Help Marcus Battle Stage Four Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Friday, May 30th… Marcus had his first chemotherapy treatment to begin his fight against what is officially diagnosed as Stage Four Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

((SUCKS to get that out!! ))

Marcus is an 18-year-old kid on the spectrum for autism who has an extreme passion for everything "gaming" and has always been given a clean bill of health. He doesn't eat healthy, he doesn't exercise, has always been a lean kid (but not skinny), and like most others similar to him, he is regimented with his diet (his is mostly mac and cheese) and not into sporting or physical activities. I could go on explaining Marcus's physical self, but I've already been rambling, so... He's never missed an annual pediatric physical. Never had any issues, symptoms, or suspicion of ANYTHING wrong with him from a "body" standpoint. To say this whole situation he's forced to be in is a "shock" DOES NOT accurately fit!! It just doesn't make sense!!

It's unreal to see firsthand how a boy in a man's body that eats his mac and cheese with a spoon and eats cold Chick-fil-A fries and nuggets because that's his preference (and not because he doesn't know how to use a microwave)... it's unreal to watch as poison is being pushed into his body and look into his eyes and see what BRAVERY looks like!

We are the definition of a middle-class, hard-working family, and the thought of this crippling us financially is terrifying. Marcus lives with his parents, younger sister, and Grandma & Papa (and the best yorkie-poo pupper dog ever!). We are now part of a large community of kids and families that are currently fighting cancer, survivors of cancer, and those that have dedicated their lives to support them. The support we have not yet, but will very soon realize, will be invaluable for strategies to cope with the emotional and physical challenges that lie ahead. The financial impact of (first) getting Marcus stable and stopping the cancer from spreading will be enormous… The treatment to (hopefully) FIGHT the cancer???… We need help!