Our friend, community member, water taxi guru, snowmachine partner, laugh factory, Tommy Kimberlin, has been diagnosed with metastatic cancer in a sudden turn of events. He was medivac’d from Valdez to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage for emergency surgery on January 20, 2026.

After multiple surgeries and a biopsy he has been diagnosed with metastasized testicular cancer (pure seminoma). Thankfully this has a good cure rate. Unfortunately he is having complications with decreased kidney function (the cancer is in his left kidney) and therefore he is not a good candidate for traditional chemotherapy. The medical team is worried about him being able to filter the toxins from chemotherapy, thus creating more damage.

Tommy and Merreley are headed out of the state today to an alternative cancer treatment center in Arizona, that uses a much smaller dose of chemotherapy, along with other alternative treatments to help detox the body and boost the immune system. Unfortunately, this center does not take insurance, so they will be paying out of pocket. It starts with 4 weeks of intensive treatment at $8,400 a week, not including travel and housing. After the 4 or 5 weeks of initial intensive treatment, they will put him on a maintenance plan.

All these costs are in addition to the money they have already spent on travel and housing for all the care he has received in Anchorage between January 20th until now.

Cancer treatment incurs an incredible amount of cost; emotionally, physically, and financially. Let’s come together as a community and help lessen the financial burden for Tommy and Merreley and their family. We love you Tommy!!!

Thank you for your support and generosity. This will allow Tommy and Merreley to focus on the most important thing, healing! ❤️

Please share this so we can lift Tommy up by as many of our community members as possible!