My name is Erik Rud. I am starting this GoFundMe for my dad, Douglas Rud. He has been a fighter his whole life. He's always there for me and our entire family. He has been one of the toughest humans ever and one of the hardest workers. He has always offered support and a listening ear. But now, he needs our help.

Douglas Rud has been battling cancer, and the treatments, while effective, have taken a toll on his oral health. He now requires extensive dental surgery to repair the damage caused by the radiation treatments. He has beaten cancer, but his teeth are failing due to the long-term radiation that was required for the treatments. The radiation was concentrated in the back of his throat and now, a few years later, has caused his teeth to fall apart and crumble.

This surgery is crucial for his comfort and overall well-being. It will allow him to eat properly, speak clearly, and most importantly, smile without pain. All of his teeth will need to be removed. But that is the easy part. He is not a candidate for traditional dentures as the cancer treatments have left him without the right amount of saliva to keep his dentures in place. So implants are necessary. While the lower implants will be a standard surgery, the upper surgery will need extensive surgery to restructure his sinus cavity to have enough bone structure to support the implants. This surgery will be extremely expensive, and Medicare will not cover it because it is dental and not considered "essential." He already had a dentist take him for over $10,000 a year ago to try to "save his teeth," even though that dentist knew it would never work and should have done this back then. The new surgery will cost upwards of $80,000 out of pocket.

We're reaching out to our community for support. Every donation, no matter how small, will help cover the cost of the surgery and any related expenses. Your generosity will not only ease my dad's financial burden but also give him the gift of a healthy smile and a brighter future.

Let's come together to support Douglas Rud in his fight against cancer and its side effects. Your kindness and compassion will make a real difference.

Thank you for your support.

Alld donations will go 100% to paying medical bills for this surgery.