“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

Anyone who knows Dion Hebel (aka Hebs) knows he is the kind of guy who loves his Dallas Cowboys, REALLY loves his Winnipeg Jets, loves to give a great speech and takes any opportunity to do it! He also loves a good summer softball tourney, has a great time with friends, cousins and family and looks forward to the Hebel reunions every 3 years, probably more than most!

He absolutely loves his newest role as Papa. We are all pretty sure he even loves Emma more than the Jets! Lisa, of course, is a close second as he shared at her recent 60th birthday celebration…. if he had to do life over, “he would choose her all over again.”

He is also a man with an indomitable will.

In mid-August, Dion had a CT scan as he was not feeling well, had lost considerable weight and was feeling a tightness in his chest. The scans showed numerous areas of concern with masses involving many organs. It was recommended that he be seen at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. His family was determined to get him the best possible care as soon as they were able. The referral came quickly and they headed to Mayo.

Their first appointment was August 27th with internal medicine. The physician they met with confirmed multiple areas of cancer and a biopsy was needed to determine the origin of cancer and the type of treatment to follow. The biopsy was performed on August 28th. Results should be back in about a week. Following the results, there will be another appointment with oncology at Mayo to discuss a treatment plan.

As a Canadian citizen without United States health insurance, the pre estimate and out of pocket cost for the consultation, biopsy and appointments currently sits around $10,000. In addition, there are and will be additional travel expenses from Canada to Rochester and another appointment with oncology to determine next steps.

Dion is currently unable to work and we are looking at ways we can support him and his family. At this moment in time, without a firm diagnosis, we don’t know the next steps or the additional financial burden this could create for the Hebels. We want to alleviate the stress of finances as much as we can, so they are able to focus on each other and the type of care that is going to help him most.

It is with humble hearts that we ask for support.

Dion’s will to conquer this is strong, we know this about him. He will fight hard to beat this and with our support, we can help the Hebels all fight together. If you are unable to give a monetary donation, the power of prayer is strong, and we know it can work in miraculous ways. We appreciate the love, support, care and prayers that have been shown to Dion in the last week.

We express our deepest gratitude for your consideration.

The families of Dion, Lisa & Brett Hebel and Matt and Brittany Gearman