Three months ago, the biggest thing on Jacob's mind was making weight for his next wrestling match and finally getting his driver's license. He's 16, a junior in high school in Folsom, California, and the kind of kid who's always in motion whether on the mat, behind the wheel of the car he just earned the keys to, or in the middle of the good-natured chaos with his three siblings.

Then everything changed.

Jacob was recently diagnosed with a rare and aggressive bone cancer in his pelvis (chondroblastic osteosarcoma). In a matter of days, his world went from wrestling practice and weekend plans to body scans and week-long inpatient chemotherapy treatments. He is fighting hard, and he is doing it with more courage than most of us could imagine, but this is a long, difficult road, and his family can't walk it alone.

What Jacob is facing

Jacob is currently going through chemotherapy. In September, he'll travel to The MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, for a major surgery to remove roughly half of his pelvis in the hopes of completely removing the cancer. It's a complex operation requiring a team of surgeons and doctors. He will be in the hospital for 4 weeks in Houston and an additional 2 weeks as he begins significant physical therapy to enable walking again. After that, he faces roughly six more months of chemotherapy, on top of a long and demanding physical recovery as he works to rebuild his strength and mobility.

For an athlete like Jacob, the physical challenge ahead is enormous. But if you know him, you know he doesn't back down from a fight.

Why we're asking for help

Jacob lives with his mom, Carrie, his older brother, Caleb, his twin sister, Becca, and his younger sister, Abbie. To be at Jacob's side through surgery and the long weeks of recovery in Houston, Carrie will need to take an extended leave of absence from her job and travel across the country to be with him. That leaves the family facing several heavy burdens at once: Jacob's medical costs that insurance does not cover, the expense of traveling to and staying in Houston, and the loss of the income their family of five depends on.

No family should have to choose between being there for their child and keeping their household afloat. That's why we're reaching out.

Every gift helps carry them through:

How you can help

If you're able to give, anything at all makes a real difference and goes directly toward Jacob's care and his family's stability during this time.

If you're not in a position to donate, you can help just as much by sharing this page with your friends, family, and networks. Every share widens the circle of people standing with Jacob.

And if you'd simply like to send a message of encouragement, please do. Jacob and his family read every one, and knowing this community is with them means more than words can say.

Thank you for taking the time to read Jacob's story, for your generosity, and for helping this family focus on what matters most right now: getting Jacob through this and back on his feet.

With gratitude, Jacob's family