Richard Gilmore Medical Bills and Expenses

Our good friends , Richard and Melony Forbes are currently going through the fight of their lives against metastasized Melanoma. We want them to focus on his healing and treatment rather than stressing about medical and day to day bills that are steadily increasing.  Below is Richard's story.  Any donation in any amount is much appreciated. Cancer update as of September 2019 With a suspicious mole on my back I went to dermatologist in May of 2016. I was subsequently diagnosed with Stage IIIb malignant Melanoma after having a wide excision removal of the mole and axillary lymph node biopsy and removal. Further testing revealed the cancer had not yet spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body, and so I was tested and scanned frequently for the next two and a half years sowing no further evidence of disease - up until test done January of this year. CT Scans showed 2 tumors in right lung and an MRI showed a brain tumor on my vision center in which had already become symptomatic - causing me to see flashing lights and develop a blind spot in my right peripheral vision - which so far has shown to be permanent.  First part of February, the brain tumor caused a serious gran mal seizure and the brain tumor had to be surgically removed. Unfortunately 2 weeks later I experienced another bad seizure.  In March, I had 3 days of radiation treatment to my brain around the surgery area. The treatment was harsh on me and I spent 5 days in the hospital recovering. My cancer was found to be positive for a Braff mutation, which is a mutation that makes the tumor much more aggressive but also treatable with a new Targeted therapy drug. The targeted therapy can be quickly effective but unfortunately the cancer becomes immune to it in 3-6 months. In my case my lung tumors shrunk the first 3 months on the treatment. Were Stable the following 2 months with no change, at which time (May) I was started on an immunotherapy drug (Nivolumab). At the first of August my lung tumors had shown to have grown, and so an additional immunotherapy treatment (ipilumab) was added to my Nivo infusion. Most recent brain and spinal MRI’s along with a lumbar puncture to test spinal fluid has shown that cancer cells are in my spinal fluid, and that new growths are in my brain and that the cancer has now metastasized to spinal bone.  My medical team is in the process of putting together a treatment plan for the new developments, but it appears that in the next week or so I will start whole brain radiation which is 10 days of radiation to the brain along with chemotherapy treatment administered directly to the spinal fluid through a port that will be surgically implanted in the back of my head. (sounds like fun, huh?) Because of seizures, vision issues, and treatment side effects, I have not been able to work since early February.  Due to recent progression of cancer, Melony has had to take leave from work to take me back and forth to Hospital for testing and treatment. Luckily I have a good health insurance policy, but since I am on Cobra it is very expensive. We still have office visit co-pays, parking, etc. and we have little income coming in.  As a result, our savings are diminishing quickly.