Help Cousin Jake Fight Throat Cancer

My name is Lizzy Vardaman, and I'm starting a fundraiser for my cousin, Jake Burton, in support of his medical expenses for throat cancer in the lymph nodes.

As most of you are aware, cancer sucks with a nuclear-grade suckage that extends to every aspect of the lives of patients, caregivers, and loved ones. We can attest to the emotional toll, financial burden, social isolation that ensues, to say nothing of the debilitating physical impact, and cancer’s exquisite talent for generally wrecking all of your plans.

Our family has been “in the suck” for a while now, with several family members struggling with this dreaded illness. More recently, on March 8, my cousin Jake Burton was diagnosed with throat cancer in the lymph nodes, a battle that by all accounts is quite winnable, but at an overwhelming financial expense. Starting a fundraiser for Jake to support the expenses of his treatment is one of the few things within my span of control.

Jake is an artist and entrepreneur with 2 sons and a daughter. He married his long-time love, Nicole, in 2022 and is now stepfather to 3 more beautiful children. Jake started his own tattoo parlor in Galveston, TX, Broadway Tattoo 2 years ago. His business is now thriving, but without employer health insurance, his medical bills and time out of work will total over $250k, which could be financially devastating.

Thankfully, Jake’s prognosis is positive, but he will require a complex and costly surgery that includes a tonsillectomy and modified radical neck dissection, removing not only the cancer in the lymph nodes but surrounding tissue in the mouth and throat. He needs the surgery within the next few weeks or it will greatly increase the chances of recurrence. Following surgery, he'll need to spend at least 5 days in the hospital and then 6 weeks of rest at home to recover. Jake will also need at least 1 round of radiation treatment after recovery from surgery, which will means another 8+ weeks out of work to recoup.

Jake lost his father and my uncle Butch to cancer, as well as his beloved aunt Joan, my mother. His dear brother Sam, who lives in Canada, is sadly nearing the end with a very aggressive matastatic pancreative cancer. Jake's cancer is preventing him from traveling to see his brother in his final days.

I expect many of you aren't strangers to cancer either. In general, our family has demonstrated a tremendous capacity for steadfastly weathering the tough times to get to the next miracle, moment of joy or triumph, or just the next good belly laugh. Now we must exercise the courage to ask for help, to support Jake as he undergoes his own struggles with cancer, while remaining a devoted family man and friend. I sincerely hope you will consider donating to the cause of assisting this family of solid gold humans, unfairly hit hard. I encourage you to share Jake's story with your network.