Stand by our side to help Justin fight cancer

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for being SO generous during this difficult time. It has helped Justin, Debra, and baby Alexander very much.

Justin is about to undergo an extremely complex surgery with 4 surgeons; a liver surgeon, colorectal surgeon, urologist, and plastic surgeon. This will take about 10 hours in the operating room. Justin will be in the hospital for a minimum of 2 weeks and then recovering at home for 6-8 weeks.

Financially, this is going to mean that Justin cannot work during that time. He will NOT ask for help, but his big sister will (that's me). Anything you can contribute will make a big difference in reducing the stress and anxiety of the upcoming weeks and months.

Thank you again for your generosity.

My little brother Justin is extremely private and is conditioned to handle things on his own without asking for help. As his big sister, I am asking you for support, help, and prayers. I have promised to do whatever I can to make things better.

As you may recall, he suffered from ulcerative colitis which ultimately lead to surgery to correct any damaged parts of his intestines and colon and left him hospitalized for 4 weeks. Once he recovered from his surgery and adjusted to his new way of living he made an incredible comeback. He gained weight, was feeling good, and could finally enjoy food and living mostly pain-free. Justin was able to focus on working full-time for the hospital and seeking his bachelor's degree in cyber security.

Justin was ready to start chasing his dream with his wife, Debra, becoming parents. After their first loss in July of 2020 and years of trying to conceive, they realized they needed some intervention. Justin and Debra used their life savings for treatment and they had just one chance to make their dreams a reality. Imagine gambling all of your chips on one bet and watching the dice roll to determine your fate. Their prayers were answered and they are now almost 6 months pregnant with a baby boy due in August.

Fast-forward to today - Justin hasn’t been feeling well for a while – vomiting, weight loss, sleepless nights, and excruciating pain. My brother has been suffering in silence trying to spare us all. Finally, enough was enough and he saw a doctor to determine the cause of his pain. After weeks of testing the doctors found that what little of his colon is growing a large tumor and is Stage III cancer.

Justin and Debra along with his doctors have a plan of action which includes radiation and chemotherapy through a port in his chest to shrink the tumor. Once the tumor has shrunk it can be removed and he should be cancer free. Unfortunately, while he is undergoing radiation treatment, he and Debra will not be able to be near each other until this part of the process is completed. Imagine going through the last part of your pregnancy without being able to see your significant other, just through Facetime. We are unsure of the timing, but this is the plan right now.

While undergoing treatment, Debra will be able to continue to work as a third-teacher until her maternity leave in August. With only 6 weeks of maternity leave, she will be taking a short leave of absence to raise their newborn without full income. Justin will be on medical leave with no income and medical bills piling up, and a baby on the way in 4 months. My brother is 39 years old with a baby on the way and Stage III cancer. Typing this brings me to uncontrollable sobbing. Anything you can spare to help my family will help tremendously. Sending peace and love. Angela