Support Jesse's Family Through His Cancer Journey

Update July 2025

Unfortunately, earlier this spring, Jesse experienced a major setback in his cancer recovery—a recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma in his chin. The doctors initially missed the recurrence with a negative biopsy, but another tumor grew at an accelerated rate. Jesse is now undergoing chemotherapy to shrink the tumor in preparation for surgery. The surgery will involve removing his chin and replacing it with a plate made in Germany. He will also need several skin grafts. This is all contingent on whether he is a candidate for the procedure. The chemotherapy needs to shrink the tumor before the surgeons can operate.

Jesse was the primary provider for a family of five, and now he is fighting for his life. He was only able to work for about 2 months before the cancer came back. They weren't even close to getting back on their feet again. Please help Jesse and his family with living expenses and medical bills. Anything helps. If you are unable to make a monetary donation we appreciate prayers. Sharing this link is also helpful. God Bless you all. Thank you.

We know some people prefer to VENMO donations. If you prefer VENMO you can send donations to me, and I will make sure they get them. My VENMO is @kimberly-reedavalos last 4 digits of phone number are 1395.

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My sweet cousin Jesse was diagnosed with cancer in October at the age of 44. He had a large tumor in his cheek and lower jaw. After multiple CT scans, he was confirmed to have stage 4 cancer because it had already spread to some lymph nodes in his neck. Doctors wanted to act quickly, as he was in a very dangerous situation. He had surgery in early November. During the surgery, the doctors successfully removed the tumor from his cheek and jawbone and removed 57 lymph nodes from his neck. He was in ICU for several days and then moved to a hospital room for several more days. When he finally got to go home, he had to take his feeding tube with him, as his mouth needed to stay closed to help him heal. He returned to work shortly after the feeding tube was removed and even picked up a second job to help get their finances back in order after such a long break from work. He has still been in excruciating pain, but continued to work these jobs, as he has always worked very hard for his family.

Earlier this week, he spoke with doctors about what treatment comes next. He was devastated to learn that he will start radiation on Dec. 16, and that he will go every weekday (M-F) for 5 weeks in a row. We don’t know what side effects he will have from the radiation until he starts. However, the doctors have advised that they could be severe since the radiation will be on his head. What devastated Jesse the most was learning that he will not be able to work while he is undergoing radiation treatment.

Jesse takes great pride in doing whatever it takes to care for his family and make sure they are happy and healthy. As you can imagine, his situation is causing overwhelming anxiety, as he is scared for his own health but even more scared for what will happen to his family. He has a beautiful wife, two young children (ages 5 and 8), and a stepson (age 16).

As Christmas nears, we know it is a difficult time for everyone, but we are asking for donations to ensure they do not lose their housing. Medical bills are mounting, and he is only beginning his cancer journey. The smallest donations can certainly add up. We would also like to ask for prayers for strength, that Jesse can get through these treatments and go on to live a long and full life. His greatest prayer right now is to at least be able to watch his children grow into adults.

Thank you for taking the time to read his story; we appreciate it. We wish you a safe and happy holiday season. God bless!