Help Garrett Beat the Hell Out Of Cancer
Donation protected
Backstory:
Sometime in the summer of 2018 I noticed a rather large mass on my neck. We consulted our family physician, and after they prescribed a couple of rounds of antibiotics the mass significantly decreased in size. After a few months had passed I noticed the mass came back so I went to an ear nose and throat specialist and he removed the inflamed lymph node to do a biopsy. On November 20th 2018 we got the results and I was diagnosed with Stage 2b unfavorable Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer which affects a body’s lymphatic system. The current treatment options are chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and STEM cell treatment. I’m currently receiving both chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston as part of a clinical trial.
Costs:
While we do have medical insurance, there are many expenses which aren’t covered. My mother travels with work, however she has already exhausted all of her hotel points for stays near MD Anderson. My treatment requires between 2-4 hotel night stays a month. We try to stay close to the Hospital to avoid traffic and limit my time in the car after treatments. These stays average about $120 and night and can quickly add an additional $480 a month. You’d think that having to be at the hospital with cancer would be enough to warrant free parking, but we also have to pay $15-$30 in parking per day which often adds up to more than 100 dollars a month. Travelling to and from Houston every couple of weeks doesn’t sound too bad until you think about the amount of gas, and the number of miles we’re putting on the car which increases the amount of required maintenanceadding wear and tear. We average about $100 to $150 dollars in gas and maintenance per visit to MD Anderson. And, as I’m sure you can imagine, eating out on the road gets quite costly. We have begun to bring snacks and non-perishable items to limit this whenever possible. There are also A LOT of medical expenses which aren’t covered by insurance, like supplies,prescriptions, and medical procedures, in addition to a high deductible and out of pocket maximum required by our insurance policy. My parents are also required to miss quite a bit of work to be with me for chemotherapy treatments and doctor’sappointments. Unfortunately, these days spent taking me for care at MD Anderson are unpaid since my mom is self-employed and my father has been with his company for less than a year. This only makes all the other expenses that much harder to cover. We have estimated that from the time of my diagnosis to the end of treatments, hopefully by September 2019, my family will have an out of pocket expense of $30,000.
How you can help:
My family and I would greatly appreciate any donation, no matter how small. Even if you aren’t in a financial position todonate, your thoughts and prayers are extremely appreciated. I am dedicated to fighting this cancer not only in my own body but for ALL those diagnosed after me! Any unused donations will be donated to the Lymphoma Research Foundation to help eradicate this type of cancer. Please help me get the word out and share this Go Fund Me page with your friends and family who can help with either donations or positive thoughts and prayers. Help me fight and beat this Cancer so we can carry on the fight to help others who are diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the future.
Sometime in the summer of 2018 I noticed a rather large mass on my neck. We consulted our family physician, and after they prescribed a couple of rounds of antibiotics the mass significantly decreased in size. After a few months had passed I noticed the mass came back so I went to an ear nose and throat specialist and he removed the inflamed lymph node to do a biopsy. On November 20th 2018 we got the results and I was diagnosed with Stage 2b unfavorable Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer which affects a body’s lymphatic system. The current treatment options are chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and STEM cell treatment. I’m currently receiving both chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston as part of a clinical trial.
Costs:
While we do have medical insurance, there are many expenses which aren’t covered. My mother travels with work, however she has already exhausted all of her hotel points for stays near MD Anderson. My treatment requires between 2-4 hotel night stays a month. We try to stay close to the Hospital to avoid traffic and limit my time in the car after treatments. These stays average about $120 and night and can quickly add an additional $480 a month. You’d think that having to be at the hospital with cancer would be enough to warrant free parking, but we also have to pay $15-$30 in parking per day which often adds up to more than 100 dollars a month. Travelling to and from Houston every couple of weeks doesn’t sound too bad until you think about the amount of gas, and the number of miles we’re putting on the car which increases the amount of required maintenanceadding wear and tear. We average about $100 to $150 dollars in gas and maintenance per visit to MD Anderson. And, as I’m sure you can imagine, eating out on the road gets quite costly. We have begun to bring snacks and non-perishable items to limit this whenever possible. There are also A LOT of medical expenses which aren’t covered by insurance, like supplies,prescriptions, and medical procedures, in addition to a high deductible and out of pocket maximum required by our insurance policy. My parents are also required to miss quite a bit of work to be with me for chemotherapy treatments and doctor’sappointments. Unfortunately, these days spent taking me for care at MD Anderson are unpaid since my mom is self-employed and my father has been with his company for less than a year. This only makes all the other expenses that much harder to cover. We have estimated that from the time of my diagnosis to the end of treatments, hopefully by September 2019, my family will have an out of pocket expense of $30,000.
How you can help:
My family and I would greatly appreciate any donation, no matter how small. Even if you aren’t in a financial position todonate, your thoughts and prayers are extremely appreciated. I am dedicated to fighting this cancer not only in my own body but for ALL those diagnosed after me! Any unused donations will be donated to the Lymphoma Research Foundation to help eradicate this type of cancer. Please help me get the word out and share this Go Fund Me page with your friends and family who can help with either donations or positive thoughts and prayers. Help me fight and beat this Cancer so we can carry on the fight to help others who are diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the future.
Organizer and beneficiary
Garrett Flores
Organizer
Leander, TX
Janis Flores
Beneficiary