Gavin McClain - #Gavinstrong

On Monday, January 20th the world was turned upside down......Gavin was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma - a type of rare pediatric bone cancer. Gavin immediately began IV chemotherapy treatments and had surgery in April 2020 to remove the tumor bone and reconstruct the bones in his right leg. This is the same time that we learned 'spots' had been detected in his lungs. In Osteosarcoma,  25-30% of the patients eventually develop metastases and the lung is the most common site of metastasis of osteosarcoma. 

Fast forward to today - November 2020: Despite battling through 38 IV chemotherapy treatments, blood transfusions, physical therapy, countless medications, and surgery on his leg to eradicate the cancer,  the spots/nodules in Gavin's lungs have increased in quantity, and some have grown in size. His oncology team did not waste any time and immediately began having conversations on how to continue treatment - oral chemotherapy agents, surgery, radiation (continued IV chemotherapy is not an option as there is no known efficacy beyond the original MAP treatments and those treatments are very hard on his body).

Gavin began oral chemotherapy (8-15 pills per day depending on the day), which he will remain on for 1-5 years (since the therapy is still considered to be experimental, there is not a concrete end date). He and his family have met with two amazing cardiothoracic surgeons and on November 27th, 2020, Gavin will have a clamshell thoracotomy surgery (picture open heart surgery) to remove as many of the spots/nodules from each lung as they can. Recovery in the hospital will be 3-5 days (average), and then he has 11 additional weeks of recovery and mobility restrictions. during the recovery weeks, conversations surrounding radiation on his lungs will begin. Gavin was so looking forward to going back to working and now it has been paused again! Needless to say, this is yet another uphill battle Gavin will fight.

Gavin has been so brave & strong through it all and he refuses to give up (all of Gav's stubbornness working in his favor haha). There is so much love for Gavin our hearts could burst, and we want to be able to help him and his family in any way we can. Donations to this GoFundMe will go straight to Gavin and help with expenses that are a result of his continuing cancer treatment.

Thank you and much love to you all!
#Gavinstrong