Hello, my name is Andrea Switzer and I am one of Stephanie's best friends.  I am starting a go fund me page for my dear friend and her fiance that have to deal with something  that all of us pray to never be faced with, cancer.  Back in October of 2013 Ron started having seizures, it took several months to learn what was going on and in April of 2014 Ron was told he had two tumors in his brain and that surgery needed to be done.  April 15th, 2014 Ron had brain surgery and was diagnosed with Glioblastoma (GBM), brain cancer.  Glioblastomas (GBM) are tumors that arise from astrocytes—the star-shaped cells that make up the “glue-like,” or supportive tissue of the brain. These tumors are usually highly malignant (cancerous) because the cells reproduce quickly and they are supported by a large network of blood vessels. 
This diagnosis described this type of cancer as the fastest growing brain cancer and that it is terminal, there is NO cure.  Ron and Steph's world had been turned upside down as they were blindsided with the news.  Stephanie and Ron were only 32 years old at the time of his diagnosis.  For six weeks after his surgery Ron recieved a chemotherapy and radiation combination treatment, then received chemo for an entire year after that, along with scans of his brain once a month to make sure nothing was growing back.  The doctors gave Ron a prognosis of 14 to 16 months, but he surpassed that and was doing very well, so they thought.   Things were going great for Steph and Ron and they were planning to move forward with their life and got engaged November 20, 2015.  We all were so excited and beyond ecstatic for Ron and Steph to move forward and to have as normal of a life as they could.  A lot of us thought miracles happen daily, maybe he has beaten the odds. We prayed to God he had beaten the odds.  On December 4th, 2015 I received a phone call that they were headed to the ER due to Ron having some numbness in his right leg and him having trouble walking, this later resulted in him being admitted into the hospital.   On December 7th Ron had several scans done and were told that the cancer had spread to his spinal fluid and that his entire spine was diseased and that they had seen spots in the brain where the tumors had been removed once before. The cancer on the spine is consdiered Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis (LC). LC is a rare complication of cancer in which the disease spreads to the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.  LC occurs in appoximately 5% of people with cancer and is terminal.  If left untreated, median survival is 4 to 6  weeks.  On December 9th, I had received a phone call that Ron had spoken with his Drs. and that they felt the best option was to admit Ron into Hospice care.  The Drs. did not believe that radiation or chemo would extend the quality of his life as a matter of fact they didn't know if his body could handle it at all.  On December 10th, Ron was admitted into Hopsice care.  As of now Ron has no feeling from the chest down and is in a wheel chair.   He has been put on oxygen to help keep his levels where they need to be.  If Ron loses the ability to use his arms he will then have to go to a hospice house where he can recieve 24 hour care by a nursing staff.     All of this  has happened so fast, one moment things are great so they think, and then again blindsided by some excruciating news to hear.  
  As someone who loves Steph and Ron dearly I am asking for any and all of your help.  This young couple had just begun to start their life together when their world had been rocked and they are entirely too young to have to deal with any of this. Ron and Steph have been together now for 7 years and have committed their love to each other in the most special way.  Stephanie is a nail tech and works full time and Ron hasn't been able to work for quite some time due to his health.  Bills, and expenses do not stop when things like this happen unfortunately and my wish for Stephanie and Ron is that they can spend as much time together as possible for the remaining days, weeks, or months left of his life.  I have never seen such heartache  in my life and I can only ask and beg you to help this young couple out.  These funds will help with all the bills that come along with having a home, the pile of medical bills that comes along with this disease, unexpected expenses in trying times such as this and funeral expenses when the time comes.  Stephanie is one of the most important people in my life and I cannot explain to you how much heartache and pain she and Ron have been in along with their family and friends.  I want her to have as much time as needed with Ron and to not have  to stress being at work so much to make ends meet. I cannot wrap my head around what they are going through and this is the only way I know to help.  Please if you can any at all donate to my dear friend and her fiance so they can enjoy the little time they have left together with as little stress as possible.  
             For those of you that have helped or that will, I cannot thank you enough from the bottom of my heart for helping Ron and Steph.  This will mean the world to them as they would NEVER ask for any help, but that's where friends step in and ask for them!!  Thank you again and please share with all you know-I love my Steph and her and Ron need our help!

With Sincere Thanks,
Andrea Switzer