UPDATE: February 2026.

After completing 12 intense weeks of chemotherapy between October and December 2025, the out-of-pocket cost for treatment alone totaled nearly $55,000—excluding the many additional medical bills incurred along the way. The membership-share insurance policy has been an ongoing challenge, and disputes over remaining expenses between Cooper Hospital and the insurance provider are still unresolved.

Thankfully, during January 2026’s Open Enrollment, we were finally able to secure a new insurance policy, giving us hope that future medical costs will be far more manageable. While Carlo’s journey is far from over, recent scans brought encouraging news: the nearly 10 cm mass has responded to chemotherapy and has been reduced by more than half, now measuring approximately 4 × 5 cm.

Carlo is scheduled to undergo a major surgery—open RPLND—at the end of February. There is still a long road to recovery ahead for Carlo and his family, and your continued support truly means more than words can express.

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SEPTEMBER 2025: For those who know my brother, Carlo Drogo, you know the kind of man he is — a devoted husband, a loving father to his three beautiful sons, and a respected, hardworking leader in the South Jersey Real Estate community as both a Broker-Salesperson and Team Leader. Throughout his career, Carlo has always been known for his generosity — continuously giving back through donations, sponsorships, and support for countless organizations, events, and fundraisers across South Jersey.

On Wednesday, September 4th, Carlo began experiencing severe back pain, which he initially assumed was a kidney stone. Sadly, after a series of tests, he received the devastating news no one ever wants to hear: “It’s cancer.”

Initial CAT scans revealed a 7.7 cm mass in his psoas muscle, pressing on his aorta and causing a 70% blockage of his left kidney, which required the placement of a nephrostomy tube. A biopsy soon confirmed the diagnosis — Stage 3 Non-Seminoma Germ Cell Testicular Cancer (NSGCT).

Chemotherapy is the first step to shrink the tumors before any surgical procedures can take place. After consulting with specialists, Carlo was scheduled for a Chemo Port placement on September 23rd at MD Anderson Cooper, but his insurance company delayed approval, missing the surgery deadline. After waiting an additional week, Carlo ultimately had to commit pay out of pocket to have the Port placed on September 30th, with chemotherapy now rescheduled for October 6th, a week later than planned.

Then, on Friday, October 3rd, after being admitted to the hospital with a 103°F fever earlier that week, Carlo learned that his chemotherapy scheduled for Monday had been canceled — once again due to insurance delays. Unfortunately, the most recent CAT scan now shows the psoas mass has grown to over 9 cm, and his tumor markers have increased by nearly 20%.

Despite paying high monthly insurance premiums for several years now, Carlo recently discovered that his health insurance is actually a “Member-Share” type policy, which functions differently from traditional insurance. This means most treatments are considered out-of-network, leaving Carlo to fight for coverage or pay out-of-pocket to continue treatment. Because of ongoing delays and lack of cooperation between the insurance and Cooper Hospital, Carlo currently has no choice but to self-fund his chemotherapy to stay on schedule.

So far, he has already incurred a $7,759 bill for the Chemo Port placement, and his 28 chemotherapy sessions (4 full rounds) are expected to cost nearly $55,000 for medications alone — not including numerous specialist visits, hospital stays across three different facilities this past month alone, CT and PET scans, and extensive lab work.

Throughout his career, Carlo has always given generously — supporting others in need, whether through his business or community outreach. Now, it’s our turn to show that same support for him. Because his immune system is compromised, accepting food donations isn’t possible at this time, but any financial contribution, no matter how small, will make a meaningful difference for Carlo, his wife, and their boys as they navigate this incredibly difficult journey.

Carlo would never ask for help himself — but as his family, we are doing so on his behalf. The costs of treatment and uncertainty surrounding future healthcare options have created a significant financial burden.

Every donation, no matter the amount, will go a long way and will be deeply appreciated by our entire family. From the bottom of our hearts — thank you for your support, prayers, and love for Carlo during this challenging time.