Help Get Rick LITT

Hello everyone!

My name is Raven Anspach and I am starting this campaign on behalf of my father-in-law, Rick Anspach. In July of 2021, he was diagnosed with Grade 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM; an often fatal form of cancer). Since the prognosis is typically poor, his journey began immediately with a craniotomy and resection of the tumor, followed by heavy doses of radiation and a clinical trial. The first of many milestones on this arduous new journey was met when Rick completed his initial treatment course (marked by him ringing the bell in the present picture). And another, with ample cause for celebration, happened on July 9th of this year when he officially hit the 1-year mark since his initial diagnosis! If you've ever been affected by cancer, you know how important this milestone can be! But...there are many more milestones we want to help him reach. I sadly must write that the tumor has returned, as is often the case with GBM. The recurrence of cancer like this comes with considerable problems; it is typically more challenging to remove and does not leave much wiggle room for other treatments given the aggressive nature at which it grows. Unfortunately, Rick is not a candidate for many treatment options. This type of cancer is highly aggressive and typically does not respond well to traditional treatments. But, every cloud has a silver lining, and Rick has an incredible opportunity to receive a minimally invasive LITT (Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy) procedure! This procedure is currently being studied and has so far proven worth its weight in gold - giving most GBM patients an additional 6 months without recurrence and another 9-10 months overall! To say that this time is invaluable is a given. For those who know my father-in-law, I would venture to say you would describe him as caring, friendly, hard-working, family-oriented...an overall joy to be around. For those who may not know him directly, please understand that he is the type of person that would not hesitate to help anyone in need. He is a husband, a brother, a father, a grandfather, a friend, and so much more. I have been blessed to know him in my lifetime. Right now, he needs our help. The LITT procedure (one of the few options he has) was denied by his insurance. Given the unknown nature of GBM, they are afraid to pay for something that has not yet been "approved" for continual use despite the procedure's safety and effectiveness. This has left our family scrambling to figure out how to pay for a nearly $150,000 intervention. We are racing against the clock. As the tumor is constantly growing, he is at constant risk of losing his eligibility for the procedure altogether. Please help us fight for more time. More time with his grandbabies, more time with Xena (his beloved lab), more time to play his guitar, more time to laugh and to love. The insurance may not think this a worthy cause, but we sure do!

If you have made it this far, thank you so much just for visiting our page and reading. If you can give, every little bit will help. If you are not in a position to give, simply spreading the word will be more than helpful. We are so appreciative of any thing this community can do. All funds received will be going towards paying for the LITT procedure (as long as he remains eligible), as well as any other existing medical bills, procedures, equipment, or care that he needs. 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!