Hi, I’m Sarah and I am Dave Butts daughter. I am speaking on behalf of myself and my brothers. In late May, 2019, our lives were rocked, shattered. After feeling some mild discomfort and indigestion, my Dad was checked out by our family doctor. Everything seemed fine but a few routine tests to ensure, thinking that it could be a stomach ulcer. The ultrasound results showed different. My Dad was told that he had stage 4 cancer. Cancer of unknown primary with significant metastases to his liver. a very rare cancer and extremely difficult to treat! Our world stood still. In shock and disbelief as Dad was the picture of health all of his life. Never had a hospital stay, never required daily medication, nothing more than a broken bone here and there for 68 years! Promptly, we started chemo with every hope that Dad would manage this disease and continue to live a fulfilling life. For the first 2 years, a couple different chemos but Dad was living his life as if he had no cancer at all. CT scan after CT scan and his tumours continued to shrink. Until recently. Treatment just seemed to stop working. His Cancer became smarter, stronger than any chemo he was given.

Sharing my dad's battle isn't easy. We have always been an incredibly close family and kept our struggles to just us. However, we are running out of options and the options available are simply out of our reach financially. You see, about 2 weeks ago, we were told that in the current situation, my dad may only have a few months to live. Conventional treatments offered in Canada have run out for my dad. We however are not ready to throw in the towel - our fight is not over. We, as a family, are working tirelessly to find options outside of Canada so dad can continue in his golf league, continue to watch his grandbabies grow, continue to travel the world with Mom. We have been told of this specific drug that is widely used with high success in the US but it is not approved (yet) in Canada. "Great!" we thought, "Lets go to the States! Dad can get his treatment there". And then more disappointment. The drug that could extend dads life is approximately $20,000 PER MONTH!!!!! This does not include travel expenses, hotel stays, etc.

We have been so grateful for the support and love of family and friends as our dad has bravely and tirelessly faced this journey, particularly during the pandemic and the restrictions that came with it. Your love, prayers and positive energy have lifted our family up and given us the strength and determination to keep fighting, and BE STRONGER THAN THE STORM!!!

We hoped we wouldn't have to, but we are now pleading for financial support from family, friends, community as our dad's treatment in Canada has come to a stand still and the treatment that is being recommended in not offered in Canada nor funded by OHIP. Our family, especially dad, have battled tirelessly, exhausting all of our resources. Dad deserves to win this fight and we will do anything to help him try!