Financial help for the Mason family
Donation protected
My brother in law Brian and my niece Abby (and the family) could really use some extra prayers and support during this extremely difficult and unthinkable time. Not one sick family member but two very sick individuals. Our hearts are so heavy right now and I would like to try to help them out financially as much as possible while they face the unimaginable. Some of you will remember when Brian fought an extremely rare cancer a few years back and unfortunately he is now fighting this cancer a second time as it has returned all while trying to take care of a very sick kiddo. Jennifer is still working full time amongst trying to manage Brian and Abby’s care which as you can imagine would be an impossible task for most. She is literally the strongest wife and mom I have ever met. Please please take the time to read the below updates and background story and help this amazing family if you can. Thank you
***we will post updates as they are received
From Jennifer posted 12/20: Christmas hit a bit different this year for the family. I haven't bought one gift, I haven't felt the Christmas Spirit, or even wanted to do all the Christmas stuff. This year, I would like to hit the fast-forward button or the rewind button. Either one brings a bit of pain, but right now some pain may feel better than the pain I feel right now. Some of you know, but most of you may not... as many of you know Brian has been battling cancer and about a year and half ago he underwent facial reconstruction surgery to remove the cancer and completed both radiation and chemo. At that time, we were optimistic but knew Brian could face future obstacles. As a family, we knew we were willing to walk this path forward and take the future with stride. It is with a heavy heart that I let everyone know that Brian's cancer has returned to the same area of his face and he is currently undergoing further test to rule out metastasis to other areas. He has spent the last week in the hospital to find out some answers and begin working on a possible treatment plan with his oncologists. I have not had the courage or wanted to open up about the news until we have the full picture, however, I am currently feeling a bit defeated right now. Unfortunately, I have not been able to support Brian on this part of this journey and he has had to undergo many of these test without me and without my support in person. I never left his side the first go round, but it breaks my heart not to be there with him this time. I want to thank those of you who have called him and I, and the special ones who have came to the hospital to show support to him as I have been unable to be present. I never thought, in my life, I would feel so helpless and lost during this special time of year. Watching a spouse struggle with an illness is one of the heartiest things I have ever had to do, but nothing comes close to the brokenness of watching your child fight. In Sept, my daughter became extremely ill and was taken to the hospital where we discovered she was fighting C-diff. Abby was not responding to the treatments and during a procedure they found she has ulcerative colitis (like Brian). The drs found a treatment that seemed to be working and she was moving in the right direction. She became sick about two weeks ago and we took her to the ER, she was diagnosed with the adenovirus and it forced her body into a flare-up and was admitted to the hospital. She was released and her infusion date was moved up. She spiked a fever and the drs were hoping that she would begin the process of remission when she received the next dose. Last Thursday, same day as her dad, she was admitted back to the childrens hospital to clear her of any other viruses and get her the infusion. Her body stopped responding to the infusions and treatments. The drs are working diligently to come up with a new treatment plan to save her colon and get her moving in the right direction. She has handled this with a grace, that I could only hope one day I could possess. She is facing more obstacles than most adults face with her illness, all while trying to come to terms with what is going on with her father. Although she gets angry and mad, her pain is no longer under control, she is handling it better than I could have ever thought. Unfortunately, it looks like she will be spending Christmas in the hospital this year. We are hoping Brian can get out of the hospital soon (they are at two separate hospitals), so our family can spend somewhat of a Christmas together. During this time, if you could send our family some cheer, happy thoughts, good vibes, or a smile it would be greatly appreciated. My thoughts to you would be to hold your family a little closer because tomorrow is never promised. Once we have a clearer picture on Brian, we will begin the updates... we are still and will always be #brianstrong
Brian’s 2nd cancer diagnose:
From Brian posted 1/2/24: To my friends, family and Marine Corps brothers and sisters. I have some bad news to report. Recently, I was diagnosed a second time with cancer called Squamous cell Carcinoma of the Parotid gland. It’s almost in the exact same spot as the first one. They believe that the cancer wasn’t fully removed all the way from my 1st cancer surgery. The only reason why I haven’t complained about the pain in that area is because my nerve was completely removed on the right side of my face in that area from the prior surgery. I ask for prayers for my family and myself. But this time I don’t think prayers will be enough. Maybe if you guys could sometimes reach out to us, check in, show support, or give us any words of encouragement. Not only am I sick but my 14-year-old daughter Abby got diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis which is also another illness that I have. We and I barely survived the 1st cancer and that was stage 