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For those of you who have never had the pleasure, this man is Patrick Reynolds. For those of you that have had the opportunity to know him, you can attest to the great person that he is. Pat is many things to many people. A loving husband, a patient father, a new grandpa, a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a neighbor, and a GREAT dancer. Pat is that kind of guy who would do anything for anyone, and never asks for anything in return. He always jumps to help a friend in need, but now it is Pat that needs help.
During the summer of 2016, Pat started exhibiting some strange symptoms including a rash, itching, and swelling around his face and neck. By August, these symptoms were recurring more frequently and consistently. Numerous visits to the emergency room and his doctor helped to reduce these symptoms, but failed to determine the cause. It wasn’t until the week leading up to Thanksgiving that a diagnosis was finally reached. This came after Pat had gone through a wide variety of tests that included everything from extensive bloodwork and scans to a bone marrow biopsy. It was at this point that our worst fears were recognized. Pat has cancer. Unfortunately, we all know someone who has had to battle cancer, however, you have probably never met someone with the type of cancer Pat is fighting. Pat’s cancer is called Sézary syndrome. This is a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma affecting only 3 out of every 1,000,000 people. It is caused by atypical T cells, which are a cell of the immune system. Normally, these cells are found circulating in your blood, but when afflicted with Sézary syndrome, they migrate to the skin and cause a painful rash and lesions.
Like other forms of cancer, there are various stages of Sézary syndrome. Pat is at stage 4, which means it has spread to his lymphnodes and bone marrow, and he has a rash covering more than 80% of his body. Not only is the rash from this cancer painful, but has also stripped him of the energy he used to have. This man who was once backpacking through Alaska, hunting grizzlies with his cousin, and working hard as a contractor from dawn ‘til dusk, now only has enough energy to be awake a few hours each day.
Combining the rarity of his cancer with his stage of progression makes treatment options very limited. At this point, chemotherapy, radiation, and most other commonly used treatments will no longer help him. There is currently only one drug known to be an effective option. Unfortunately, this drug is not commonly used. Only one company makes it, there is no generic alternative, and it is not covered by our insurance. What we’re getting at is, it would be cheaper to buy a new house and car every month than to buy this drug. Last month’s bill came to a whopping $148,000 and Pat is supposed to receive this treatment every month for at least 2 years. This is where we turn to you, our friends, family, and maybe even a compassionate stranger. As hard as it is to ask for help, we would do anything to help Pat survive this disease. He has a daughter yet to marry off, a grandbaby to take fishing, and a wife to grow old with. We want many more years with Pat and more hunting seasons for him and his father. Life just wouldn’t be the same without his incredible dance moves and his knack for befriending everyone he meets. If you feel so compelled, please consider making a donation to help Pat in his fight against Sézary syndrome. All donations will go directly to pay for his treatments. Thank you for taking time to learn about Pat’s story.
For more information about Sézary syndrome, please follow the link below: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/sezary-syndrome
During the summer of 2016, Pat started exhibiting some strange symptoms including a rash, itching, and swelling around his face and neck. By August, these symptoms were recurring more frequently and consistently. Numerous visits to the emergency room and his doctor helped to reduce these symptoms, but failed to determine the cause. It wasn’t until the week leading up to Thanksgiving that a diagnosis was finally reached. This came after Pat had gone through a wide variety of tests that included everything from extensive bloodwork and scans to a bone marrow biopsy. It was at this point that our worst fears were recognized. Pat has cancer. Unfortunately, we all know someone who has had to battle cancer, however, you have probably never met someone with the type of cancer Pat is fighting. Pat’s cancer is called Sézary syndrome. This is a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma affecting only 3 out of every 1,000,000 people. It is caused by atypical T cells, which are a cell of the immune system. Normally, these cells are found circulating in your blood, but when afflicted with Sézary syndrome, they migrate to the skin and cause a painful rash and lesions.
Like other forms of cancer, there are various stages of Sézary syndrome. Pat is at stage 4, which means it has spread to his lymphnodes and bone marrow, and he has a rash covering more than 80% of his body. Not only is the rash from this cancer painful, but has also stripped him of the energy he used to have. This man who was once backpacking through Alaska, hunting grizzlies with his cousin, and working hard as a contractor from dawn ‘til dusk, now only has enough energy to be awake a few hours each day.
Combining the rarity of his cancer with his stage of progression makes treatment options very limited. At this point, chemotherapy, radiation, and most other commonly used treatments will no longer help him. There is currently only one drug known to be an effective option. Unfortunately, this drug is not commonly used. Only one company makes it, there is no generic alternative, and it is not covered by our insurance. What we’re getting at is, it would be cheaper to buy a new house and car every month than to buy this drug. Last month’s bill came to a whopping $148,000 and Pat is supposed to receive this treatment every month for at least 2 years. This is where we turn to you, our friends, family, and maybe even a compassionate stranger. As hard as it is to ask for help, we would do anything to help Pat survive this disease. He has a daughter yet to marry off, a grandbaby to take fishing, and a wife to grow old with. We want many more years with Pat and more hunting seasons for him and his father. Life just wouldn’t be the same without his incredible dance moves and his knack for befriending everyone he meets. If you feel so compelled, please consider making a donation to help Pat in his fight against Sézary syndrome. All donations will go directly to pay for his treatments. Thank you for taking time to learn about Pat’s story.
For more information about Sézary syndrome, please follow the link below: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/sezary-syndrome