Join Pastor Tim's Battle Against Stage 4 Cancer

Hello everyone,

My heart is heavy as I write this, but I am reaching out for help and support for my brother, Timothy Lin, who has been battling Stage 4 cancer for much of the past year. Tim's cancer is rare and aggressive, and has been progressing much faster than we had hoped.

The cancer is starting to have significant negative effects on Tim's health. It has spread to his liver and is causing him significant pain and limiting his daily activities, to the point where he is no longer able to travel and has been forced to take a leave of absence from his work.

Tim is a pastor, and the sole provider for his family of four, consisting of his lovely wife Christina, daughter Olivia (age 6), and son Lucas (age 4). You can read more about Tim's cancer battle on his Caring Bridge page here: https://bit.ly/tims-caring-bridge

Tim has a long road ahead—one filled with aggressive treatments, countless hospital visits, and the emotional and financial burdens that come with a diagnosis like this. Despite it all, he is facing this battle with incredible faith, strength, and determination.

How You Can Help

The treatments and care Tim needs are costly, and unfortunately, the financial strain is significant. Funds raised will go directly toward:

Co-pay for medical expenses ($2k-5k) - Chemotherapy, Surgeries, Medications, Lab Work, and various Scans and Tests. As these all increase, even the minimal amount of copay per item can add up quickly.

Medical expenses not covered by insurance ($10k-20k) - At this point in his illness, Tim and his family are looking into more cutting-edge/experimental treatments that may not be covered or may only be minimally covered by insurance.

Travel, lodging, childcare during medical treatments and clinical trials ($5k-10k) - Foreseeably, as traditional lines of treatment are exhausted, more specialized treatments and clinical trials will be pursued. Many of these trials may not be local, and may require travel and extended stays at specific locations. This may also require extended childcare for Lucas and Olivia.

Home medical equipment and in-home care ($5k-15k) - As pain and debilitation can be expected to increase, simple things like finding a manageable position to rest can become difficult. Things like home medical equipment and in-home care—both foreseeable and unforeseeable, covered and uncovered—may become necessities.

Supplements, dietary needs, increased food costs ($5k-10k) - Fighting cancer increasingly requires an integrative approach, involving investment in dietary changes, supplements, and exercise. Many of these things may not be covered by insurance. Additionally, with Tim less physically capable, and Christina's increased burden in caring for Tim, they have less time for grocery shopping and food prep, resulting in higher overall food costs.

Insurance premiums ($15-20k) - As Tim will be relying largely on medical insurance to pay for his cancer treatments and several key life insurance policies to provide for his family in the event of his passing, it is imperative that his is able to fully pay his insurance premiums on time—including in the event that they switch to a plan with higher premiums in order to access better treatment options.

End of Life/Estate planning/Funerary Expenses ($10k-15k) - As difficult as it may be to consider, preparing for these expenses is vital to the future security of Tim's family in the event of his passing.

Every donation—no matter how small—makes a difference and helps lighten the load for my brother. If you are unable to contribute financially, sharing this campaign and supporting him and his family in your prayers would mean the world to us.

As an aside, GoFundMe charges a fee for every donation. So if you would like to contribute directly to Tim and Christina's Venmo account to make sure the entirety of your donation goes to Tim, you can do so here: @christinaplin

A Message from Our Family

Tim is a fighter, and with the love and support of those around him, I truly believe we can help him and his family get through this. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, generosity, and support during this difficult time.

With love and gratitude,

Titus