Joel Blakney’s Cancer Battle
Donation protected
Early 2019 was a good year for my brother, Joel. He was newly married to his wife, Carly, and in July they had a beautiful baby girl named Chloe. Life was good. However, in the fall of 2019, things took a turn as Joel started to experience pain in his stomach. He went to the doctor on 2 occasions, but his symptoms didn’t appear to be a concern. On October 20th, 2019 Joel went to the hospital again as his pain was becoming unbearable and he was told something that would forever change our family’s world.
Joel was diagnosed with Stage 4 Diffuse Large B-Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which is an aggressive type of blood cancer that develops in the lymphatic system. This came as a complete shock to our family. How could this happen? Joel had always been a fit and healthy guy. We were in total disbelief. Now at 29 years old, Joel and his family have been navigating their new reality.
Plan A: Chemotherapy Treatments:
In the early stages of his diagnoses, the doctors seemed confident that chemotherapy would treat the cancer. From October 2019 – April 2020, he was in and out of the hospital where he received numerous rounds of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, his PET scans showed that the chemo was not working.
Plan B: Stem Cell Transplant Procedure:
In May 2020, Joel had to undergo a Stem Cell transplant procedure as the next step. He had to go through this procedure alone, with no visitors allowed for support, because of the added Covid-19 risk. In this procedure, Joel's stem cells were retrieved from his body and frozen. After receiving intensive chemotherapy, his cells were returned to his body by infusion through a vein in his chest. The goal of a Stem Cell transplant is to restore the body's ability to make normal blood cells after high-dose chemotherapy. Following this procedure, we had high hopes that he would be in remission. However, the final PET scan yet again brought devastating news. It showed his cells were still not responding to the chemo, and his cancer was growing.
Plan C: CAR T-Cell Therapy:
On July 31st, 2020 Joel met with his team of doctors where they informed him that all previous treatments to attempt to eradicate his cancer had failed. The doctors have suggested he try a new procedure called CAR T-Cell therapy, proven to be very effective against Lymphoma. This procedure involves extracting his own T-cells from his white cells, genetically modifying them, and infusing the T-cells back into him. Once infused, the T-cells multiply inside the body and begin to recognize and attack the cancer cells, resulting in anticipated remission. Joel’s doctor applied to the only two Eastern Canadian provinces that perform this procedure. Unfortunately, he was rejected, as they currently do not accept applicants from other provinces.
As of August 2020, my brother’s only remaining option is to receive CAR T-Cell therapy in the United States. We recently received word that the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary will begin offering the CAR T-cell procedure sometime in the winter of 2020, but unfortunately Joel cannot wait, he needs the treatment immediately. Joel is now undergoing 25 rounds of radiation over the next month to suppress the Lymphoma from growing further while he waits for his CAR T-Cell treatment. He is scheduled to leave for Rochester, Minnesota on September 15th, 2020.
Prior to his diagnoses, Joel was working full time and volunteering for his local fire department. Since then he has been unable to work. Carly’s maternity leave was coming to an end, and the Covid-19 pandemic began. This only made things more difficult. The moral support received from family, friends, and the Strathmore Fire Department has been greatly appreciated. However, the processes Joel has endured have spanned many months and included lengthy hospital stays, extensive travel to medical appointments, and has taken a huge toll on their family financially. Joel is going through something no 29-year-old should ever have to. Yet throughout this, I have never heard him complain. He is hopeful and optimistic and truly one of the strongest guys I know. This new treatment may give him an opportunity to continue life cancer free, but he needs our help. Any financial support is gratefully accepted.
Donations will help pay for his family’s (Joel, Carly and baby Chloe’s) travel and accommodation expenses for approximately 12 weeks in Rochester, Minnesota. As well as medication, additional medical expenses at the Mayo Clinic, and follow up procedures not covered by insurance. We remain hopeful that the treatments and recovery are a success within this time frame, and his family can return home to Strathmore, Alberta before Christmas.
