Get Steve to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas

Hi, my name is Teressa. I have an incredible husband named Steve and 9 children (7 that still live with us). Last summer Steve was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. After surgery they discovered a second type of wide spread melanoma. Then they did a pet scan and found his small intestine full of tumors. Turned out to be one main and 29 metastisized. The small intestine tumors were a completely different type of cancer. Rare is the word we hear at every appointment we go to. It was determined that the first course of action was the stomach tumors. This could not be done locally, so we went to the NIH in Maryland, where Steve had sugery to remove the tumors. 8 hours into the surgery he coded and was considered dead for 7 minutes while they did 3 rounds of compressions. He was on life support for 3 days and they were able to go back and finish the surgery. It was a complete miracle. After an additional 5 weeks at the NIH (separated from our children) Steve returned home. He had a lot of healing to do and another cancer to treat. When he gained back some strength he underwent 3 rounds of immunotherapy. The plan was to do surgery and then more immunotherapy. However, after careful consideration the surgeon decided a couple weeks ago that Steve needed to do radiation before surgery. We met with the radiation oncologist and she said that Steve was not a candidate for radiation. Steve also has a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis, type 1 (NF1). It contributed to the small intestine tumors and is the reason that no treatment will be effective on them. (They will grow back.) NF1 is also the reason he could not have radiation. NF1 is also rare and Steve's oncology team is learning about it's effect on cancer, with us. The surgeon decided it did not make sense to do surgery on Steve either, based on the assumption it has probably spread to more places on his scalp than can be removed by surgery. So, immunotherapy is the only option. There are no statistics on the success of immunotherapy on desmoplastic melanoma on patients with NF1. MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, has experts in both rare types of melanoma and NF1. We have to know if there is anything else we can do to prolong Steve's life. When I met Steve I was overwhelmed by his love and devotion to Christ. It showed in the way he loved me as well. He is gentle, hardworking, a servant. He will do anything for anyone and he usually does it before you realize you need it. He has been obedient to Christ as he was called to adopt 4 children, spiritually foster 1 child, and take permanent custody of twin little girls. He also loves my 2 biological children as his own. We belive that God has more for Steve and we are going to pursue every opportunity that God opens up for him. We have had to put our foster/adopt ministry on hold during this time. MD Anderson does not take our insurance. The cost for his appts, labs and slide interpretation plus travel expenses is $19,500. Steve's appointment at MD Anderson is March 18th. It's not much time to raise that much money. But cancer doesn't wait. Please help me help my husband and our kids daddy to get the help that he needs.