4 with doing the radiation, an chemo treatments. My OSU Radiologist told us that if this cancer comes back in the same area which it has that I’m done. From everything I read, heard, and seen from other cancer patients who have died. I’ve always known that from around my 1.5 year or 2-year mark is when it was going to come back if it did at all. It has started again at my 1.5-year mark with my symptoms and signs showing. This is a little past my 2-year mark as well. My ENT surgeon even made a comment that if I do have LMD that he won’t even do surgery to remove the spot on my face. Abby was in the hospital for around 29 days starting towards the end of November and mainly in the month of December. I do have to do a shout out and give praise to Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. We didn’t celebrate Christmas until Abby got out of the hospital. We didn’t and still haven’t even had a chance to buy any Christmas presents yet. Luckily the hospital gave us dozens of presents for both of our 2 children. Abby got some more additional presents while she was admitted in the hospital as well. In order to save Abby’s colon, we had to allow the Dr’s to try a medicine called Prograf which is typically used for transplant patients. This drug has totally wiped-out Abby’s immune system and now her body isn’t producing certain elements like magnesium, sodium, electrolytes and two other things that her body needs to survive. She’s been throwing up, having constant diarrhea, and pooping blood out as well. She also has had severe stomach and now ankle pain. Starting last year around June 2023 my symptoms started getting worse and I was getting severe pain on the right and back side of the right side of my neck. I was also starting to get nauseated and showing some of the same signs constantly that I got during the 1st time that I got diagnosed with cancer. Fast forward it to today and I also have neurological issues. They’ve been doing some brain scans and a spinal tap and they’re still trying to verify that I might possibly have LMD; also referred to as (leptomeningeal metastases or carcinomatous meningitis) which is brain cancer. They won’t give me a full diagnose of LMD until they’ve done more testing to confirm it. Because if I do have it than that the game is over. They want to do another brain scan and up to 2 more spinal taps again. If I don’t have brain cancer then something else big is wrong with me because my comprehension, cognitive skills, and memory have been getting really worse than I have ever had before. For the past few months, I have been bed bound because I always feel that I have vertigo, nausea, dizziness, light headaches, and weakness in my body. I’ve been getting severe sharp pain in my knees, lower legs, and calves. I’ve stopped driving my cars. I also have two separate other medical issues that I can’t work on since I got cancer again. I have a flair up and I should be on Entyvio infusion’s which is my biological medication for my stomach Ulcerative Colitis. In addition, I have lymphedema on the right side of my arm, wrist, shoulder, back, and trap which has swallow on that side of my body by 2 inches bigger than my left side. The reason being is because my blood flow isn’t properly flowing through my body since my lymph nodes have been taken out to stop the spread of cancer from the first time. Thanks everyone!
***we will post updates as they are received
From Jennifer posted 12/20: Christmas hit a bit different this year for the family. I haven't bought one gift, I haven't felt the Christmas Spirit, or even wanted to do all the Christmas stuff. This year, I would like to hit the fast-forward button or the rewind button. Either one brings a bit of pain, but right now some pain may feel better than the pain I feel right now. Some of you know, but most of you may not... as many of you know Brian has been battling cancer and about a year and half ago he underwent facial reconstruction surgery to remove the cancer and completed both radiation and chemo. At that time, we were optimistic but knew Brian could face future obstacles. As a family, we knew we were willing to walk this path forward and take the future with stride. It is with a heavy heart that I let everyone know that Brian's cancer has returned to the same area of his face and he is currently undergoing further test to rule out metastasis to other areas. He has spent the last week in the hospital to find out some answers and begin working on a possible treatment plan with his oncologists. I have not had the courage or wanted to open up about the news until we have the full picture, however, I am currently feeling a bit defeated right now. Unfortunately, I have not been able to support Brian on this part of this journey and he has had to undergo many of these test without me and without my support in person. I never left his side the first go round, but it breaks my heart not to be there with him this time. I want to thank those of you who have called him and I, and the special ones who have came to the hospital to show support to him as I have been unable to be present. I never thought, in my life, I would feel so helpless and lost during this special time of year. Watching a spouse struggle with an illness is one of the heartiest things I have ever had to do, but nothing comes close to the brokenness of watching your child fight. In Sept, my daughter became extremely ill and was taken to the hospital where we discovered she was fighting C-diff. Abby was not responding to the treatments and during a procedure they found she has ulcerative colitis (like Brian). The drs found a treatment that seemed to be working and she was moving in the right direction. She became sick about two weeks ago and we took her to the ER, she was diagnosed with the adenovirus and it forced her body into a flare-up and was admitted to the hospital. She was