Hello, my name is Paisley & this is my baby sister, Avry. Together with my grandma, grandpa, aunts, and uncles, we're starting this GoFundMe page on behalf of our daddy. We felt our last attempt at a fundraiser with Better World was not a success due to the informality of the organization. Thank you for taking the time to read and help our biggest hero we call daddy!

While out on the road, supporting mommy, Avry, and me, daddy noticed a seemingly small irritation under his right arm while driving home from a cattle run to Texas. What initially started as a dime-sized irritation quickly turned into something far more serious.

Within five days, the spot turned into a lump 10 times its original size! Daddy went to the ER, expecting it to be a simple cyst and have it drained so he could go back to playing and chasing us. However, after an ultrasound, instead of a cystic structure able to be drained, a solid vascular mass was found. Since the ER doctor was unable to remove it then, he had my daddy see his primary doctor. After further imaging (complete ultrasound and CT), even more concerning results showed abnormal lymph node involvement and a large lesion that required surgical removal. He was immediately referred to a surgeon. He had the mass removed on October 3rd and was sent home to recover and snuggle me and sissy.

When results came back, the news was devastating. They told daddy it was a high-grade, poorly differentiated, aggressive carcinoma with lymph-vascular involvement. However, it would still take longer for pathology to be clear on what exact type it was or where the cancer started from. His surgeon immediately referred him to Mayo and after what seemed like an eternity, he was finally able to be seen on November 4th and 5th.

I got to go with mommy and daddy to see his new doctor and to hold daddy's hand when he had more tests. I even got to have fun and play in the pool, but his new doctor had even scarier news. Daddy has a very rare, high-grade, aggressive cancer with rapid nodular progression. Apocrine Gland Adenocarcinoma... a cancer in his sweat glands! (Fewer than a few hundred cases worldwide reported)

Due to its already rapid growth and the cancer's high potential of spreading metastasis, treatment needs to start right away, but this is where it gets even more tricky. Daddy is a self-employed superhero (AKA- Truck Driver) who didn't have health insurance when this all started. After his surgery, he was able to get insurance, but now they are fighting his coverage and saying that Mayo is "out of network." But Mayo doesn't even want him to have any of his treatments (chemo, radiation, & further surgery) outside of Mayo Rochester due to the rarity and "complexity" of his case.

It has been nothing but phone calls back and forth with hospitals, doctors, insurance, and case workers, and it has become very overwhelming for daddy as the mass continues to grow each day. Mommy is a stay-at-home mommy and daddy is the sole source of income for us. But now, for over a month, and the foreseeable future, daddy isn't able to work. The progression of this tumor has made it near impossible to move his right (dominant) arm, he is in extreme pain, and continues to get new symptoms as the tumor grows. So this is where I ask you to help my daddy as the medical bills, travel expenses, and cost of day-to-day living keep mounting up. Daddy is trying so hard to be brave and not to worry but he needs help!

How can you help?