Let's Help Tyler Tuel While He Battles Cancer

Story

Our friend Tyler Tuel has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma (cancer of the plasma cells -- in myeloma, the cells grow too much, crowding out normal cells in the bone marrow that make red blood cells, platelets and other white blood cells.) It took several frustrating months to finally come to this diagnosis and he hasn’t been able to work since the beginning of February. He had recently started a new job and doesn’t qualify for much assistance there. And government assistance is out of the question because the family income is $300 over the threshold. His doctors feel that he has a good chance of full remission and he will be starting chemo treatment soon. While it’s going to be logistically and financially challenging, to ensure the best care, Tyler will go for treatment at The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at Ohio State. He will travel 226 miles roundtrip once a week for four to six months or until they can get what they believe to be 90% remission. Then he will be required to stay in the hospital for 14 days to retrieve stem cells, do what they do to strengthen the stem cells and then transplant them back into him. To add an additional burden onto his plate, he was just informed on June 29 that his landlord will be selling the home that he and his wife Julie and their kids AJ, a sophomore at Otterbein University, and Rami, a freshman at BGSU, have lived in for 10 years. They have two months to find a new place to live. Tyler noted on his Facebook page: “I am not afraid to say that I am beyond scared of what the future has in store for me.” While we can’t help him predict the future, we can help him manage the present. Please consider donating to help pay for gas, food and accommodations (when necessary) – as well as help supplement their slashed income and necessary funds to secure new housing while Tyler focuses on his health. ** While I have set up this page, all funds will go directly to Tyler and Julie.