Daron Sloan
Donation protected
Kristen Degler and Daron Sloan- the three "C's" Chrons , Cancer and Cupid ! These two beautiful people met at my daughters birthday party September 8th 2013. when I say cupid it was clearly obvious that there was instant spark of electricity in the air when they first met! I was there I saw it!!!. Kristen has Chrons disease, it has brought her close to heavens gate several times. Daron has cancer and it has brought him to the brink of heavens door several times. They both have something in common, a disease that is painful and deadly- and something in them even stronger , a strength to fight and stay strong no matter what the odds are and a faith to go with it!. This has brought them so close together with an unconditional love that mere words can not even begin to describe it. Daron was in remission when they met. Kristen was just beginning to head into one of her most serious chrons flare ups to date-in and out of the ER treated poorly while there almost cost her her life, after being admitted she was reminded all too well of why she was going to nursing school - when you are ill you need good care , compassionate care and being empatheic to your patients, and most importantly professional attitude and care !!! This only briefly discribes what type of personality my daughter has, and why nursing is her calling. Daron has been struggling with Melonoma cancer for 14 years. At the time he met Kristen he was going to medical school and working at the Genesis Center- fabulous medical practice that is finding and using state of the art treatments for helping the body become stronger to help protect it from diseases that are far superior to the devastating effects of the traditional medicines. However as many of us know cancer is a very smart and evil beast and when one treatment is working it is planning and sadly acheiving another way to attack the patient . In Darons case the PET scans were showing no cancer, while the sneaky evil cancer was hiding in his brain and growing. Daron started having severe headaches and dizzy spells, went to the eye Dr and was immediately sent to an ICU neurological unit where the MRI found this evil beast cancer hiding and working on destroying Daron. Daron and Kristen's unconditional love for each other helped Daron through some very difficult times, radiation and its after math came close to taking Daron away from all of us. Through all of this Kristen continued to go to school to try and finish her nursing degree- she is close and we are hoping she will be able to stay on track for her graduation December 11th 2015! Daron is one of her biggest supporters helping her study !! Daron carries a rare gene that causes his cancer , he was able to get into the trial study designed for his specific type of cancer and was told if he lived through the first week the odds were good it would help- well it did almost send him to heavens door , his love and plans and future he hopes to continue with Kristen brought him back - he saw the "light" and he saw "Kristen" and while he felt the the "light" was a comforting feeling, next to it he saw Kristen and she is what he chose, they have plans for a future! :) The trial did work , he got stronger EVERY DAY the tumors were disolving he was walking again,able to do things for himself again , feeling less pain, feeling GOOD!! The Dr's called him their "miracle patient" !!! He indeed is. But 2 weeks ago druing one of his routine monthly MRI and Dr visits they saw that the sneaky evil beast cancer was forming new tumors in his brain that are resistant to his trial medication. So now this dear young man is facing brain surgery and some more radiation, and will need to stay on the current trial medication to keep the old ones away while they work on getting rid of the new ones with a different medication. Huge problem - the trial he has been on will no longer pay for his treatment, will not pay for the new treatment, which both will keep him with us. So trying to keep my daughter in college in Savannah to finish this semester ( 6) weeks and summer break and her LAST semester in August graduation in December is high on the list of priorities for Daron and the rest of us - keeping Daron alive is a huge priority . They need help , money is becoming a BIG issue . Kristen drives her old car back and forth from Savannah to Darons oncologist in North Georgia several times a month. The wear and tear on her car and gas costs are mounting , the worry of it lasting is mounting. We as her parents are doing the best we can to help with car repairs gas etc... but both of our own vehicles are 13 and 14 year old with numerous expensive car repairs too. :( Kristens "Job" is school. Daron can not work with his condition now. Being a part of the trial was easing the medical debt worry , but now that that is not an option anymore medical debt and its future growth is a HUGE concern. IF you can find it in your heart and pocket these two young people need your help. Being a support system if you can is helpful. Goals are to keep Daron alive and living a functionable life and keeping Kristen in college so she can help so many otheres with her "healing hands, healing heart," and a smile that is so genuine that even when you are feeling your absolute worse she can make you feel better !!! All of your prayer warriors out their - your prayers , love , and postive thoughts are helping and all of us can not thank you enough for them!!!
Organizer
Julie Degler
Organizer
Stockbridge, GA
