Support Adam's Battle Against Stage 3 Cancer

We are setting up this GoFundMe for our brother/brother-in-law, Adam who is currently fighting stage 3 colon cancer. Adam was diagnosed in July 2024 after going to the hospital with stomach pain. We learned that the cancer wasn't just in his colon but had also spread to the liver. Adam started chemotherapy soon after to attack the cancer. After completing 3 months of chemo, Adam was scheduled for surgery in mid-November. The plan was to remove the cancer from the liver and hopefully the colon as well.

We were told that there were three possible outcomes of this surgery. Outcome 1: They could start the surgery and see that the cancer had spread and the surgery would be ended immediately. Outcome 2: the surgeons would be able to remove the cancer from the liver. Outcome 3: the surgeons would be able to remove both the colon cancer and where it had spread to the liver. As a family, we planned for outcome 2 or 3. Our traditional Thanksgiving plan was cancelled for the year as we assumed there would be a lot of healing going on with Adam.

On November 12th, Adam went in for surgery at Mayo Clinic. Within an hour of the start of the surgery, we were told Adam was being closed up. The cancer had spread in a new direction into his peritoneal wall. The family rallied around Adam and talked about what would happen next. Adam's oncologist at the Park Nicollet Clinic has been wonderful in working on a path forward.

The best option appears to be a surgery called HIPEC (hypothermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy). HIPEC is used in conjunction with cytoreductive surgery, which removes all visible tumors from the abdominal cavity. After surgery, HIPEC uses a targeted, heated chemotherapy wash to bathe the peritoneum and surrounding organs to destroy any remaining cancer cells. Unfortunately, when this surgery was discussed with the team at Mayo, Adam was told that he would be a fringe case as the cancer is also in his colon and liver. Adam restarted chemo with the plan to be re-evaluating the HIPEC surgery with Mayo early this year.

At this time, Adam is looking into the Cleveland Clinic for at least a second opinion, if not the HIPEC surgery. Adam's local doctor wants to be more aggressive with the approach and Mayo is moving too slow. The family is looking into cancer assistance plans but any help that can be provided to help cover medical costs, travel and stays as we work to get Adam with the best medical team.