Jon had to hear these words… “you have cancer” for the SECOND TIME at the age of just 20 yrs old while entering the prime years of his life. As he enters the ring to once again battle a completely new type of cancer I’m asking for your gifts of support to help with offsetting the many costs and financial burdens that his family will incur during this multi-year battle to knock-out cancer for good.

 

THE FIGHTER

 

Jonathan is currently in his sophomore year of college studying accounting at Westfield State University and was accepted into the UMass Isenburg School of Business Management in Amherst for the fall semester. He is a very motivated and entrepreneurial young professional accomplishing many achievements in the last couple years. This includes achieving a 3.8 GPA, starting two small businesses, working a part-time job in retail and becoming a Mass licensed real estate agent, which he accomplished in just two months over his summer break; all to self-fund his education and pay for a new car he bought in 2020 for reliable transportation throughout his college years.

 

ROUND 1

 

When Jon was 11 years old in 2013, he was diagnosed with a rare childhood bone cancer called Ewing’s Sarcoma that accounts for less than 3% of all childhood cancers; about 250 cases annually in the U.S. At the time of diagnosis he had a very large tumor growing from his back chest wall and rib that had completely collapsed his right lung and filled his pleural cavity with 2 liters of fluid. And because the tumor was pressing on a nerve close to his spine, surgery was not an option. Instead six weeks of daily radiation therapy to completely shrink and eradicate the tumor was administered to his entire right chest cavity that caused complete irreparable damage to his right lung and halted the normal growth of his right side chest & ribs; leaving his right lung with less than 10% function and causing curvature of the spine.

 

 

ROUND 1 GOES TO JONATHAN

 

After enduring a very aggressive 30 week chemotherapy regimen and 33 days of radiation treatment (equivalent to 1200 X-rays) he was declared cancer free and became a cancer survivor at the innocent age of 12 yrs old.

 

 

IN HIS CORNER

 

Even though Jonathan sailed through that grueling therapy with a never ending smile on his face and afterward, excelling in his teenage years with a positive attitude and determination to reach the highest goals; his parents could never stop worrying about the long-term effects of the treatment that had saved their son’s life. And now their worst fear has become reality.

 

 

THE OPPONENT

 

On March 10, 2022 Jonathan along with his parents and younger brother Joey, after being cancer free for almost 9 years; had to hear these words for the second time “it’s cancer.” And not a relapse of his original Ewing’s Sarcoma, but instead a totally new cancer called Osteosarcoma; a bone cancer which likely is a result of the extensive radiation and chemo received to cure his original cancer.

 

ROUND 2

 

In October, Jon started experiencing a sharp pain in his right side. After receiving an “all clear” from an X-ray, the doctors believed it was possibly nerve related caused from his old tumor and subsequent complications of the radiation damage caused to his ribs. He was eventually referred to a pain management clinic after having a CT scan and evaluated by a neurologist. But in February a new lump had emerged from his right side and the pain was increasing even though he was taking pain management medication. So an ultrasound was ordered which led to another CT scan that resulted in a biopsy. The results revealed another large and rapidly growing tumor emanating from his right chest cavity and growing through the intercostal space between his ribs and protruding out under the skin.

 

He is being treated by one of the best pediatric centers in the country at Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic and has started another 9 month similar chemotherapy treatment. In the middle of his treatment he will undergo a significant surgery to remove the tumor, several ribs and possibly a partial or total lung removal.

 

Jon lives at home with his parents and younger sibling Joey. His father Jim lost his bathroom remodeling business of 18 years right before the pandemic hit due to his franchiser filing for bankruptcy. He is currently unemployed and not collecting unemployment insurance which is a curse but also a blessing, because he will be available to drive Jon to the hospital and check-ups and stay with him in Boston. His mother Julie works as a nurse and provides the sole income for the family. Unlike the last battle, when she worked part-time and his father was the primary income earner; Julie is finding it very difficult not being there 24/7 for her son.

 

THE KNOCKOUT

 

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I believe it takes a community and a network of family and friends to help bare the burden of an individual’s life threatening cancer diagnosis. The Belle-Isle family know this all to well from the first go around and were overwhelmed with the experience of love, prayers and support both emotionally and financially that flooded in from their family, friends and community. A debt they could never repay except to raise their son to become a successful, thoughtful and compassionate member of the community, and pay it forward.

 

THE SCORE CARD

 

We are setting up this Gofundme page to help alleviate the financial burdens for Jonathan and his family and provide an easy way for people to support the following:

 

 

 

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

 

All gifts will be deposited in a dedicated account of Jon’s and used exclusively for these goals. But most importantly we ask for your prayers for Jon and his family as they begin this new challenge in their lives. If you would like updates and to offer emotional support you may do so here and follow him on Facebook @Team Belle-Isle . And please, please, please SHARE THIS PAGE and his Facebook page with friends and family and help Jonathan become a 2x Champ and KO Cancer for good.

 

BELIEVE always in the mercy and Grace of God, in Jesus’ name we pray.