Help us help Steve

Stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma

Dear family, friends, colleges, and compassionate strangers,

On behalf of the Bratcher family, we are starting this fundraiser. For those who don't know, Steve has been struggling with low blood pressure, light headedness, and fatigue for a few months. His doctor ran labs, they showed elevated white blood cells which proved that he was fighting something. His doctor sent him for an x-ray because they were thinking he had pneumonia, but they came back clear. Steve continued having issues with his health, progressively getting worse. His doctor advised us to go to the Asante Hospital emergency care. While we were there, they ran labs and did a CT scan. They told us that they had found three different tumors. There is one on his lung and two on his adrenal glands. This is where our heartbreaking journey began. Since we started looking more thoroughly into his condition, they've found his cancer has turned metastatic. We've done a biopsy on his tumors, which show the cancer began in his lungs and is spreading quickly. The last results we've received are showing a 40% spreading increase in his cancer.

Steve has had to stop working in the middle of May because his pain was too severe. He finally got a diagnosis on July 10th, his doctors found that he had stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma. Medical bills are piling up, and it has been stressful time for us. We are living on one income now and we trying to find help wherever we can. We are doing what we can to stay strong, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Background:

Emily: Steve and I met back in 2009, we have tried our best to give our family the love and support they need to move on in life. Steve sacrificed so much to give us a new life when we immigrated from Australia. We have lost a lot over the years, but we have fought hard to get where we are today. We hope and pray that we can give him peace and comfort through his treatment. During this difficult time in our lives we are trying to support each other through our struggles and heal as a family.

Rikiya: I would personally like to thank anyone that has ever been a support for myself, Steve, and our family. Some of my favorite memories growing up were going to work with my dad, both Ewing and in the field. Seeing all the people he's known for years and all the connections he has. He's always been so good at what he does while having others best interest in mind. I appreciate the support and compassion he is receiving from the landscaping/irrigation community. While being a single dad, and raising a little girl, he made all the effort to be the best dad ever, which he is. I had a great childhood and its all thanks to him. From coaching soccer, to softball, to being my personal trainer and the loudest parent in the stands. It breaks my heart he is going through this, but it's comforting to know he has lived such a fruitful life & I pray he will be able to continue so.

Aaron: I’ve known Steve since 2009, back when he welcomed my family into his life like we were already part of it. From that moment on, he’s been someone I’ve looked up to, not just for the way he treats people but for how he carries himself through life. He’s always been in my corner, cheering me on through whatever I’ve taken on, and I’ve always known that if I ever needed anything, he’d be there without hesitation. Steve’s taught me a lot over the years, not just through words but through the way he lives. Whether it was how he supports his family, the way he shows up for the people he cares about, or the quiet strength he brings into every room, he’s set an example of what it means to be a man of integrity. He’s shown me what it looks like to care deeply for those around you, to back people without expecting anything in return, and to always try to do the right thing. I feel incredibly lucky to have had him as a role model and a constant presence in my life.

Thank you from the Bratcher family, anything helps!