Help DJ Arbelaez Continue to Fight Stage 4 Cancer

Hi everyone, it's DJ. First off, I want to thank every single person that has donated to help me. My past year of cancer treatment was made possible by the generosity of you all, which helped me minimize so much of the financial stress that this disease brings along with it. I also want to thank everyone that has reached out to me, whether it be continuous check-ins, a message of support, or a passing hello. Every person who has supported me in what has undoubtedly been the hardest year of my life has added to help me feel a little less lonely in what I have found to be a very lonely experience. As a 27-year-old facing an incurable disease, extreme chronic pain, and a debilitating treatment plan, I can’t overstate how much it helps to feel accompanied and supported.

It's been one year almost exactly, since I was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer. With new scan results in hand, a new treatment plan and new circumstances that have fundamentally changed how I will live my life, I wanted to give everyone an update.

As some of you may know, it was also around this time last year that I was given the prognosis from two different oncologists that, with my level of tumor invasion, type of cancer, and staging, I should expect to live 6 to 12 months.

These past 12 months, I've done everything in my power to prove them wrong with extensive, constant and heavy chemotherapy, and for a while, we saw great results. Then around February, things started to change. Despite small wins in the previous scans showing signs of a small decrease in the size of my liver tumors and stomach tumors, scans started to show that there was no longer changes in those tumors, and that in fact some of the lymph node tumors were increasing in size. I switched therapy but was once again met with bad news in May when my latest scan showed that all of the tumors, in the liver, stomach and lymph nodes, were increasing in size.

I tried my best not to panic, but my oncologist at Johns Hopkins did confirm that my cancer was progressing and we needed to drastically change course. We chose to start a clinical trial, exclusive to Johns Hopkins research hospital, that has shown promising results in phase 1 testing.

Around this same time I also experienced a huge personal loss. My mom, who had been my caregiver for the first six months of my treatment and had already been struggling with depression and anxiety, experienced a sharp decline in her mental health. While trying to cope with my diagnosis and caring for me, she had not been able to process the new reality of our situation and ultimately her mental state took a really bad turn. Abruptly and unexpectedly, I was informed by my brother that I should no longer be around her or live at home where I had been receiving treatment and care. I suddenly found myself without a stable living situation while trying to process this huge loss in my support system, and preparing myself for the start of a new, intensive treatment plan.

With the help of my girlfriend and now full-time caregiver, my brothers and extended family as well as my friends, I’ve been able to survive this extremely difficult time. I’ve combed through government and private websites for resources for patients in my condition but they are either not made for me, I do not qualify for them because of my work history, or they are temporary solutions at best. I've even been led to pages on government websites that suggest starting an online fundraiser for cancer costs. I guess this is how the American healthcare system works now.

I am asking for the help of anyone that is able to contribute or share. Any and all donations would help me cover the cost of medical expenses, transportation, insurance, food and housing expenses while allowing me to continue to find small moments of peace, happiness and tranquility when I can. Most importantly, any donations would help me solidify a safe living situation where I can have access to my own bathroom, room and kitchen while I receive treatment.

Today I feel thankful that I am able to participate in this promising clinical trail, despite the intense pain and other side effects. I am still hoping for the best and doing my best every day not to despair. I am trying to find more moments of peace, but I am finding it even more difficult this year than the last with the loss of a key part of my support network and access to stable housing.

Thank you to everyone for their generosity and to anyone who has taken the time to read and think about my situation.

-DJ