UPDATE:

Eight months ago, my father-in-law was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer, metastasizing to practically every corner of his body. And still, he courageously said yes to the most aggressive chemotherapy available in hopes of defeating the odds. But unfortunately, his fight was not nearly as long as any of us needed. My baba's battle with cancer ended this past Friday evening. He was only 61 years old, and his missing presence remains unfathomable.

Nubar was deeply loved by his family and friends and held in high regard within his community. There are never replacements in these situations, only persevering in the face of immeasurable loss. Bearing this loss the hardest is my mother-in-law. She no longer has her soulmate, best friend, and birthday twin. So I ask that anyone reading please consider donating or sharing so she may be provided some relief from the financial burden of medical bills and funeral arrangements. Unfortunately, she only has a small pension as income in the face of an ever-worsening economy. And because of the currency exchange rate between the U.S and Turkey, a small amount truly goes a long way.

Thank you to everyone who has donated to this and/or shared. It means the world to me to see my Turkish family getting help from 5,000 miles away.

UPDATE:

Sadly, I will be lowering the goal because Nubar’s fight has taken a turn for the worse, and he can no longer continue his treatments. His family surrounds him as his battle comes close to an end. Selin is immensely grateful for the donations and kind words. She wants you all to know that they will significantly help cover the costs for treatments, the in-patient care her father received this last month, and boost her and her family's spirits during this difficult time.

Our love goes out to everyone, and we wish you all happy and healthy lives.

The Kind of Short Version

In November 2021, a Stage IV cancer diagnosis upended my father-in-law, Nubar Abacioglu’s life. Colon cancer metastasized in his lymph nodes, liver, lungs, spleen, stomach, spine, and brain sounded like an immediate death sentence, but he aimed to beat the odds and has been for the last eight months. Nubar—who is a jewelry maker in Antalya, Turkey, a man that loves fishing almost as much as he loves his family, and the kind of guy willing to give away his last penny to help anyone in any situation—was getting near the end of his career and the light at the end of the tunnel was finally glimmering in the distance. One may think that the devastation of this diagnosis would eclipse that glimmer, but Nubar has been nothing short of defiant in the face of his cancer. He’s endured five months of chemotherapy, but doctors have said that his best chances will now require more advanced treatments. Any Go Fund Me donation will be used for the following costs that will keep him in the fight:

• Immunotherapy medications are currently projected to cost over $100,000

• Daily radiation therapy to shrink the tumors in his brain and overnight stays at the hospital—$800 per week

• Relocation living expenses since he and my mother-in-law have had to move to Istanbul for better treatment (See the longer version below for details)

• Accommodate for the unrelenting inflation rate—Turkey is experiencing an economic downfall with no end in sight. (See the longer version below for details)

Nubar has brought joy to everyone he has met, and now he needs our help to give him more time to keep doing so.

The Long Version (Why these donations are needed)

Nubar began his professional pursuits at the early age of fifteen and never looked back. He genuinely loved creating the works of art that were his jewelry pieces, and as a testament to his craftsmanship, it seemed as though we could go anywhere in a city of two-million, and someone would recognize and thank him for a piece that he gave life to.

Just before his diagnosis, Nubar was in the process of making retirement plans with my mother-in-law, Sevil. They had recently sold their small apartment in the large city of Antalya and opted for a quieter location in the smaller coastal city, Canakkale. During this time, he was fortunate enough to live with friends while he was still working in Antalya to make ends meet and afford the finishing touches on where he and Sevil would spend their Golden Years. 

One may notice that Turkey has universal healthcare, but nothing in this world is free. The “free” hospitals are overcrowded, underfunded, and inspire the bleakest outcome. To ensure that he receives more personalized care, we’ve had to use private hospitals with charges more reflective of the wage:bill ratio that we’ve got in the U.S. And as if it weren’t bad enough not being able to trust the government run hospitals, Turkey has suffered from nearly 80% inflation in the last year, alone. Nubar’s family has already spent over 60,000 Turkish Lira (TL)—about $4,000. To put that in perspective, 60,000 TL is the national minimum wage in Turkey—over three times less than the U.S. federal minimum wage. To further hammer this point home, it was worth $8,000 in November 2021 and $35,000 in December 2011. It doesn’t take an economist to see where they’re sadly heading.

Eleven years ago, I traveled to Turkey and met the most wonderful group of people that would become my in-laws. Every single one of them welcomed me with open arms, and I knew right away that it was the beginning of something that would have a hugely positive and profound impact on my life. As much as I want to sing praises about all of them, this is unfortunately about my father-in-law’s current state of health. Like everyone else, he was immediately inviting and generous, but he uniquely displayed an effortless ability to charm everyone around him. He lived to celebrate life every day, and he simply brought out the best in anyone he crossed paths with. 

In October 2021 my dear father-in-law, Nubar Abacioglu began experiencing stomach and back pains for no discernable reason. Doctors initially wrote off his symptoms as a bacterial infection. But after four weeks of various antibiotic treatments with no improvements, doctors finally ordered the appropriate tests, and the diagnosis was earth-shattering: Stage IV colon cancer and that had metastasized to his lymph nodes, liver, lungs, spleen, stomach, spine, and brain. From living a presumably healthy life to riddled with cancer in less than two months, his future was uncertain. The worst of his tumors were in his colon, liver, and lungs and beyond surgical intervention. On the advice of his doctors, he could start a chemotherapy treatment plan that could be as dangerous as the cancer spreading inside him but provide the maximum amount of longevity. Without skipping a beat, determined to undermine the odds, and come out on top, Nubar went all in.

Six high-dose chemo treatments in a twelve-week block with surprisingly little in the way of serious side effects filled everyone full of hope. A PET scan that showed significant improvements further validated our confidence that Nubar was on the path to overcoming the initial prognosis. With his strength still present, spirits high, and the fortitude to persevere through this arduous journey, the doctors ordered another twelve-week round of treatments. Everything was going well and showed further promise, but before he could get through the third treatment of the second round, the side effects became more severe, and his strength deteriorated at a rapid pace. The last month has been grueling. Nubar’s been in and out of the ER and for the last two weeks, lived as an in-patient. He couldn’t eat more than a few bites of food, required intravenous feeding, pain medication to stay comfortable, and due to ascites, he was having up to four liters of fluid drained from his abdominal region every day. 

After speaking with a different doctor last week, Nubar was transported to Istanbul where he’s been receiving radiation therapy that will shrink the tumors in his brain that are believed to be causing his extreme fatigue and lack of appetite. He’s still very tired, but he’s eating again, taking fewer pain medications, and his ascites has improved. In addition to this great news, the doctors are seeking immunotherapy drugs from various European nations that show promise in slowing down late-stage cancer. These could end up costing $100,000+ when it’s all said and done. In addition to having to stay in the hospital for constant care until he improves, my in-laws are paying the heavily increased prices for goods in one the world’s largest cities—the final cost for beating this disease will be astronomical in their currency. 

The expenses are growing by the day, but there is no price too great to keep him in the fight. I hope that with your help, we can give this man the necessary resources to endure his current circumstances.

Thank you all for your love and support. 

This page will be updated with treatment plans, pictures of family memories, and anything else that comes up. Please check back!