Support James' Battle with Pancreatic Cancer

I never missed any of my son’s basketball games. But on this particular day, I had to work late. He looked in the stands, and I wasn’t there. I didn’t make it to the game. A week later, he said, “Why didn’t you come to my game last Thursday.” I said that’s the only game I missed, and your dad has missed a lot of games. He said, "But moms do everything, and that’s who we look for in the stands." I never forgot that. Moms always want to do everything for their children. We are their advocates, and I am his. Right now, all I can think about is how I can help my son focus on his healing so that he can get back to life – his family, his work, and his passions.

James was born in San Diego, California, and raised in the Washington metropolitan area. His passion for basketball began when he was eight years old while playing on local recreation center teams. He excelled in AAU basketball until attending Mount Zion Christian Academy (MZCA) in Durham, NC. After graduating from MZCA, James attended Fayetteville State University on a basketball scholarship.

James comes from a long line of athletes and has always been healthy. Imagine our shock when we learned that he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer! As you can imagine, we were immediately distraught over this diagnosis for such a young, healthy and vibrant father, son, grandson, brother, cousin, nephew and friend.

When the news broke, always the optimist, James responded by saying, "Hey guys, I am now living with cancer, and I feel great.” As a family, we had to embrace this sentiment, so we rallied together in optimism and resilience.

James is now being treated with a trial medicine and a personalized care team with Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at the Phoenix, AZ, location. James' care plan, from treating the disease to managing related side effects, is designed to meet his needs and treatment goals. His care team includes a medical and radiation oncologist to treat cancer and a dietitian and pain management physician to help manage the side effects, reduce the risk of treatment delays, and improve his overall quality of life.

The journey ahead for James will be dedicated to fighting the disease so that he can continue creating more memories with loved ones. This unexpected hurdle in life comes with enormous financial challenges that our family could not have imagined. James is a doting father and is used to being a provider. It is difficult for him to be in this place, in need. We are rallying together to help him financially so that he can focus on healing. We need your support because James is unable to work. There are medical bills that are not covered by insurance, transportation from Maryland to Arizona once a month, and of course, the general cost of living.

James is the father of a beautiful 11-year-old daughter Leah and an equally handsome 5-year-old son Gabriel. This GoFundMe has been started to support James and the children's journey ahead of them.

We ask for your support and help us help James Golden, III focus on healing from pancreatic cancer! We appreciate you in advance. The Family!