Gary DeWitt needs hope to keep fighting
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Gary DeWitt has always cared for others first before himself. Has always been the optimist even when the rest of the family felt hopeless at the lack of carpentry work for so many years. Somehow he always kept smiling and fighting despite all odds.
About 16 years ago he was diagnosed with Polycythemia Vera, a rare progressive blood cancer which had no FDA approved medications to manage the symptoms of. Most diagnosed with this live fairly normal lives, however 10-15% progress to Myelofibrosis. The doctors tested his blood for the amount of the mutation concentration in the red blood cells. The test came back that 100% of his blood had this mutation, the worst case they had ever seen. This was when he was only 43 with 4 kids still living at home.
Polycythemia Vera essentially creates too much blood, which causes fatigue, insomnia, irritability, depression, a total change of their emotional behavior and spleen enlargement, eventually leading to Myelofibrosis and then leukemia. Thankfully, after years of trying to remedy the symptoms, the first drug was FDA approved for this blood cancer and within 9 months, all of his symptoms were gone, as long as he had this drug, Jackafi.
Now only a few years later, just after the holidays ended, his spleen has started to enlarge again, the Jackafi had stopped working. He was down in South Carolina at the time helping his Son fix up their first home, my first home, but had to return to Connecticut prematurely where he lives, in order to see specialists in New York City about this change. This time though, the diagnosis was far worse than before the Jackafi.
Based on the bone marrow test results and the doctor's recommendation, Dad will be starting on chemo and radiation to prep his body for the bone marrow transplant while concurrently they will be looking for a marrow match. If you aren't on the bone marrow registry, please consider signing up, you just may be the match we're looking for. More info at: https://join.bethematch.org/
My parents, Gary and Annie are on state medical insurance which isn't accepted out of state. The specialists and experts that can help are in New York though we may have found some help at Yale. That will coverer some of the appointments and tests, however being that this is a very specialized rare blood cancer, second opinions and other specialists from out of state and even out of country may need to be contacted, which is not covered by their insurance. None of which are by any means cheap, even if he could work while dealing with chemo, an enlarged spleen and healing after the transplant.
Please help my Dad get the funds to pay for these doctor visits, these surgeries, these chances at surviving. Put hope back in his heart because it breaks mine to hear him talk about his Will and how he thinks he is going to die, not having even reached the age of 60. He deserves more time and I need a father as amazing as him at least a little bit longer. We had plans of him moving down here, building a cabin on my property for them to grow old in, fishing together and working on the house and property together. We need help, we need something, because at the current rate, it looks like none of those plans will come to fruition.
All money raised here will go towards his medical expenses. Second, to his general day to day needs if no medical procedures work out in our favor. Third if everything else fails the money will go to my mother and his wife, AnnMarie Dewitt in order to help smooth out this difficult transition as much as can be.
About 16 years ago he was diagnosed with Polycythemia Vera, a rare progressive blood cancer which had no FDA approved medications to manage the symptoms of. Most diagnosed with this live fairly normal lives, however 10-15% progress to Myelofibrosis. The doctors tested his blood for the amount of the mutation concentration in the red blood cells. The test came back that 100% of his blood had this mutation, the worst case they had ever seen. This was when he was only 43 with 4 kids still living at home.
Polycythemia Vera essentially creates too much blood, which causes fatigue, insomnia, irritability, depression, a total change of their emotional behavior and spleen enlargement, eventually leading to Myelofibrosis and then leukemia. Thankfully, after years of trying to remedy the symptoms, the first drug was FDA approved for this blood cancer and within 9 months, all of his symptoms were gone, as long as he had this drug, Jackafi.
Now only a few years later, just after the holidays ended, his spleen has started to enlarge again, the Jackafi had stopped working. He was down in South Carolina at the time helping his Son fix up their first home, my first home, but had to return to Connecticut prematurely where he lives, in order to see specialists in New York City about this change. This time though, the diagnosis was far worse than before the Jackafi.
Based on the bone marrow test results and the doctor's recommendation, Dad will be starting on chemo and radiation to prep his body for the bone marrow transplant while concurrently they will be looking for a marrow match. If you aren't on the bone marrow registry, please consider signing up, you just may be the match we're looking for. More info at: https://join.bethematch.org/
My parents, Gary and Annie are on state medical insurance which isn't accepted out of state. The specialists and experts that can help are in New York though we may have found some help at Yale. That will coverer some of the appointments and tests, however being that this is a very specialized rare blood cancer, second opinions and other specialists from out of state and even out of country may need to be contacted, which is not covered by their insurance. None of which are by any means cheap, even if he could work while dealing with chemo, an enlarged spleen and healing after the transplant.
Please help my Dad get the funds to pay for these doctor visits, these surgeries, these chances at surviving. Put hope back in his heart because it breaks mine to hear him talk about his Will and how he thinks he is going to die, not having even reached the age of 60. He deserves more time and I need a father as amazing as him at least a little bit longer. We had plans of him moving down here, building a cabin on my property for them to grow old in, fishing together and working on the house and property together. We need help, we need something, because at the current rate, it looks like none of those plans will come to fruition.
All money raised here will go towards his medical expenses. Second, to his general day to day needs if no medical procedures work out in our favor. Third if everything else fails the money will go to my mother and his wife, AnnMarie Dewitt in order to help smooth out this difficult transition as much as can be.
Organizer
Travis Dewitt
Organizer
Easley, SC
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