In August, we found out that my nephew Mark has cancer. Before that diagnosis could even sink in, we found out that he was dealing with stage 4 malignant melanoma. Tumors have spread throughout his body, making treatment complicated and time of the essence. Mark has been incredibly brave in his fight against cancer, and his parents, Mike and Amy, have been by his side every step of the way. He immediately underwent radiation treatment to begin to shrink the lesions in his brain. Because of this, he was forced to celebrate his 22nd birthday in the hospital.

Mark then began immunotherapy, which brought on more complications. Tumors that had begun to grow inside his spinal column swelled in response to the immunotherapy, causing extreme pain and potentially life-threatening issues. The doctors couldn't go any further with the immunotherapy until the spinal tumors were dealt with, so Mark is currently receiving a series of targeted radiation treatments. If all goes well and the spinal tumors shrink, they will be able to continue the broader cancer treatments that will give Mark his best chance at remission.

I've started this fundraiser with the hope of alleviating some of the financial worries that Mark and his family are facing. Right now, Mark needs to focus all of his energy on beating cancer. Any contributions are greatly appreciated and will go towards his medical bills and living expenses. Thank you for reading this, and thank you for your support.