Hello. Thank you so much, in advance, for taking the time to read this and for caring enough to want to understand what we are going through. It means more to us than you know, I assure you. My name is Anna. I made this GoFundMe page for my brother, Mike, because he really and truly needs the help. 
 
So let me explain a little bit more about my brother’s circumstances so that you have a clearer picture of why we are reaching out for your help. Four months ago, our dad passed away. He died very suddenly of an unexplained lung infection. We spent days in the hospital, by his side and watched the life slip away from him with virtually no warning. A few difficult weeks later (because losing your dad isn’t pain enough), my brother’s dog passed away. And just when he thought he had hit his lowest point, my brother starting having severe stomach pains. He visited urgent care numerous times where they told him that he was suffering from a common case of gastritis. After weeks of continued agony and weight loss, my brother went to the ER where they finally ran tests and found out that his esophagus had a significant tear which was becoming infected. Shortly after that, they discovered that there was actually a large tumor that had caused the tear and had been growing for quite some time based on the sheer size of it. That tumor, it turns out, is a very rare form of cancer. It’s called Synovial Sarcoma and only 1-3 people out of a million are diagnosed with it. In just 3 months, my brother lost his dad, lost his dog and found out that he had cancer all in the midst of a global pandemic. So for him, this hasn’t been just a terrible year, it has been the worst year of his life. And now he gears up for the hardest battle anyone can face. The battle to live. 
 
I feel like it’s important to mention here that my brother was very hesitant to do this. He felt guilty asking for help and asking people to care about his circumstances when we are all going through rough times right now. But I explained to him that the rough times are exactly why people would want to help. Now, more than ever, people understand the importance of giving and the importance of human connection. I hope that anyone reading this values these things, too, and understands where we are coming from. This is not just a request for charity, this is a rally cry for change and the need for human kindness. Our healthcare system is broken and it’s constantly leaving people behind. This broken system becomes most apparent when someone you love has to actually go through it. Over the last year, Mike and I have lost so much faith in the system. My brother needs strength to go through the treatments and surgeries he has to go through but it’s difficult to find strength when the system that is supposed to take care of you makes you feel like you have absolutely nothing left to give. 
 
Mike has MANY surgeries, radiation treatments, chemotherapy, medications, hospital stays, feeding tubes, tests, scans, x-rays, complications, and tears in his future. And each of those items, the items that are supposed to keep him alive, come with their very own very expensive price tag. I know this has been a lot to read and maybe you’ve just skimmed down to the end, which I totally understand, but here is the part where I ask for your help. It takes the support of a village to get through something as difficult as cancer. Emotional support as well as financial support. I wish we could all be by Mike’s side, cheering him on and giving him our shoulders to cry on but that just isn’t possible right now. So what I am asking you for is your unbelievably generous, monetary support. I want Mike to focus on his treatment and keep his mind positive about the future. With hundreds of thousands of dollars of medical debt hanging over him, he will never be able to solely focus on his treatments and getting better. Any contribution at all is more than we could hope for and we would be eternally grateful for each dollar given to us. I want Mike to feel like his village hears him, sees him, and supports him. Always. Thank you!