Help Ryan and his family battle a brain tumor

In September 2022, husband, cat-dad, brother and uncle Ryan Porter experienced his first unexplained grand mal seizure. Seven months, dozens more seizures, an MRI and several hospital stays later, he was diagnosed with a probable low-grade glioma in his insular cortex in both his frontal and temporal lobes - a brain tumor.

The seizures, slew of ineffective medications and accompanying side effects have disrupted every aspect of Ryan and his family’s life. He cannot work like he used to, cannot drive, medications are expensive, hospital bills are adding up, household bills are adding up and as of the third week of August 2023, there is still no respite in sight.

Despite being scheduled for surgery on August 30, his doctor, one of the top neurosurgeons in the midwest and co-founder/co-director of the Michigan Medicine Multidisciplinary Brain Tumor Clinic, had to cancel the surgery because this is a rare tumor that requires yet more testing to ensure effective treatment. Since he is left-handed, the tumor is wrapped up in at least some of Ryan’s language processing and memory areas.

In other words, in spite of everything Ryan and his family have already been through, this is only the beginning. At this point, he still does not know what treatment will look like, when it will occur and when he will be able to start living some semblance of a normal life again, if ever.

Anyone who knows Ryan knows he is a funny, charming, caring and incredibly hard working person. He is the last person to ask for help like this, so while it is not easy, it is necessary.

Any monetary help you can provide will be greatly appreciated by Ryan and all those who surround him during this trying, tumultuous time.