Help Buddy Beat Cancer
Donation protected
Harry “Bud” Arthur is one of the most energetic, hilarious, and entertaining people you could ever meet. He’s never met a stranger and loves to chat. All of that fun and charismatic personality changed this past winter. Bud constantly felt sick but no doctor could find anything wrong with him, everything always came back perfect.
On July 8th Bud was taken to LaPorte Hospital by ambulance as he was too weak to walk down his steps for his daughter to take him. While in the emergency room they treated him for a severe urinary tract infection. His daughter, Courtney, requested they do a CT scan of his abdomen as his doctor had previously talked about it. Late that evening the ER doctor came in and said they believed the scan showed cancer of the kidney.
Bud was admitted to the hospital where he was given mass amounts of fluid to rehydrate, participated in occupational and physical therapies, and underwent several different procedures. A biopsy of the left kidney was performed as well as a chest and head CT. The biopsy and CT confirmed there is cancer. On July 13th Buddy was diagnosed with Stage IV renal cancer as well as pulmonary nodules.
There were a few options presented to Bud, Courtney, and Phil for treatment. Buddy is planning on going forward with immunotherapy to hopefully shrink the cancer and add years to his life. If no treatment is taken the doctor predicts Bud only has two to three months left to live. While the next three months we are told will be hard Bud is determined to fight and live a long life! He is a strong believer in God and knows he has all of this under control.
Initially the family was told that Bud would need to go to a rehab care facility to receive further physical therapy because he was so weak. But no, he is a fighter and asked what needed to be done so he could at least go home with his daughter and son-in-law. He met those goals and was released from the hospital on July 13th to go home with his kids. Courtney is working on getting home rehab approved through insurance to come to the house twice a week, until then Phil and Courtney are working hard making sure Bud is doing his exercises and staying as active as possible.
For the past six years Bud has worked between LaPorte and Michigan City High Schools as a paraprofessional in their Student Support Services department. You might also know him from working in produce at Kroger or Al’s. He loved his job at the high school and is so sad to know he can’t return in August. While Bud loved his job it paid just enough to cover his bills and didn’t offer health or life insurance. He does have health insurance through Healthy Indiana but it won’t help much to say the least.
Courtney is Bud’s only child and these financial responsibilities are falling on her back. She is a teacher for Michigan City Area Schools and her husband Phil is a case manager at Swanson Center and is also a full time student. In one day they flipped their very small apartment to add a living space for Bud and purchased all necessary health aids for home as insurance didn’t cover them. Courtney and Phil will do whatever it takes to make Bud comfortable during his treatment but also worry about how much time they will need to take off of work and how that will impact them financially with paying their bills, Bud’s bills, and anything he may need for treatment or otherwise.
The family realizes that this is an unprecedented time and everybody is struggling. Any type of donation is greatly appreciated. But, if you can not make a monetary donation we just ask that you lift Bud up in prayer as he begins treatment. Please specifically pray he will stay strong through treatment, the treatment will work, and Bud’s life will be prolonged.
Bud has a great outlook on all of this and his spirits are so high. The family is enjoying spending time with him and joking around just like Bud would do any other time!
On July 8th Bud was taken to LaPorte Hospital by ambulance as he was too weak to walk down his steps for his daughter to take him. While in the emergency room they treated him for a severe urinary tract infection. His daughter, Courtney, requested they do a CT scan of his abdomen as his doctor had previously talked about it. Late that evening the ER doctor came in and said they believed the scan showed cancer of the kidney.
Bud was admitted to the hospital where he was given mass amounts of fluid to rehydrate, participated in occupational and physical therapies, and underwent several different procedures. A biopsy of the left kidney was performed as well as a chest and head CT. The biopsy and CT confirmed there is cancer. On July 13th Buddy was diagnosed with Stage IV renal cancer as well as pulmonary nodules.
There were a few options presented to Bud, Courtney, and Phil for treatment. Buddy is planning on going forward with immunotherapy to hopefully shrink the cancer and add years to his life. If no treatment is taken the doctor predicts Bud only has two to three months left to live. While the next three months we are told will be hard Bud is determined to fight and live a long life! He is a strong believer in God and knows he has all of this under control.
Initially the family was told that Bud would need to go to a rehab care facility to receive further physical therapy because he was so weak. But no, he is a fighter and asked what needed to be done so he could at least go home with his daughter and son-in-law. He met those goals and was released from the hospital on July 13th to go home with his kids. Courtney is working on getting home rehab approved through insurance to come to the house twice a week, until then Phil and Courtney are working hard making sure Bud is doing his exercises and staying as active as possible.
For the past six years Bud has worked between LaPorte and Michigan City High Schools as a paraprofessional in their Student Support Services department. You might also know him from working in produce at Kroger or Al’s. He loved his job at the high school and is so sad to know he can’t return in August. While Bud loved his job it paid just enough to cover his bills and didn’t offer health or life insurance. He does have health insurance through Healthy Indiana but it won’t help much to say the least.
Courtney is Bud’s only child and these financial responsibilities are falling on her back. She is a teacher for Michigan City Area Schools and her husband Phil is a case manager at Swanson Center and is also a full time student. In one day they flipped their very small apartment to add a living space for Bud and purchased all necessary health aids for home as insurance didn’t cover them. Courtney and Phil will do whatever it takes to make Bud comfortable during his treatment but also worry about how much time they will need to take off of work and how that will impact them financially with paying their bills, Bud’s bills, and anything he may need for treatment or otherwise.
The family realizes that this is an unprecedented time and everybody is struggling. Any type of donation is greatly appreciated. But, if you can not make a monetary donation we just ask that you lift Bud up in prayer as he begins treatment. Please specifically pray he will stay strong through treatment, the treatment will work, and Bud’s life will be prolonged.
Bud has a great outlook on all of this and his spirits are so high. The family is enjoying spending time with him and joking around just like Bud would do any other time!
Organizer and beneficiary
Jillena Millington
Organizer
Huntington, IN
Courtney Barber
Beneficiary