Support Jeremys Fight Against Cancer! His Fight is Our Fight

UPDATE: Honestly I was hoping Jeremy would make a full recovery and this update wouldn't be needed. However I cannot wait another day without posting. Jeremy needs our help again but this time it's more critical. Jeremy has been through so much since he almost died from Sepsis last April '24. He's battled and fought his way back, even after he keeps needing more surgeries and care. PLEASE he is running on empty though after this very latest diagnosis of Stage 3 lung cancer. Not only does he have more hospital/doctor bills but he needs our encouragement, prayers and financial help. ANY amount of donation is appreciated, even if it's $5. His fight is our Fight!

Please read below all of his uphill battle since that fateful day in April.

START OF JEREMY'S STORY One of my closest friends of 20 years needs our help! The most positive outcome of this real life story is that Jeremy is…. Alive….a true miracle! However Jeremy’s road to recovery is just beginning. When someone has had a severe episode of SEPSIS, they may never get back to 100% and it raises the risk of future infections and hospital bills.

Jeremy and his wife Mandi need our continued prayers, love and encouragement but they also need help paying his medical bills that have accumulated while fighting for his life! His brave battle of nearly 3 weeks in the hospital saw Jeremy in ICU a majority of the time and on a ventilator. Due to the seriousness of his health care, and because its Sepsis he will most likely need continued care, possibly future hospital stays, doctor visits, prescriptions, time off from work, all of which will require money.

Once you hear his story you too will feel the need to spread awareness about SEPSIS and you will develop a strong admiration for Jeremy and his continued journey to recovery.

Let's give Jeremy and Mandi a statement of love with flooded donations!

HOW IT STARTED

Ok…so it’s the week of the biggest professional golf event of the year, The Masters. And it’s being held in the same town where you live and work, Augusta, Georgia. Everyone can feel the excitement in the air, the azaleas are in bloom and the weather is absolutely perfect! Now imagine you’re a golf professional, you’re working at your favorite golf course and it’s just up the road from the Big Event. Your adrenaline is pumping because everyone you work with knows IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT WEEK OF THE YEAR. Now imagine you’re feeling pretty sick, but it’s the Saturday of The Masters, it’s all hands on deck at work, so you get up, get that second boost of energy and get to work.

No one could predict what would happen next.

My name is Vikki Valentine Vanderpool and I started this go fund me for Jeremy. Jeremy and I had worked together as assistant golf pros 20 years ago in Savannah, Georgia. We became instant best friends, if we weren’t working together then we were playing golf together. We always stayed in touch. Even as I’m writing this now I have goosebumps….. I texted Jeremy on that Tuesday of The Masters to wish him good luck with the craziest week of the year. I was absolutely shocked to hear about the next month of his life.

Fast Forward to May 1st and I see this posted on Jeremy’s facebook timeline by his wife Mandi.

WHAT HAPPENED

Mandi’s Post about Jeremy’s Health Scare - May 1st

April 13, Jay went to work not feeling the greatest. He passed out at work (twice), and they insisted on him going to the hospital by ambulance. He was admitted that night because he was SEPTIC due to a diverticulitis flare-up/rupture with no warning signs at all.

He had surgery April 17. We thought it was going to be laparoscopic, but when the surgeon looked, he had way too much infection in him and they had to cut his belly open to remove the infection and part of the colon that ruptured. His 2 hour surgery turned into 6. They removed about 18 inches of his colon. No colostomy bag, but he had a catheter. 33 staples in his belly to put him back together.

Since his surgery, we just basically played the waiting game for his organs to wake back up and start functioning and the antibiotics to keep doing their job to make sure he doesn’t get infected again. His body took longer to recover than expected for no particular reason. His hemoglobin and kidney numbers weren’t stabilizing. He was in ICU until April 26, then he was moved to a regular room. He had a minor setback, but nothing antibiotics couldn’t fix, and I was able to bring him home today around 2:00.

We are doing well…..both tired. He is still very sore and uncomfortable, but happy to be home. I’m glad to have him home. We are so blessed beyond words with the outreach we have had from friends, family, and neighbors. Thank you all so very much for all of the prayers, meals, listening, concern…..all of it. It hasn’t gone unnoticed. We love you all, and please keep the prayers coming. He’s home, but still recovering. God Bless!

ABOUT JEREMY

Jeremy Latham a native of Coshocton, Ohio, played baseball through high school and college. While in college Jeremy hurt his right shoulder and needed surgery. Fate set in and his love of the game ultimately switched from baseball to golf. A natural in golf, he became a professional which led him to the start of a steady career in the golf business.

