Update on Jim’s Cancer Journey - 5/22/26

As many of you know, our dad was diagnosed with unresectable Stage III pancreatic cancer in February 2025. At the time of diagnosis, the tumor involved a major artery, making surgery impossible. Since then, he has undergone extensive treatment, combining traditional chemotherapy with a wide range of integrative therapies.

When we first started this fundraiser, our goal was to raise enough money for our dad to attend an integrative cancer treatment facility specializing in both conventional and holistic therapies. We visited two different centers and explored every option available to us. While we were impressed by the programs they offered, the cost was staggering—approximately $150,000 for the first three months of treatment alone, with additional treatment likely needed beyond that.

After those consultations, we made the difficult decision that attending one of these facilities was simply not financially feasible. Instead, we chose to take what we learned and build our own comprehensive treatment protocol based on the recommendations provided for his diagnosis. This became a true family effort, requiring countless hours of research, consultations with physicians and practitioners both inside and outside of his care team, coordination of therapies, scheduling, and ongoing adjustments to create a program tailored specifically for him. After receiving such an aggressive diagnosis with difficult odds, we felt it was important to explore every option available to us and leave no stone unturned.

Today, we can report that the primary tumor in Jim’s pancreas has responded well to treatment and has shrunk away from the artery. Recent imaging no longer shows involvement between the tumor and the SMA artery—a milestone we once only hoped for.

Unfortunately, recent scans have also confirmed metastatic disease in his lungs. Because the cancer has spread from the pancreas, his oncology team is not recommending surgery to remove the primary tumor, and he is now considered Stage IV.

While that news is difficult, anyone who knows our dad understands that statistics do not tell the whole story. Jim has defied the odds of his diagnosis and continues to fight.

He has remained highly functional. He works daily, exercises regularly, travels to spend time with family, and helps his sons run their fishing business. If you saw him today, you would likely never guess he is living with a terminal cancer diagnosis. He remains energetic, determined, deeply engaged in life, and committed to making the most of every day. His oncologist remains dumbfounded by Jim’s staying power and how well he looks.

We firmly believe that the comprehensive approach he has taken has helped him maintain both his health and his quality of life throughout this journey and exceed many of the expectations that accompanied his diagnosis. Because of your support, he has been able to pursue therapies that are not covered by insurance, including acupuncture, high-dose IV vitamin C, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, sauna therapy, PEMF therapy, red light therapy, antiparasitics, ketogenic nutrition coaching, and many other supportive treatments.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone who has contributed, our dad has been able to continue this customized protocol for more than a year. Your support has helped provide access to therapies and treatments that would otherwise have been financially overwhelming and out of reach. We firmly believe the “alternative” therapies, together with traditional protocols, have allowed Jim to surpass the typical expectations associated with this diagnosis and continue to fight sixteen months later.

When he was first diagnosed, we knew the odds were not in his favor. Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive cancers, and yet here we are more than a year later, still making memories, still gathering as a family, still watching him show up for the people he loves. In April, Jim celebrated his 74th birthday, a milestone that felt significant given where this journey began. For that, we are grateful.

As we look ahead, the goal is to continue giving our dad access to the treatments that have helped him maintain his strength, independence, and quality of life. The costs of these therapies continue to add up month after month, and because most are not covered by insurance, continuing this comprehensive approach remains a significant financial commitment for our family.

If you are able to contribute, share his success story, or keep him in your prayers, we would be deeply grateful. Every donation helps us continue pursuing the treatments and supportive therapies that have become an important part of his care and allows us to keep exploring every available option.

Your support has given our family something priceless: more time together, and we thank you for standing with us through this daunting experience. We remain hopeful, grateful, and committed to helping Jim continue the fight, one day at a time.

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2/8/25

Our dad, Jim Spalt, has always been one of the healthiest people we know—someone who takes care of his body and lives an active, healthy lifestyle. But in a cruel twist of fate, Jim was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on February 1st, 2025. We never imagined this would be a part of Jim's story. Pancreatic cancer is a fast-moving and aggressive illness with unfavorable odds. In most cases, it can progress from stage 1 to stage 4 in as little as a year, making every day feel more precious than the last. Jim is a stage 3 and his tumor is inoperable as of now.

We are desperately searching for any and all alternative options to shrink his tumor. As a family, we are holding onto hope and praying for a miracle, but we are also facing a very real financial challenge. While Jim plans to receive traditional treatments covered by insurance, we know there are other therapies and resources, in addition to traditional treatments, that could greatly improve his chances of overcoming cancer and ultimately becoming cancer-free—while maintaining his quality of life. Unfortunately, the financial burden of seeking these treatments outside of what insurance covers is something we cannot bear alone.

That’s why we are turning to our community. We are humbly asking for your support so that we can give Jim the best possible care in his fight against this aggressive cancer.

Please, if you can contribute in any way—even if it’s just by sharing his story—we would be forever grateful. Together, we can help Jim fight with all the strength and hope he deserves.

We thank you and ask for your continued prayers and support!

(His seven children) Jamie, Eric, Andrew, George, Carly, Edward, and Caroline.