Fundraiser for Dan Walker

My name is Jarred Walker and I am fundraising on behalf of my parents Dan and Barb Walker.

This past year has been one of the most difficult our family has ever faced. My father, Dan Walker, has been battling cancer (myeloma) for the past year along with quite a few other health issues. He has been hospitalized many times since January, some for weeks at a time. The cancer has responded fairly well to chemo; however, it has made other issues much worse. Unfortunately due to the nature of this being a blood cancer, it is not something that can be fully cured. In addition to him being a type I diabetic, his kidneys are functioning around 20%. He has been able to avoid dialysis so far, but it is still a looming threat in the future.

In June he went in for a much anticipated back surgery that was supposed to alleviate some severe back pain he was having due to the cancer attacking his bones. The surgery was considered to be a success. However, the next morning he found that he could no longer get up and walk. The doctors think he may have had a stroke in his spine. Therapy has helped some, but it is unlikely that he will be able to walk again. If you are familiar with my Dad, you would know it has been especially hard on him as he is used to always being busy and on the go. He has been an extremely hard worker his entire life.

His ongoing issues set off a domino effect of difficult decisions that had to be made. The biggest decision was that my parents would have to move from the home they have lived in for over 25 years as the house cannot effectively accommodate a paraplegic and is in need of repairs that they cannot afford to fix. We are currently in the process of moving them out/selling the property and have faced several setbacks which includes a failing septic system. In addition, my sister Danielle's family made the difficult decision to move from their "forever" home to a property that could accommodate a small dwelling next to their house so that she could be closer to help take care of my Dad who is currently living with them.

As you might imagine, this whole situation has been emotionally and financially devastating. There have been many costs and unexpected challenges along the way. We expect those challenges to continue well into next year and beyond. Any help received is sincerely appreciated by our family.