Fourteen years ago my father was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer that metastasized to his rectum and liver. Given his new diagnosis, he was told that he had roughly three months to live, despite only being 29 years old. He was the sole provider for a family of seven, so he fought the cancer while working 12 hour shifts. The doctors at Cancer Treatment Centers in Chicago, IL were willing to help him fight.

At the start of his treatment he was told there would be about a .01% chance of surviving his diagnosis. His treatment included extensive surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation. During this time, he took little to no time off work and never gave up. Jason would receive chemotherapy Wednesday morning and work Wednesday night to support his family.

Thankfully, the treatment plan succumbed the odds and the cancer was gone. Although the cancer never resurfaced, complications from radiation did. It is not uncommon for issues with radiation to present themselves years later. Ten years later, issues began to arise with frequent kidney infections. After several procedures and consultations with different doctors, it was determined that there is a fistula (hole) caused by the radiation that is allowing bacteria a direct access point to his kidneys. As a result of the local hospitals not catching the underline issue for so long, his left kidney is no longer functioning and needs to be removed. The surgery to repair the fistula and remove the kidney will be extensive with several risks involved. Due to the recurrent infections, the doctors state they are unsure what they will find during the surgery. This may be another long road to recovery.

Our father will have to be out of work for several weeks and the trips to Rochester are becoming more and more expensive. I am asking for friends and family to help remove some stress from the situation. Anything to show support during this time would be appreciated by both Jason and those around him.

Thank you.