Help Trent's Family after his Fight with Cancer

Trent moved in with me in San Diego in September 2022 and we were married the next month on October 29, 2022 and it was the happiest day of our lives. It felt like we were finally able to be together and simply live our lives together as we had wanted for 3 years.  

On May 29, 2023 I discovered I am pregnant with our first baby and our hearts were filled with joy. However that same week, Trent noticed a pain in his back and 2 weeks later the pain was so intense we rushed to the Emergency Room. 

As some of these stories go, it was not an easy solution and doctors were scratching their heads. Trent’s kidneys were blocked and on the brink of failing, Trent has emergency surgery to place nephrostomy tubes in his kidneys to improve the function. Two weeks later, the tumor in his stomach was discovered from a CT scan, coincidentally the same day his greencard application was complete and he was legally allowed to work in the US. On July 5th Trent had an upper endoscopy to collect a sample for a biopsy and on July 10th, it was confirmed Trent has stomach cancer. 

This news felt like the end of the world but we remained positive, however on July 20th we met with our first oncologist. Based on the impact to the kidneys, the cancer had spread to the peritoneum AKA belly/abdomen and the cancer was stage 4 and Trent likely had 1-2 years to live. Now this is where we really felt the weight of what was happening while I was also 8 weeks pregnant. Chemotherapy was the treatment plan, no possibility of surgery or radiation and the plan was to get Trent as much time as they could. 

Following our stage 4 diagnosis, I scheduled second opinions with City of Hope and UCSD to talk to additional oncologists. However second opinions that are out of pocket are expensive, especially when preparing for a baby and while depending on a single income since Trent cannot work during treatment. 

UCSD and City of Hope provided oncologists who specialize in gastrointestinal cancers with anecdotal patient history, possible clinical trials and requests for additional tests to provide more information about the cancer to determine the best route ahead. Thanks to an exploratory laparotomy, we know now surgery may be a possibility! Without second opinions and additional insights, we would be solely focused on extending time rather than eradicating and fighting the cancer. 

Any financial assistance would be appreciated so Trent can focus on fighting this aggressive cancer and preparing for our first child.