I spent 27 years serving the Navy and this country. I have never asked for anything in return. I am asking now – not for me alone but for my wife Racquel and our sons.

My name is Steve. I retired from the U.S. Navy in 2023 as a Captain with 27 years of service, including assignments in Surface Warfare and Human Resources. I have spent my life in service to others — to my country, my family, and my community. In 2025, I was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive form of brain cancer. I have undergone surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering (removing tumors), radiation, and concurrent chemotherapy, and I am now in active maintenance chemotherapy. I fight every single day and am not slowing down.

Through much research, I have identified a treatment that gives me a real chance at more time – and more life – with the people I love most. I need your help to access it. CeGaT is a world-leading genomics and cancer research center in Tübingen, Germany. Their CeCaVa program engineers personalized neoantigen peptide vaccines directly from the genetic signature of a patient’s tumors. Rather than treating cancer with a one-size-fits-all approach, it is designed specifically around the unique mutations in my tumor cells – training my immune system to identify and attack exactly those cells.

The funds raised will cover tumor analysis, airline tickets, and vaccine manufacture. Any funds raised in excess of the requested amount will go toward lodging, meals, and incidental costs, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for my family. Whether you are here because you know me, because someone shared this page, or because you simply believe in fighting for more time with the people you love — thank you. The outpouring of support from friends, family, fellow veterans, and complete strangers in this fight has humbled me in ways I cannot fully put into words. Every contribution — large or small — moves me closer to a cure, and to more time with Racquel and our sons. That is everything. If you are not in a position to give financially, sharing this page costs nothing and may reach someone who can. Either way, I am grateful.