Mandi and Jeremy met in Fort Myers, Florida in 2008. Mandi also happens to be from Ohio, Waynesburg to be exact. The couple married in Dover Ohio, on July 16, 2011. If you know Jeremy then probably the first thing he told you or you found out is that he’s an Ohio State fan. And I mean like a BIG fan….. Yes I know Jeremy - the Buckeyes!! How many times have I heard you say that or tap your head and yell Buckeye!!! I’m laughing so hard right now. Mandi and Jeremy are also fans of the Cavs, Browns, and Cleveland baseball- the Guardians (formerly the Indians) God love ya Mandi. From the posts on social media their children are Opie and Cami, their beautiful chihuahua fur babies.

WHY I STARTED HIS GOFUNDME

Over the last 5 years I’ve been working for the Begin Again Foundation , a charity co-founded by world renown professional golfer Marc Leishman and his wife Audrey. In 2015, during The Masters tournament, Audrey had a near-death experience with Sepsis, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Toxic Shock Syndrome. Yes…. Audrey had only a 5% chance of living. She had to learn how to walk again, breathe again, write again…..basically how to live with this new normal.

Here is the Mission of the Begin Again Foundation:

To save lives through sepsis and toxic shock syndrome education and awareness, provide financial assistance to survivors and families, and support communities during times of crisis.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER GETTING SEPSIS AND HIS RECOVERY

Jeremy has come such a long way in his recovery, other survivors have not been as lucky. For Jeremy to be back at work now, granted on lite duty-20 hours a week, is a miracle in itself. Many survivors experience repeat trips to the hospital, extreme fatigue, loss of concentration, joint and muscle pain, and other symptoms that can be post sepsis syndrome. This is why Jeremy needs our help. Lets give him one less worry by raising funds for his medical bills and any future medical costs so that he can focus on getting well.

WHAT IS SEPSIS

Like most people that have gone through similar experiences with Sepsis, Jeremy had no idea what Sepsis was let alone know how serious his condition had become. The Begin Again Foundation worked with Jeremy and he did receive a one time grant from their sepsis fund for $1,000. Since its conception, the charity has given in kind donations of over 1.5 Million dollars!!

Sepsis: Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. Sepsis can result from an infection anywhere in the body, from a scratch gotten on the playground or sports or influenza, Covid19, urinary tract infections, toxic shock syndrome to meningitis.

UPDATE:

Honestly I thought about closing this GoFundMe for Jeremy but something told me to keep it open. Due to the severity of the Sepsis attack Jeremy suffered in April, I felt he would have future complications arise after his body experienced such drama. Unfortunately Jeremy has had major health issues, some related to the Sepsis and other problems that could have just happened on their own. Therefore I’m asking again for your help.

A few weeks after the Sepsis attack Jeremy did return to work for a short time, however Jeremy needed another colon surgery. Then October proved to be one hell of a month! Jeremy underwent surgeries on 3 hernias. I knew he had been a little down about those surgeries because he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to play golf. But, what we didn’t know was the worst was yet to come.

Jeremy noticed an unusual spot on his tongue and after seeing a couple of specialists the bad news was revealed, Stage 3 tongue cancer.

On December 23rd Jeremy posted this on his FB wall.

“I have recently been diagnosed with stage 3 tongue cancer. I will be having a partial glossectomy on Friday the 27th to remove about half of my tongue that is affected by the cancer. They will also be removing the lymph nodes in my neck. It will be a 8-9 hour surgery to remove the affected areas. They will also be taking a skin graft from my left forearm to reconstruct my tongue. The procedure will have an incision from my wrist to my elbow to take the necessary tissue and blood vessels.

After the surgery I will be in the hospital for 7-10 days. I will have a feeding tube through my nose and a tracheotomy tube in my neck to help breathe as my tongue will be pretty swollen. I will also work with a speech therapist to help speak again. Drs are optimistic the cells have been confined to my head and neck area and are not spreading.

2024 has not been kind to me health wise. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers when I had my abdominal surgeries earlier this year. I’m hoping for one more smooth surgery and ready to bring on 2025!!”

December 27th Surgery and Recovery

Jeremy underwent a successful procedure, and did so well he was able to go home a little early. His tongue is on track and healing nicely. His arm graff was necessary for his new tongue, and needs more time to heal and recover.

Today is January 11 and I know Jeremy has been a trooper. More importantly he has continued to stay positive through ALL of this! His wife Mandy has been very instrumental as his caretaker but she also works full time. So I’m asking all of us to please help Jeremy and Mandy to keep focused on his recovery and forget the missed work and all the hospital and doctor bills that await to be paid. Even if you can give $5, every little bit counts.

DONATE TODAY TO JEREMY'S CAUSE

I will keep updating Jeremy’s progress here, please continue to check back.

From the bottom of our hearts we Thank You!

Please……please remember that ANYONE can get Sepsis. Get help right away, it can save your life.

For questions please contact Vikki.