Stand By Joe Hanson

It is with an incredibly heavy heart that on behalf of my parents, I share with you all that my Step-Father, (Papa) Joe Hanson, has recently been diagnosed with Stage 4 Prostate Cancer. He has been quietly battling Prostate cancer for the past few years, but now it has come back on a much more serious and aggressive scale. If he does nothing, he has been told that he has 6 months or less remaining to his life. However, staying true to his strong-willed (and sometimes stubborn) nature, he has decided to give it his best fight. For those of you who know him, you know that he is an extraordinary human being. He is a loving and devoted Husband to his wife Barbara, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, Friend, and a die-hard Yankees fan!  He is unbelievably strong and always puts his family before himself. He is also incredibly hard-working and proud. My parents have been privately dealing with the stresses and costs from Joe’s initial Prostate Cancer diagnosis, surgeries, and treatments over the past few years, which has put a serious dent in their finances. Still, they have never asked for help. Several years ago, Joe underwent a surgery to remove the cancer, which was unsuccessful.  Now, further testing has revealed that the cancer has metastasized throughout other parts of his body and into his lymph nodes. This news came as a devastating blow to all of us. As a result, He will be having to undergo a very aggressive Chemotherapy plan to begin October 23rd in order to prolong his life and hopefully keep the cancer from spreading further. Because of this, he has been unable to work and will not be able to return to work full-time for an unknown amount of time. Unfortunately, disability does not provide full pay. Some of his medical expenses are not covered, and the cost of these treatments is staggering. In addition to the everyday necessities of life, money is getting tighter and tighter.   Joe is one of the strongest, most selfless people that I have ever known and he is always there to give his love and support or the shirt off his back to anyone who needs it. Now, it's time that we send back some of that love and support to Joe.  My goal is to help lighten the emotional and financial burden on my parents and allow Joe to focus on what’s truly important: Getting the treatments he needs to prolong his life  without having to worry about what is going to happen to his wife, their home, etc.  Anything you can do would be truly appreciated. Even if you just share this post, you are helping to spread the word. Thank you in advance for your love and support. #StandbyJoeHanson #Cancersucks  Xoxo