Any additional funds raised and not needed for Joel's medical treatments will be donated to continued cancer research.
Beneficiary: Joel Blakney
Joel was diagnosed with Stage 4 Diffuse Large B-Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which is an aggressive type of blood cancer that develops in the lymphatic system. This came as a complete shock to our family. How could this happen? Joel had always been a fit and healthy guy. We were in total disbelief. Now at 29 years old, Joel and his family have been navigating their new reality.
Plan A: Chemotherapy Treatments:
In the early stages of his diagnoses, the doctors seemed confident that chemotherapy would treat the cancer. From October 2019 – April 2020, he was in and out of the hospital where he received numerous rounds of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, his PET scans showed that the chemo was not working.
Plan B: Stem Cell Transplant Procedure:
In May 2020, Joel had to undergo a Stem Cell transplant procedure as the next step. He had to go through this procedure alone, with no visitors allowed for support, because of the added Covid-19 risk. In this procedure, Joel's stem cells were retrieved from his body and frozen. After receiving intensive chemotherapy, his cells were returned to his body by infusion through a vein in his chest. The goal of a Stem Cell transplant is to restore the body's ability to make normal blood cells after high-dose chemotherapy. Following this procedure, we had high hopes that he would be in remission. However, the final PET scan yet again brought devastating news. It showed his cells were still not responding to the chemo, and his cancer was growing.
Plan C: CAR T-Cell Therapy:
On July 31st, 2020 Joel met with his team of doctors where they informed him that all previous treatments to attempt to eradicate his cancer had failed. The doctors have suggested he try a new procedure called CAR T-Cell therapy, proven to be very effective against Lymphoma. This procedure involves extracting his own T-cells from his white cells, genetically modifying them, and infusing the T-cells back into him. Once infused, the T-cells multiply inside the body and begin to recognize and attack the cancer cells, resulting in anticipated remission. Joel’s doctor applied to the only two Eastern Canadian provinces that perform this procedure. Unfortunately, he was rejected, as they currently do not accept applicants from other provinces.
As of August 2020, my brother’s only remaining option is to receive CAR T-Cell therapy in the United States. We recently received word that the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary will begin offering the CAR T-cell procedure sometime in the winter of 2020, but unfortunately Joel cannot wait, he needs the treatment immediately. Joel is now undergoing 25 rounds of radiation over the next month to suppress the Lymphoma from growing further while he waits for his CAR T-Cell treatment. He is scheduled to leave for Rochester, Minnesota on September 15th, 2020.
Prior to his diagnoses, Joel was working full time and volunteering for his local fire department. Since then he has been unable to work. Carly’s maternity leave was coming to an end, and the Covid-19 pandemic began. This only made things more difficult. The moral support received from family, friends, and the Strathmore Fire Department has been greatly appreciated. However, the processes Joel has endured have spanned many months and included lengthy hospital stays, extensive travel to medical appointments, and has taken a huge toll on their family financially. Joel is going through something no 29-year-old should ever have to. Yet throughout this, I have never heard him complain. He is hopeful and optimistic and truly one of the strongest guys I know. This new treatment may give him an opportunity to continue life cancer free, but he needs our help. Any financial support is gratefully accepted.
Donations will help pay for his family’s (Joel, Carly and baby Chloe’s) travel and accommodation expenses for approximately 12 weeks in Rochester, Minnesota. As well as medication, additional medical expenses at the Mayo Clinic, and follow up procedures not covered by insurance. We remain hopeful that the treatments and recovery are a success within this time frame, and his family can return home to Strathmore, Alberta before Christmas.
Any additional funds raised and not needed for Joel's medical treatments will be donated to continued cancer research.
Beneficiary: Joel Blakney
Organizer and beneficiary
Teneal Blakney
Organizer
Strathmore, AB
Joel Blakney
Beneficiary
