Support needed for Scott's Path to Healing

On March 1st, 2021, my dad went in to see Dr. Phay, his PCP for a routine checkup. He went into the appointment thinking he was healthy and in decent shape. After a quick look, Dr. Phay immediately sent him to the emergency room after finding a suspicious tumor in the back of his throat.

At the ER they asked him to change into one of those gowns…put a bracelet around his wrist and prepped for a CT scan. After the scan…he waited…and waited…(and would not find out what he had for a couple of days)

While lying in that emergency room bed he found himself in a place he never imagined being.

It was a natural response for him to lay there and think “God, what does this mean? What is your plan for me? Am I going to be okay? How will this effect Liz, the kids, and our future?”

Of course, it was impossible for him to know then, what he knows now…

After spending all morning in emergency he was sent home to wait on the results…

The next day he was told at the first of a zillion doctors appointments “The bad news is, it’s malignant. The good news is it’s more treatable if it hasn’t spread.”

This began a merry-go-round of scans and doctors visits while trying to figure out the best way to destroy this beast. Since then he has remained on a search to discover the best path of healing for his condition.

The type of cancer my dad has is squamous cell carcinoma. It is a deep tissue skin cancer and can show up just about anywhere in the body. My dad’s is on the lymph nodes in his throat, the tonsillar region. The good news is that it is still stage one, the disease is still local and has not metastasized, and it is very treatable with a 90-95% chance for being cured.

My dad’s treatment plan includes a combination of traditional chemical treatments (radiation and chemo) along with a holistic approach in an effort to keep the body as healthy as possible while undergoing such intense treatments to the head, neck, and face area.

After a recent scan and visit, a few different courses of highly effective treatments were offered. Both are costly and are not covered by insurance. One is one of the safest cancer therapies, FDA approved and highly effective at curing the disease. It is a hyperthermia treatment which heats up the tumor, making the radiation more effective.

He was told by an integrative oncologist that this treatment is “ideal”. There is one clinic in the US that does this, located in Los Angeles, and would involve a two month stay in LA…Another option would be a slightly different but unique treatment in Atlanta. However, the next phase is critical to discern the best options going forward.

If you have had the privilege of meeting Scott Phillips, you are likely aware of the fact that he is a man of faith who is truly connected to God. He has been happily married to my beautiful mother for 40 years and they have brought 8 of us children into the world, and also have 6 grandsons. They have given us everything through the years and we are desperate to do what we can for them. He simply walks the walk and in my eyes is a man who fully embodies how one should love and take care of his family.

Although he is someone who consistently wears his heart on his sleeve, he is usually one to keep personal matters private, and he has kept this health issue private for months. During this crucial time we are asking for your financial support. If you feel called to give and/or share this post, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for sending over prayers and positive vibes! Whatever is donated will help decide the next steps.

Much love, Andrew, for The Phillips family