released and her infusion date was moved up. She spiked a fever and the drs were hoping that she would begin the process of remission when she received the next dose. Last Thursday, same day as her dad, she was admitted back to the childrens hospital to clear her of any other viruses and get her the infusion. Her body stopped responding to the infusions and treatments. The drs are working diligently to come up with a new treatment plan to save her colon and get her moving in the right direction. She has handled this with a grace, that I could only hope one day I could possess. She is facing more obstacles than most adults face with her illness, all while trying to come to terms with what is going on with her father. Although she gets angry and mad, her pain is no longer under control, she is handling it better than I could have ever thought. Unfortunately, it looks like she will be spending Christmas in the hospital this year. We are hoping Brian can get out of the hospital soon (they are at two separate hospitals), so our family can spend somewhat of a Christmas together. During this time, if you could send our family some cheer, happy thoughts, good vibes, or a smile it would be greatly appreciated. My thoughts to you would be to hold your family a little closer because tomorrow is never promised. Once we have a clearer picture on Brian, we will begin the updates... we are still and will always be #brianstrong
Brian’s 2nd cancer diagnose:
From Brian posted 1/2/24: To my friends, family and Marine Corps brothers and sisters. I have some bad news to report. Recently, I was diagnosed a second time with cancer called Squamous cell Carcinoma of the Parotid gland. It’s almost in the exact same spot as the first one. They believe that the cancer wasn’t fully removed all the way from my 1st cancer surgery. The only reason why I haven’t complained about the pain in that area is because my nerve was completely removed on the right side of my face in that area from the prior surgery. I ask for prayers for my family and myself. But this time I don’t think prayers will be enough. Maybe if you guys could sometimes reach out to us, check in, show support, or give us any words of encouragement. Not only am I sick but my 14-year-old daughter Abby got diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis which is also another illness that I have. We and I barely survived the 1st cancer and that was stage 4 with doing the radiation, an chemo treatments. My OSU Radiologist told us that if this cancer comes back in the same area which it has that I’m done. From everything I read, heard, and seen from other cancer patients who have died. I’ve always known that from around my 1.5 year or 2-year mark is when it was going to come back if it did at all. It has started again at my 1.5-year mark with my symptoms and signs showing. This is a little past my 2-year mark as well. My ENT surgeon even made a comment that if I do have LMD that he won’t even do surgery to remove the spot on my face. Abby was in the hospital for around 29 days starting towards the end of November and mainly in the month of December. I do have to do a shout out and give praise to Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. We didn’t celebrate Christmas until Abby got out of the hospital. We didn’t and still haven’t even had a chance to buy any Christmas presents yet. Luckily the hospital gave us dozens of presents for both of our 2 children. Abby got some more additional presents while she was admitted in the hospital as well. In order to save Abby’s colon, we had to allow the Dr’s to try a medicine called Prograf which is typically used for transplant patients. This drug has totally wiped-out Abby’s immune system and now her body isn’t producing certain elements like magnesium, sodium, electrolytes and two other things that her body needs to survive. She’s been throwing up, having constant diarrhea, and pooping blood out as well. She also has had severe stomach and now ankle pain. Starting last year around June 2023 my symptoms started getting worse and I was getting severe pain on the right and back side of the right side of my neck. I was also starting to get nauseated and showing some of the same signs constantly that I got during the 1st time that I got diagnosed with cancer. Fast forward it to today and I also have neurological issues. They’ve been doing some brain scans and a spinal tap and they’re still trying to verify that I might possibly have LMD; also referred to as (leptomeningeal metastases or carcinomatous meningitis) which is brain cancer. They won’t give me a full diagnose of LMD until they’ve done more testing to confirm it. Because if I do have it than that the game is over. They want to do another brain scan and up to 2 more spinal taps again. If I don’t have brain cancer then something else big is wrong with me because my comprehension, cognitive skills, and memory have been getting really worse than I have ever had before. For the past few months, I have been bed bound because I always feel that I have vertigo, nausea, dizziness, light headaches, and weakness in my body. I’ve been getting severe sharp pain in my knees, lower legs, and calves. I’ve stopped driving my cars. I also have two separate other medical issues that I can’t work on since I got cancer again. I have a flair up and I should be on Entyvio infusion’s which is my biological medication for my stomach Ulcerative Colitis. In addition, I have lymphedema on the right side of my arm, wrist, shoulder, back, and trap which has swallow on that side of my body by 2 inches bigger than my left side. The reason being is because my blood flow isn’t properly flowing through my body since my lymph nodes have been taken out to stop the spread of cancer from the first time. Thanks everyone!
Organizer and beneficiary
Ashley Olian
Organizer
Cape Coral, FL
Jennifer Olian Mason
Beneficiary