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REX vs. CANCER

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UPDATE 2/22/2019:

It is with a heavy heart to have to report our very dear friend Rex Reynolds has lost his battle and fight with cancer.  Rex left us and the bondages of this evil disease on Wednesday, February 20th 2019 and is now at peace.

The funds raised thus far has been used to help with insurance premiums, deductibles, and prescriptions/treatments not covered by insurance.

Any additional funds raised will now be used for final expenses/needs for Rex's wife and family.  Please help spread the word.

A message from Rex's wife Dawn:

"
Some have asked if they could help with remaining expenses for Rex’s care and lost wages. He had short term disability the first few months but was without income for the last few months.

We are not in dire straits so my intention is not to actively solicit funds. Only to give a vehicle if it has been laid on your heart to give so there is no need to share this post.

You have poured out so much love to us and we are truly grateful. That encouragement kept us going every day. It made it impossible for us to stay in the grips of despair.

There were too many of you watching and cheering us on. It lifted our hearts when nothing else could. Our lives are forever changed by all that has happened and you helped make it possible to see more than the negative. thank you. Dawn"


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Hi friends, on behalf of Rex's wife Dawn - and after all they have been through and learned over the past few months - we want to provide a more accurate summary of what is happening to Rex and his battle against cancer:


Dawn - December 4th, 2018: "This is an attempt to explain what Rex has, what he needs, and our plan to get it for him. I have compiled this information from numerous sources and tried to put it in the easiest to understand terms. I may not explain some of the details correctly but it’s my best attempt at a summary for you. If you would like the sources, I can email them to you.

What Rex Has
Rex’s cancer was first diagnosed in his esophagus in early August, but as his treatment and testing continued, his diagnose changed Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma (GJA), which is a rare type of esophageal cancer. It starts in the gastroesophageal (GE) junction, where the esophagus and stomach join together. Again, as treatment and testing continued his doctors discovered that Rex has Signet Ring Cell Gastric Carcinoma (SRCC) which is an even more rare (5% GE cancers). This type of cancer is most often diagnosed at a younger age, at a later stage and is much more aggressive. The median survival is 1 year, and 5-year survival is 7%. Rex was given 3 – 6 months but he is fighting harder than ever and determined to beat the odds. In fact, Zariah told me “Our family always beats the odds” and I am holding Rex to that.

Preliminary research suggests that SRCC is increasing among younger patients and they do not have a clear reason why but there seems to be some genetic risk factors which we are personally looking into. There is not a lot of data for this type of cancer mostly because it is so rare. This is why we will be donating a portion of the proceeds from today’s event to Signet Ring Cell Gastroesophageal Cancer Research.

What Rex Needs
HIPEC, is a form of chemotherapy administered during surgery, is performed at the end of surgery to remove abdominal tumors. Once all visible tumors have been removed, the surgeon continuously circulates a heated chemotherapy solution throughout the abdomen for up to 90 minutes. The HIPEC procedure is attempts to kill any remaining cancer cells that cannot be seen. The solution is then removed and the incision closed. By administering chemotherapy in the abdomen at the time of surgery, it allows for greater concentrations of the drug where it is needed.

Advantages of heating the chemotherapy is that it more effectively kills cancer cells while having fewer effects on normal cells, the heat allows the chemotherapy to penetrate a few millimeters and kill cancer cells that cannot be seen, and the chemotherapy dose can be higher than intravenous chemotherapy because it is not absorbed by the body in the same way. We are hoping the HIPEC will cure the cancer but because he has an aggressive form, it could come back.

There are no other options for Rex at this point so we are All In.

This will give him the highest chance of survival for the longest amount of time. The procedure takes and average of 8-14 hours. Most patients are hospitalized for 2 to 4 weeks and complete recovery takes 3 months. HIPEC is a complex and invasive procedure and complications occur frequently which one of the reasons the hospital stay is so long. The most common complications are lung infections, wound problems and the inability to eat or drink, which Rex already has. Rex will have more chemotherapy 4 to 6 weeks after the HIPEC procedure, to reduce the chance of the cancer returning but we will be thankful for every day it gives us.

Our Plan to Get it for Rex
Effective today, December 1st, Rex has United Health Care insurance and the Mayo Clinic is included in the network, which is where the only doctor in the state who does this procedure is practicing. Our oncologist has been in communication with him, we just needed the new insurance to take effect before an official referral could be made. Rex needs to meet with the surgeon to confirm he is a good candidate. Once he is approved we are ready to Rock and Roll with Rex at the Mayo Clinic."

Please continue to share, donate, pray, send love & good vibes to Rex & his family!!

https://www.facebook.com/Rex-vs-Cancer-225594644822710/
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Donations 

  • Maureen VanRiper
    • $50 
    • 5 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Chris Haskins
Organizer
Mesa, AZ
Dawn Reynolds
Beneficiary

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