For many years Christopher Appelman has contributed to his community through his work and devotion to organic farming at Stone Hollow Homestead. He and his two girls have been a unique presence at the local farmer’s market here and all throughout the Midwest Driftless Region.

Two years ago Christopher was diagnosed with 3rd Stage Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the neck, throat and nose. With a Stage 3 diagnosis there was little room for option and a strong need for action. His team of doctors in Iowa City left him with a terrifying treatment plan and his disease left him with a financial and housing crisis. He scrambled to pick up the pieces and underwent a treatment plan that supported his body through 24 weeks of chemotherapy and 6 weeks of radiation. Christopher also received Intravenous IV therapy to aid in the defense and rebuilding/ repair of his body during chemotherapy.

He had an amazing, brief recovery period and returned home to spend some time with his girls. Sadly however, in October of last year his Oncology team informed him that there was a recurrence of his cancer and that he had a new lesion in the right posterior nasopharyngeal cavity. In the past several months he has endured endless rounds of 3 separate chemotherapy regimens, immunotherapy, radiation and IV Therapy. This week he was informed the treatment was not working as they hoped and that he would need to have the surgery to remove the mass immediately.

As I type this, Christopher is in Rochester, Minnesota at the Mayo Clinic with his primary Oncology team undergoing a 10 hour surgery to remove the mass.

While some of his treatment is covered by insurance, he is still very weak and unable to work. Additionally, insurance does not cover the intravenous IV therapy that gives his body the strength it needs to endure the radiation. Without the help of insurance Christopher is unable to cover the necessary payments to continue his IV Therapy treatment.

Even before surgery, after the many rounds of extensive chemotherapy and immunotherapy - his body was very weak.

He has been unbelievably brave throughout all of this, but he will truly need all of the help he can possibly receive to recover after his surgery today in order to complete the rest of his treatment.

Whether you are able to donate or simply share that link with your community, please know that every gesture of kindness provides him and his daughters with more than just financial relief - it provides hope.

If you are unable to donate, please just leave a simple word of encouragement or support for him here. You never know what a little extra love can do.

He and his daughters are endlessly grateful for all of the love and support you have shown to him in the beginning of his journey with this horrific disease. Your compassion could truly provide him with the strength to keep going and the resources to focus entirely on healing.

Thank you for standing with Christopher, in this fight.