Help Brian Farley Battle Pancreatic Cancer

Hey all, I’m setting this up for a good friend and rock star co-pilot who has hit a snag due to an unexpected diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

As professional pilots, we all know how much time, money, and effort goes into making our passion for flying a career. We also know how easy it is to lose it in an instant. That’s why we must respect it and be grateful every time we get to exercise our privilege to earn a living doing what we love. We’re so vulnerable in so many ways, but no more vulnerable than to our own health. We can go decades not busting a single check ride or regulation, and avoid any and all incidents and accidents, only to have it all taken away tomorrow by an unpreventable medical condition. There are many that will ground us in an instant, despite living a healthy, active, and balanced life.

We all know the risks, but we don’t all know what it would be like or feel like if it happened to us.

Well, that’s exactly what happened to one of the most dedicated, talented, and professional fellow aviators I’ve been blessed to share the skies with. 45-year-old, second-generation professional pilot, Brian Farley from SoCal had to hear and realize that fate.

It’s not easy getting any bad news from doctors, especially the type of news Brian got in October of last year: pancreatic cancer. It’s a tough one, and so many emotions hit you all at once, particularly being a recently divorced, single father of two amazing kids, son Austin (20), and daughter Kara (16). After coming to terms with those emotions, just imagine then realizing you’ve just been instantly grounded, out of a job and career, and left not able to afford your rent, car, or the astronomical health insurance premiums now dumped into your budget. You’ve dedicated your life to this career, and being so young and not expecting something like this, not prepared, and having just taken a big hit to your savings in a recent divorce… Nobody deserves that much hurt and bad fortune, and definitely, Brian is one of those standout humans that absolutely doesn’t deserve to be in the position he’s found himself.

He’s had an amazing attitude through it all and is a fighter, always optimistic and rolling with the punches. He’s been able to fall back on his talents, skills, and experience as a carpenter, but in his condition, long, strenuous days of hard labor just won’t cut it. He’s got great ideas and business plans, but those take time, time that he may not have.

If we as fellow aviators, family, and friends could do anything to ease some of life’s weight off Brian’s shoulders, so he can fight the good fight and enjoy quality time with his wonderful kids and family, it’s the least we could do for a great guy that wouldn’t hesitate to do the same if the tables were turned.

Brian has decided against traditional treatments and is dedicated to battling this disease with alternative medicine, which unfortunately comes out of pocket and is not normally covered by insurance.

I started the page at $10,000, but he will be required to pay much more. Thanks in advance for anything that helps.