In Memory of Sung Jae Jo

Our dear friend, Sung Jae, received some heartbreaking news of a terminal cancer diagnosis- Stage 3 liver cancer.   He is fighting the biggest and toughest battle of his life at 39 years old and we are not ready to give up.  He is not ready to give up.  We need your help.  As many of you know Sung Jae is a loyal, hardworking, kind, and amazing friend with a heart of gold. He has always been there for his friends and family. He will drop everything to be there for you and would never expect or ask for anything in return. Now is the time for us to rally and be there for him.

We have known Sung Jae since he was in middle school and through church at Faith Presbyterian Church. We all became fast friends with Sung Jae.  How could you not?  His laughter is contagious, his generosity is boundless, and his loyalty and kindness are what you hope and strive to be.  He was always the first one there and last one to leave because he was helping out around the church, and he always did it with a smile and good attitude.  Fast forward all these years and you still have the same hardworking, amazing, and selfless Sung Jae.  His smile can still instantly warm up a room, his laughter is still so genuine and loving, and his compassion, thoughtfulness, and kindness still exudes out of him.  He is someone that would always put others before himself.  He is someone that would be there for you in any way or time you needed it.

To see him grow up and become a caring father of two year old, Olivia, and loving husband to Christina has been a fun adventure.   He’s always also been an amazing fur dad to Tigra and Saki for several years.  We never doubted that his love would overflow to a family of his own.

Sung Jae is a friend that turned into family for all of us... 

Sung Jae’s early life took a huge hit when, in his late teens, his mother became extremely sick and was diagnosed with liver cancer.  Without health insurance, his mother’s medical bills climbed higher and higher, and Sung Jae’s life was being pulled in all directions.  Sung Jae ended up working multiple jobs, seven days a week, to help his family survive.  Despite all his and his family’s efforts, Sung Jae’s mother passed shortly after, devastating his life for years to come.  Tragically, Sung Jae and now his own family are reliving his mother’s passing as he too is diagnosed with the same liver cancer as his mother. 

Mid-June, Sung Jae started complaining of stomach pains.  Within a few days, his stomach began to swell, his heart beat extremely fast, and taking a few steps were exhausting.  At the ER, Sung Jae received four blood transfusions and multiple tests, a CAT scan showed a swollen spleen, extreme scar tissue and several masses in his liver.  His liver was beginning to fail and causing fluid to be pushed into his abdomen and his lungs.  The hospital drained 5 liters (11 pounds) of fluid from his abdomen for testing, and the doctors believed if Sung Jae had waited even one more day to seek medical care, he would have had a fatal heart attack.  The doctors had to perform surgery on Sung Jae to stop the internal bleeding in his esophagus, which allowed his heart to return to beating at a normal speed. 

Those masses on his liver were found to be an aggressive and advanced cancer.  One of the tumors is 16cm wide and has grown into the liver’s main vein causing blood clots.  The doctors who assessed Sung Jae say any form of heat therapy, radiation, or chemo will cause the cancer to metastasize into his lungs and bloodstream.  He does not qualify for a liver transplant, because he has too many tumors, and they are too large. 

Unfortunately, Sung Jae does not have health insurance and the medical costs are adding up.  The odds may be stacked up against him but we are not giving up hope and will keep fighting for our brother and dear friend.   If you could please help by showing some love and support to Sung Jae through all the prayers and any financial support , as well as medical guidance and expertise at this time we would truly appreciate it.   Please share his page.  We are praying for a miracle.  We are praying for more time that he can have with his beautiful family.  Every spouse needs their partner and every child needs their daddy. 

 
We sincerely thank you.

-Sung Jae’s Army-

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