Our family is navigating something we never expected. My brother, Ernie Wootton, was recently diagnosed with stage IV renal cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of kidney cancer that has spread to his brain, lymph nodes, and adrenal glands.

On March 5th, Ernie underwent brain surgery to remove one of the tumors, followed by Gamma Knife radiation to target several others. Just days later, he was hospitalized again after experiencing seizures caused by brain swelling. He will return home soon to continue recovering and work on regaining movement and strength in his left leg.

In the coming weeks, Ernie will begin traditional radiation therapy, followed by immunotherapy infusions to fight the cancer throughout his body. He will likely need immunotherapy support for the rest of his life.

His wife, Teri, had stepped away from work full time to help care for her 85-year-old grandmother, who lives with them. While insurance will thankfully cover a portion of these treatments, the family is now facing a major loss of income along with the growing costs of travel, daily care, and household needs during this difficult time.

We’ve set up this GoFundMe to help ease the financial burden so they can focus on healing, family, and making the most of their time together. Funds will go toward:

If you're able to contribute, share, or simply send prayers or words of encouragement, it would mean the world to Ernie, Teri, and all of us who love them. Your support gives them space to breathe during a time when so much feels uncertain.