Hope for Healing: Help Us Overcome Brain Cancer

Dearest friends, family, and community,

Life took an unexpected and devastating turn on September 9th, 2024 for me, Andrew Sommers. At 33, a single father to my amazing three-year-old son, Oliver, I received a diagnosis that has profoundly impacted our lives: a chondrosarcoma brain tumor.

For weeks, I'd been experiencing debilitating double vision, persistent headaches, and disorienting confusion. My mother, ever watchful (especially given my father's passing from a brain aneurysm before I was born), insisted I seek immediate medical attention.

An MRI revealed a tumor initially suspected to be a pituitary adenoma, but ultimately identified as the extremely rare chondrosarcoma. My medical team has described my case as unique, even a "test case," highlighting just how unusual this type of tumor is in the brain.

The initial surgery, a delicate procedure performed through my nose, confirmed the diagnosis. Unfortunately, due to the tumor's location near the brainstem and other critical areas, the neurosurgeon could only remove 40-50% of it. This means my battle is far from over.

Following a four-day hospital stay and several weeks of recuperation at home, a consultation with radiation oncology led to a referral to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for a second opinion.

The Mayo Clinic specialists have developed a revised treatment plan, involving a different surgical approach – an incision above my left ear – to maximize tumor removal. This will be followed by an intensive 35-38 sessions of proton therapy, requiring my full-time presence at the Mayo Clinic, Monday through Friday, for the duration of the treatment. This advanced approach offers a significantly better chance at offering me hope for the future with Oliver.

However, treatment comes with a significant financial challenge. My five-month absence from work, encompassing surgery, recovery, and radiation, will result in substantial lost income. Furthermore, the costs associated with travel to and from the Mayo Clinic, medical bills, and ongoing living expenses are overwhelming.

Any contribution, regardless of size, will directly lessen the immense financial burden and allow me to focus entirely on my recovery and Oliver's well-being.

Your generosity would ensure that I can fight this battle without the added weight of crippling financial worries. It will allow me to concentrate on what matters most: my health and my son.

Thank you for your compassion, prayers, and support during this incredibly difficult time. Your kindness will make all the difference in the world to both Oliver and me.

-Andrew