March 2026

In January and February my CEA (cancer tumor marker from my blood tests) has skyrocketed to almost 200 and my latest CT scan has shown quite a bit of tumor growth on both my liver and my lungs. According to my oncologist there is not much that can be done locally here in Salmon anymore.

I have been accepted into a clinical trial in Salt Lake City at the S.T.A.R.T. cancer research facility. I have a liver biopsy and then will start chemotherapy infusions weekly. So for the next projected 2 years I will be traveling to Salt Lake weekly for infusions, checkups, CT or PET scans, and biopsies. As long as I am able to tolerate the treatments, that is the plan. If I cannot tolerate treatments, they will move me over to a different clinical trial at the same facility. I am so thankful to having been accepted and am looking forward to keeping up this fight to stay around for my beautiful family.

Thank you to all for the support in this journey.

I am Nate Sandberg, 47 years old, and I've been a resident of Idaho for 15 years.

In December 2023, I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to my liver and lungs.

I had been on sick leave from work and undergone chemo in 2024 until May when I was life-flighted from Salmon to Idaho Falls for a colon blockage. I spent 4 days in the hospital before I was able to go home. Two weeks later, I was back down in Idaho Falls for the same issue, and the doctor decided to remove part of my diseased colon. They tried to do the operation robotically but ended up cutting my stomach from my navel to my pubic bone to remove and reconnect my colon.

In June, while I was recovering, I was forced to medically retire from the Lemhi County Sheriff's Office, where I had been a Deputy for 12 1/2 years.

It took quite a while before my meager pension and government disability started, so we, as a family of 5, were living on just my wife's wage (she is a Sergeant with the Lemhi County Sheriff's Office) and our savings. Although Bobbi had worked an amazing amount of overtime, we couldn't keep up with the cost of living and medical expenses. Also, I am not eligible for Medicare due to disability until December of 2025, so we are paying for my health insurance monthly at a cost of $850 since my retirement.

I have been married to Bobbi Sandberg for 7 years. We have 3 beautiful children together. Brooklyn, who is 8, and I am afraid I have made her grow up way too fast because I have depended on her to help me day to day, and also to watch and care for her brother and sister. Brice is 7 and is my amazing Little Man. Breezy is 5 and is a crazy ball of fire that I just adore.

In December of 2024, I had radiation treatments on my liver that cost over $400,000. In January, I had blood tests and a CT scan which shows that the multiple tumors on my liver and my lungs have both grown quite a bit.

After this last news, I have finally come to the point where I have to swallow my pride and ask anyone for help, whether financially or by prayers. I am trying to ease the burden on my family, and they are what matters the most to me. I do not like my wife feeling like she has to work overtime every chance she can get to ease the cost of my doctoring and trying to save money to prepare for another vehicle as both of ours have over 130,000 miles on them due to the constant trips to get my medical taken care of. There is also a savings account at Frontier Credit Union.

I thank each and every one who has been in constant contact with me through this trying time, and I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers that I have already received.