#ImWithDJ: Johnson Family $upport Bridge

Support Darin’s Family During His Foot Amputation Recovery

Darin and I have been best buds for 40+ years. I'm organizing this Go Fund Me because he and his family need our help.

Long story short: Darin Johnson (DJ), has aggressive cancer in his right foot. The foot must come off, mid-shin, to prevent any spread and to save his life. Yup. He’s losing his right foot and along with it, his employment until he gets through the long recovery. His family needs our support.

Good news: The procedure effectively cures him. DJ can live a long and happy life, down a foot, and be the provider, uber-father, and friend that makes him … well … DJ.

Hey, if anyone can bring the right can-do attitude to this, he can. (Scroll down to find out more details on the medical aspects).

Bad news: Post-amputation, he’ll have no income for 9 months+. He’ll be disabled, healing, learning to walk, drive and function again with the prosthetic while enduring sometimes difficult physical therapy and rehab.

Problem: With 4 school-age children, life continues with all its usual expenses and is now coupled with additional medical costs. And, again, the income ceases. DJ’s situation falls between the cracks of any social safety net programs. (Trust that it’s been thoroughly investigated!)

While he does have insurance, his plan requires him to pay substantial out-of-pocket costs. The appearance of this cancer came with many stressors for him, but one of the utmost troublesome and problematic is the financial burden. That's why we turn to you.

Solution: #ImWithDJ. We build a financial bridge, a healing bridge. DJ’s family, friends (old, new, close and distant), friends of friends, colleagues and those who come across this site can build that financial $upport bridge, piece by piece, supporting Family Johnson. Some pieces will be large and some smaller. But together, we'll build the $upport Bridge for the Johnson Family to get them through this incredibly challenging period until DJ gets back on his feet (both old and new!).

Bottom Line: Our boy needs help. Let’s make this happen. #ImWithDJ.

Please do what you can, how much you can, when you can to build this $upport Bridge. We’ll be keeping the page open and updated until Darin is through recovery.

On behalf of the Johnson Family - THANK YOU!

********Below are more details about the medical situation *******

In October 2022, Darin went in to get a biopsy of a bump on his foot that was thought to be a ganglion cyst. On November 9th, the doctor called and said the biopsy came back as Myxofibrosarcoma. (MIK-soh-FY-broh-sar-KOH-muh) A rare type of cancer that forms in fibrous (connective) tissue, usually in or just under the skin of the arms and legs.

Dr. Kyle Sweeney is a specialist in musculoskeletal oncology and reconstructive surgery, he is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer involving bones and soft tissues in patients of all ages. He currently practices at The University of Kansas Cancer Center and is affiliated with the University of Kansas Hospital. KU Med has become very familiar to Darin over the last few months.

Dr. Sweeney discussed with Darin that the best treatment was to amputate his right leg below his knee. This would "cure" him of the sarcoma and he would not need any further treatment. However, he did want to get a CT to make sure the sarcoma had not already spread to other areas of his body which would alter the amputation plan.

During the CT and then a PET scan, they found multiple lytic lesions (basically holes in his bones) throughout Darin's ribs and spine. The amputation was put on hold and the goal was to find out what the lesions were and how to treat them along with the sarcoma. This was definitely not good news.

Over the next 3 months, Darin was in and out of KU Med for a needle biopsy of his spine which came back inconclusive, a needle biopsy of his 5th rib which came back inconclusive, and finally an open biopsy or a thoracotomy with a partial rib excision. This involved surgery under full anesthesia, a chest tube which according to Darin was the worst and so uncomfortable, and an overnight hospital stay.

The open biopsy came back benign or not cancerous. The doctor said the lesions were Reactive Fibroblastic Proliferation. They are not sure how these lesions occurred, but since they are not cancerous, they would just monitor them with a CT every 90 days.

So after that unknown, horribly emotional, and draining 3 months, we are set to go ahead with the amputation and get Darin back to being healthy!

Amputation is scheduled for Tuesday, March 7th at KU Med.