ones that he described as “lots of pressure”. He would hold his fingers in-between his eyes and squint due to the pain. He took Advil each day thinking that the headaches would eventually go away.

As much as we wanted the headaches to be caused by lack of sleep, my step-mother, Svetlana Lerner, rushed my dad to the hospital on May 22nd after he grabbed onto the wall to help himself balance and walk on his own.

On May 23rd, the doctors came into the room and told my father that they had some life altering news. They explained that some type of growth was found in his brain and they needed to biopsy it as soon as possible to get a better understanding of what the growth actually is.

On May 24th, my father underwent a stereotactic biopsy procedure. The doctor came out and asked to speak with the family privately. He told us that the growth was a cancerous tumor and that it is roughly the size of a golf ball. We asked what it could be, but the doctor told us to wait for the final results. We waited 4 nights and got our answer.

On May 27th, my father was diagnosed with Grade 4 Glioblastoma. Glioblastoma (also known as GBM) is a highly aggressive and progressive type of brain cancer. The prognosis is poor and dismal. The average median of survival is only 12-18 months. This type of brain cancer affects 15,000 people a year and has no effective treatment or cure for its victims.

There have been countless consultations, hundreds of emails and phone calls, and many different opinions from doctors all over the world. As my fathers’s battle with GBM unfolds, we have researched hard and wide to see and understand all of his treatment options.

There are alternative treatments available around the world reporting great success in treating this horrible cancer. These treatments include creating a specific and personalized plan of treatment for my dad. However, these treatments come at a great cost. The estimated cost for these treatments is about $400,000 and is not covered by insurance.

My father turned 54 in March. Everyone who knows him agrees that he is the most selfless, kind, and the most generous person anyone can know. He is a loving husband, a wonderful son, everyone’s best friend, the best big brother, the greatest colleague, the most helpful neighbor, and the best father my siblings and I could ask for. He has a beautiful soul that lights up any room he walks into. His magnetic and bright personality attracts so much love from the people around him; there is no way NOT to love him. But even during one of the hardest times in his life, he remains positive, incredibly hopeful, and eager to fight through this.

My father has 2 daughters and 2 sons. My name is Arianna and I just turned 24. My sister, Annabelle is going to be 21 in October. My brother, Branden is turning 25 in a few weeks and my little brother Remi will be 14 in July. Our dad has truly given so much of himself to care for everyone around him. He spent his entire life helping others and being selfless without seeking any praise. We have never asked for help before but we know we cannot do this without it. As a family, we simply cannot meet the financial obligations to give my dad the best fighting chance to live long enough to see his kids grow up, graduate high school and college, get married, and have children. This cancer is just too big and strong to fight alone. We understand that this fight is long, but we cannot lose if we all do this together.

I humbly request, if able, to please kindly help us fight this battle and donate whatever amount you can, however big or small; it will all make a HUGE difference.

Please continue to send positive energy, thoughts, wishes, and prayers for my dad and our family. We appreciate each and every one of you.

TOGETHER, WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS!

From Elly & The Lerner Family