Jonas Thornhill's Medical Costs

 It has taken much time and consideration to set up this account for my best friend and brother, Jonas Thornhill. I would like to share with you his personal story and journey as he battles an incurable cancer.
Jonas always has a smile on his face and love in his heart for every one even when he is sick, tired, in pain or down and depressed, he still smiles through it all and will put others before him.
Jonas needs our love and help more than ever. He has worked so hard for over two decades to become a well known and loved hair stylist here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and he is in need of your generosity, kindness and prayer now more than ever to continue this fight. He must know he is not alone in his personal war on cancer.
Many of you know Jonas was diagnosed with Myelogenous Leukemia (CML/AML) in July of 2012 at the vibrant young age of 37.
This cancer is in his bones, blood, and bone marrow. He started an aggressive treatment shortly after his diagnosis, with a projected prognosis of a 3-5 year life expectancy if he responded to treatment well. He had a horrible allergic reaction to the first chemo drug he was given and his body went into shock. Luckily he was in the hospital when the reaction occurred and it was quickly remedied. After an unsuccessful round of initial treatments with this chemo drug, Jonas was offered and ultimately accepted a trial study with Bristol-Myers Squibb at his doctors request.
The trial was a success with the exception of a fast growing thyroid cancer that he developed during the 14 month study, within weeks of the findings he was in surgery having his thyroid and paraglands removed and had iodized radiation. He still continued with the same treatment plan with the hope that in time a cure would be found or at least a new study as science and medicine progress with time. Jonas takes over 20 pills a day, injections,  infusions, to control, tolorate and manage his Leukemia, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, high and low blood pressures, anemia and chronic bone pain.
This past April of 2017, he was told the chemotherapy he had been on was no longer working as well and they needed to find him a better course of action or he wouldn't continue another year with his numbers getting higher and higher every month. Unfortunately, his treatment options are limited in Mississippi.
In May of 2017, only a short month after the grim news he received from his Oncologist here on the Gulf Coast, he was Blessed with the the opportunity of taking part in a new trial study for treatment at Emory University in Atlanta Georgia. He immediately accepted the offer extended to him through the great team of oncologists at Emory-Winship.
Jonas was again Blessed when close friends in the Atlanta area were gracious enough to open their home to him without hesitation during his treatment, as they knew he would need to be there daily for frequent visits with his primary Oncologists/Hematologists and other great members of the team of physicians that Emory has put together to work on his treatment plan.
The quality and quantity of life these treatments will afford him have come with at a price. He has given up his work as a well known and highly recommended hair stylist on the Mississippi Gulf Coast of over 20 years, as well as his home and family to pursue the hope of extending his quality and quantity of life by up to 50% with the possibility of a 5 year (possibly more) life expectancy based on expert opinions and previous as well as current studies of patients on the same projected treatment plan he will receive and given his high risk health issues.
After speaking with the financial department at Emory he was told that certain drugs in the study will be at no cost, but the specialist physician appointments, blood labs, infusion treatments and bone marrow biopsies and 2 operations over the course of just 6 months can reach over $150,000!  
 After insurance pays up to 80%,  his responsible payment amount is still beyond his financial means. Jonas still has his own personal bills and pays insurances premiums monthly and day to day out of pocket expenses. It is a horrible thought that his life can only be extended at a price.
Before this move Jonas told me he thought of living out the months or year he may have left without getting the new treatments, and for me, that wasn't an option and thankfully he did not choose that option despite the struggles he knew would come with chance he was taking financially, physically, and mentally to accept a new treatment plan offered to him. God hasn't brought him this far to allow him the thoughts of giving up now, Jonas should always have tomorrow to look forward to just as you and I do . I know Jonas is not just doing this for himself but for the many who have grown to love him like their brother or son and are all too eager to call him a friend or part of their family. He is so very grateful for this life and to all of you (his friends and family and the friends he calls family) and to his 14 year old pup Rascal, who keep him going everyday.
Now that Jonas' story has become public please donate to his fund if possible and share his story and funding page now for the promise of him receiving this life extending treatment he has been offered despite his past prognosis here on the coast.
If you are unable to donate, sending him your good thoughts and prayers and sharing his page and story are appreciated more than you know.
***Please donate blood/plasma***
Your blood/stem cells/bone marrow could save many lives needing a match for a transplant. This is a very important cause to Jonas.
Go to www.bethematch.org Or to bethecure.
YOU COULD BE THE CURE.
Remember: next month (September) is Leukemia awareness month and we proudly wear orange during month for those who no longer fight and for those who are still fighting with Jonas.
Please help him continue his journey towards good health and longevity.
Thank you all kindly, Claude H. Thornhill Jr.
~All We Need Is Love