Warmest hellos to everyone here. My name is Kathryn, and I'm writing this on behalf of my older brother, Andrew. Andrew is a 40-year-old brother, son, husband, and, most importantly, father of four. We’re asking for your help because he was recently diagnosed with advanced stage 3C colon cancer. This includes spread to nearby tissues and lymph nodes and will require extensive treatment.

Andrew was diagnosed with cancer of his large colon in August 2025. He had surgery to remove it in November 2025, and the pathology report confirmed the need for aggressive follow-up treatment. As of December 2025, he is preparing to begin chemotherapy and additional supportive therapies. We’re also waiting on further imaging to help us better understand the extent of his diagnosis.

Right now, Andrew is taking things one step at a time — preparing for treatment, queuing up supportive therapies, surrounding himself with family, and doing everything he can to stay present with his wife and kids.

Andrew hasn't known adult life without suffering — he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 16, likely triggered by the sudden death of our oldest sister. His colitis turned into Crohn's, and, over the years, his disease heavily shaped his levels of independence. And while San Diego is an incredibly hard place to make ends meet, he's been forced to stay due to an ongoing reliance on our mom and other family members.

Andrew has been battling chronic pain for his entire adult life. And while I tried to find as many warm photos of him as I could, I have to be honest, it was difficult. It's hard to find a photo of him smiling, showing teeth, really expressing joy. He has smiled through the pain for so long, it's how I know him. It's how our mom knows him. And try as he might to keep his suffering from his kids, they also know Dada experiences a lot of pain a lot of the time. He's been fighting his illness for so long, I know at times he's grown weary. But his wife, Evan, and four kids, Lyla (13), Wyatt (10), Jeremiah (8), and Leo (6), are his light. He loves me, but sisters don't compare to the family you choose to create — the kids you make and shape and watch grow with the partner you love with all your heart.

Despite years of health challenges, Andrew recently accomplished something he had worked toward for a long time: He and a childhood friend bought a business together. And while on paper everything looked smooth, there was serious work to be done when he and his friend took over the business. Working regular hours has always been incredibly hard for him, but he persisted. His wife, Evan, worked with him for a while, and she now works at a local animal shelter. Andrew is the primary source of income, and now he’s facing not only life-altering news, but also months of physically demanding treatment.

It's hard and awkward for me to write this, asking friends, family, and strangers to step in and help him fight for his life. But we really do need your help. Approval for different services is incredibly difficult, and his doctors want him to do chemotherapy as well as other supportive therapies to help his body better tolerate treatment. Many of these therapies are not covered by insurance and therefore come with significant out-of-pocket costs. More still, we don't know what his employment schedule/hours will look like once he starts treatment. That calls into question serious things like rent and groceries and after-school costs for the kids.

Funds raised will help support Andrew — and his family — by covering things like:

Andrew currently lives with our mom, Kim, in Carlsbad. Seven people under one roof, trying their absolute hardest to make things work. A cancer diagnosis, let alone one that requires months of intensive treatment, was never an obstacle they hoped to face. We hope — so hope — you'll help us fight for his life. For sisters like me, who loved and looked up to their brothers like they were the absolute coolest people on earth. For mothers, who've already lost children and don't want to lose any more. For wives, who love their partners with all their hearts and would/will do anything for them. For kids, who deserve to see their parents happy and healthy.

My memories of Andrew are the best. He taught me how to play lacrosse (yes, I thought I was the coolest). He'd grab the back of my neck as a kid, and I'd yell that he was choking me (yes, he got in major trouble). He was the apple of all my friends' eyes (no, they never stood a chance). He was the athlete no one could take down (yes, every sport). These are my memories. I'm hoping with every fiber of my being that his kids get to make memories like these, too.