Help and Hope for Dean
Donation protected
The Backstory
Our Dad, Dean Tessmer is an incredibly positive, loving and loved human being. An amazing father, caring husband, and compassionate friend. Dean loves being around people and helping others. Even while undergoing his own cancer treatments, Dean was a volunteer at his local cancer center, helping in any way he could while spreading his positive attitude and bringing a feeling of hope to others battling cancer.
Diagnosed at age 53 with stage 4 prostate cancer, Dean continued to work as a shift supervisor at AMPI while undergoing non-stop cancer treatments; some of which included surgeries, months of radiation, and years of chemotherapy. Five years into Dean’s cancer treatment, at the age of 58, the treatments and side-effects forced his early retirement after 37+ years working at AMPI. Since retiring, Dean’s focus has continued to be on living life the best that he can with this very aggressive and relentless cancer, which has required more surgeries, more months of radiation, and many more months of chemotherapy.
This journey with cancer has turned into a marathon for our family, especially for our parents. For 7+ years Dean has been constantly undergoing some form of treatment, and now he has reached a point where every treatment tried has been exhausted. Dean currently has only one treatment option left to pursue, that of a clinical trial in California. This clinical trial and various aspects involved are not covered by medical insurance and the costs fall solely on the paritcipant contrary to popular belief that if someone is participating in a clinical trial there is no expense to them.
How You Can Help
The expenses that have come along with the 7+ years of constant treatment have definitely added up and now Dean is facing an even bigger expense – that of participating in a clinical trial. The trial is called “RECIST-PC” Lu-177-PSMA-617, which is offered at UCLA, and consists of numerous PET/CT scans as well as numerous treatments administered intravenously.
Your gracious donations will help pay for Dean’s medical expenses, associated travel expenses, as well as the overall costs involved in participating in this clincial trial as none of the expenses are covered by insurance.
The Cost (for the clinical trial)
- PSMA assessment scan to determine eligibility: roughly $2,800
- Treatment injection: roughly $10,500 each ($10,500- $42,000).
- Travel expenses: flight to and from UCLA plus lodging and food, etc.
*Any donation amount left unspent after receiving treatments and paying for treatment associated travel expenses will be given to the New Ulm Virginia Piper Cancer Institute where Dean has previously volunteered. If this is not possible, donations unspent will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
Thank You
This cause means so much to us, as a family, because Dean has been very adamant in that he does not want to “give up” in his journey with cancer and being able to have the money to receive further treatment would allow his journey to continue.
We want to greatly thank you for taking the time to consider a donation funding Dean’s continued treatment against prostate cancer. We also want to thank you in advance for sharing this information with others who may be able to help. The ability to participate in this clinical trial literally means life to Dean.
Our Dad, Dean Tessmer is an incredibly positive, loving and loved human being. An amazing father, caring husband, and compassionate friend. Dean loves being around people and helping others. Even while undergoing his own cancer treatments, Dean was a volunteer at his local cancer center, helping in any way he could while spreading his positive attitude and bringing a feeling of hope to others battling cancer.
Diagnosed at age 53 with stage 4 prostate cancer, Dean continued to work as a shift supervisor at AMPI while undergoing non-stop cancer treatments; some of which included surgeries, months of radiation, and years of chemotherapy. Five years into Dean’s cancer treatment, at the age of 58, the treatments and side-effects forced his early retirement after 37+ years working at AMPI. Since retiring, Dean’s focus has continued to be on living life the best that he can with this very aggressive and relentless cancer, which has required more surgeries, more months of radiation, and many more months of chemotherapy.
This journey with cancer has turned into a marathon for our family, especially for our parents. For 7+ years Dean has been constantly undergoing some form of treatment, and now he has reached a point where every treatment tried has been exhausted. Dean currently has only one treatment option left to pursue, that of a clinical trial in California. This clinical trial and various aspects involved are not covered by medical insurance and the costs fall solely on the paritcipant contrary to popular belief that if someone is participating in a clinical trial there is no expense to them.
How You Can Help
The expenses that have come along with the 7+ years of constant treatment have definitely added up and now Dean is facing an even bigger expense – that of participating in a clinical trial. The trial is called “RECIST-PC” Lu-177-PSMA-617, which is offered at UCLA, and consists of numerous PET/CT scans as well as numerous treatments administered intravenously.
Your gracious donations will help pay for Dean’s medical expenses, associated travel expenses, as well as the overall costs involved in participating in this clincial trial as none of the expenses are covered by insurance.
The Cost (for the clinical trial)
- PSMA assessment scan to determine eligibility: roughly $2,800
- Treatment injection: roughly $10,500 each ($10,500- $42,000).
- Travel expenses: flight to and from UCLA plus lodging and food, etc.
*Any donation amount left unspent after receiving treatments and paying for treatment associated travel expenses will be given to the New Ulm Virginia Piper Cancer Institute where Dean has previously volunteered. If this is not possible, donations unspent will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
Thank You
This cause means so much to us, as a family, because Dean has been very adamant in that he does not want to “give up” in his journey with cancer and being able to have the money to receive further treatment would allow his journey to continue.
We want to greatly thank you for taking the time to consider a donation funding Dean’s continued treatment against prostate cancer. We also want to thank you in advance for sharing this information with others who may be able to help. The ability to participate in this clinical trial literally means life to Dean.
Organizer and beneficiary
Kati Thayer
Organizer
St. Paul, MN
Dean Tessmer
Beneficiary
Begin your fundraising journey
