Join Hands for Cole's Fight with Cancer

Hi everyone! My name is Cassy and I am raising funds to help my dear friend Cole and his wife Marina through his fight with cancer. If you've ever had the pleasure of meeting Cole (Harry), you'd know he's the absolute best. Always smiling, always cracking jokes. Last year, he was diagnosed with stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. He had surgery to remove the tumor, but since then it has aggressively spread to other areas. Between those, the pain, the infections that keep coming back and not being able to keep food down, it has undoubtably affected Cole and his daily life. He wanted to share pictures from his journey thus far -

The fight is not over! I am asking this beautiful community that loves our Lampshade to help in providing some financial support for him, his amazing wife Marina and his mother Liz while he focuses on kicking ass. I will be posting an update here soon with items that Cole is in need of if you aren't able to donate right now, any help is greatly appreciated. Whatever you believe, please ask for healing <3

I asked Cole, Marina and his mom if they wanted to share their story with everyone and this is what they wrote:

Hello my name is Cole, and I was previously a cancer survivor, now again I’m a cancer patient. My doctors have zero hope for any form of alternative medicine or alternative treatment. When I told them that’s the only way I wanted to move forward, they had been beating around the bush that i was a deadman. So I finally asked them, how long I had essentially, and they answered at least a year. That was last month.

I’m simultaneously trying to move forward believing with all my heart that I will live and I can do this and I can fight my way back to the top.

And embrace every last second more deeply & truly taking it in as it should be encompassing every last juicy experience letting none pass me by for the sake that I could disappear .

I’m getting married June 8th. I wish to create a legal will. I have a 5 year old daughter who I would risk my life for a life changing experience and two twin boys not even a year. Doctors won’t help me out. I want to experience the things I’ve yet to and the things I’ve dreamed of doing.

I want to give back to my community cause they are who taught me a better way. I want to give my studies to the world so that they may learn them too. And lastly I want to give my music to the world every strum, every pick, every solo.

I really don’t know what else to say but send me your love, love is all you need.

But if you could contribute it would seriously help make a difference in my life or in my moms life, who can’t come see me because of the two hour drive. Or my wife with her two and a half hour drive. I live right next to my hospital but it’s hard on them.

From Marina:

Hi! My name is Marina. I am Cole’s wife. ❤️ I live up in Cleveland so our relationship has been “medium distance” for its entirety. He was diagnosed with cancer just a few months after we met. He had his surgery that was supposed to remove all of the cancer in September of 2023 but was then re-diagnosed in March of this year. Ever since his re-diagnosis, he’s been struggling so greatly with his health . I’m not presently in a place where I can relocate to Columbus to take care of him full time so I’ve been making every effort to be in Columbus as much as I can to take care of him every weekend and some days in between. I’ve been having to take time off work but admittedly I’m worried about when my paid time off runs out. I’m so grateful for the community of people around us that have shown us so much love and support through this entire process. Every visit, every gift, & every offer to help never ceases to amaze me. I just wanted to say thank you in advance to everyone who loves Cole and shows up for him ❤️❤️

From Mom Liz:

Right when Cole was fine tuning his adult life he was diagnosed with Stage 4 tongue cancer. And when as his mother he told me he had a cut on his tongue from a rough tooth, it never occurred to me he could have cancer. Cole has handled the past 10 months with grace and a smile on his face. Through an almost eight hour surgery, two blood transfusions, a peg tube, trach and at least six tubes coming out the sides of his neck he made jokes that were actually funny to help lighten the mood. He was happy to have his loved ones around even under these circumstances which is so sweet just like he has been his whole life.

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Thank you for taking the time to read through this fundraiser. Cole is one of the most genuine people I have ever met in my life and deserves our love and support. Even if you can only donate $1, we can help make this a little easier for him and his family little by little. I appreciate you all so very much <3