For the last 4 months my dad, Mark Anderson, has been having increasingly difficult time with his speech and basic motor function. A short period of time before he started having these symptoms he had a fall at work that resulted in him hitting his head on some concrete. This was though to be the cause of what he was experiencing.  After several months of things only getting worse, he took the advice of friends and family and went to the doctor to get checked out. Yesterday, April 19th, he received notice from the doctor that he did not have any signs of a concussion, but that the cause of everything that was happening was a brain tumor; He has Brainstem Glioma.

Due to the location of this type of brain tumor, he will never be able to have it operated on. His only course of treatment will be medication and radiation therapy. In addition to this he was told that he must retire immediately, and can no longer drive a car. My dad is only 61 years old. He is one of the most healthy and active people I have known my whole life. The only time I ever remember seeing him sit down and relax was either after a long day of work, or an even longer day of doing one of his many outdoor activities he enjoyed. This transition is by far going to be one of the most difficult things he has ever had to deal with. 

The doctors immediately put him on medication to help reduce the swelling in his brain, and to try and regain some of his speech and motor function that has deteriorated. The next step is going to be having to start his first course of radiation therapy. This will be 5 days a week, for 6 weeks for his initial treatment. As he is no longer allowed to drive, it will fall on the shoulders of my mom and two sisters that live near by to take him the doctor every day of the week to get his treatment. 

My dad has spent his whole life being the primary financial supporter of the home, being told that he can no longer work has hit him very hard. I am starting this fund to to help both my parent as they transition from my dad working full time to having to retire and go on disability. The additional cost of gas to drive every day to a doctor that is an hour away to get his radiation therapy. For all of the extra medical expenses that may come up during his treatment. For the financial difficulty of no longer being able to work, and having to wait for disability payments to be started. I know my dad's battle with this cancer is going to be a long process. It's going to be very taxing on him not only physically, but also mentally. I'd like to help him out as much as I can right now and this fund will help him be able to worry a little bit less about his household and the bills for the time being. 

Thank you to anyone who can help my parents out in this difficuly time.