Help Support Jeff’s Recovery and Our Family Through a Medical Crisis

Hi, my name is Tina Whitaker, and asking for help is not something that comes easy for me. But right now, I have no other choice.

In January 2025, my husband Jeffrey Silverman was diagnosed with Stage 2B non-small cell squamous lung cancer. He went through 3 intense rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which took a tremendous toll on his body—but he stayed strong and pushed through.

On Monday, June 16th, Jeff underwent major surgery to have his entire left lung removed. The operation lasted over 8 hours, and he's still in the hospital with several more days to go. His recovery will be long—estimated at 6 to 12 months—and incredibly challenging. He now has to learn how to breathe using only his right lung.

Jeff also suffers from other serious health conditions, including dystonia and spinal stenosis, which make his recovery even harder. He is permanently disabled and has not been able to work since 2019. While we do have insurance, it doesn’t cover everything, and we’ve already used much of our savings to pay for additional medical expenses.

To make matters more difficult, in October we experienced a major water leak under our slab foundation, and our heat pump system completely failed. We tried to manage by turning the water off and on as needed, but with Jeff's surgery approaching and our South Carolina summer heat, we couldn’t wait any longer. We had to replace both the plumbing and HVAC system at a cost of $29,274.40—wiping out the savings we had left for Jeff’s recovery and medication.

Jeff receives a small disability payment that covers only our basic living expenses. I am self-employed and run a Facebook Live Jewelry Auction group, but since Jeff’s diagnosis, I’ve had to step back significantly from work to be his full-time caregiver.

We’re not asking for the full amount, just for any help you can offer to ease the burden of medical bills, medication, and basic necessities as we go through this difficult time. Jeff still has another year of immunotherapy ahead, along with physical therapy and follow-up care.

This is incredibly hard for me to write, but if you're able to donate—or even just share this with others—it would mean the world to us.

Thank you so much for your kindness, prayers, and support.

With gratitude,

Tina Whitaker