Help my Step-dad Alan Legge in cancer recovery

My name is Mathew Charbonneau. A few weeks ago, my step-dad Alan was having some issues with digestion, and realized that he was not able to use the washroom like he was able to his whole life before. A few days after noticing this, he began to feel increasingly sick and had no idea why. Like most of us, he was strictly following all the pandemic precautions and protocols to the best of his abilities, but began to feel nauseated and sick to his stomach while my Mom was out of town for Medical appointments. After she had returned, she quickly realized that my step-dad wasn't feeling well and had in fact gotten worse. It was at this point that Alan was brought to the emergency department at our local hospital and underwent triage and a CT scan to check for intestinal issues. Both my brother as well as myself work at the hospital in different departments, and we were both made aware that Alan was in the ER by our mom and upon getting his scan results back, we were told from our mother that there was a large cancerous growth blocking his intestines from receiving any food or nutrients, and that it was building up gas inside his abdomen. We do not currently know what stage the cancer is in, but we do know he is diagnosed with colon and liver cancer. He has undergone surgery to implant an ilystomy bag to bypass the blockage and relieve his buildup, which was a success. We are still awaiting more information. My step-dad has always been a hard working provider, and is now unable to do the things he used to be able to by himself. We don't want him to have to worry about the expenses that come with having to be put off work and navigate through the scary process of cancer recovery and treatment. I have personally set aside any investments that I had and will be coordinating with the rest of our family to take care of the essentials, but we do not know the long term costs that will follow in the months or years to come from this. All we ask is if even a dollar can be spared to help him through this, it would mean a world of difference. If you cannot offer anything, do not feel guilty. Instead, talk to that brother or sister, that mother or father that you haven't spoken to in a while and tell them you love them. Be kind to each other and show respect for one another. Make the world just a little bit brighter for someone else. I will try to update this as soon as milestones are met in his recovery process and keep those who wish him well informed on his journey through this hardship.

Like anyone else my family does their best to solve issues on their own and I am no different. But this isn't something we can manage on our own. I will stop at nothing to help my step-dad be at peace and not have to worry about anything else other than recovery. Thank you for reading and I hope that if you or someone in your family is struggling through something right now, that you have the support and kindness needed to get through it as well.