****Update as of February 24th 2026****

Here’s an update on my Pop’s cancer fight. The new trial has been going well. He had CT scans & MRIs last week. Good news – no malignancy in the brain. But the existing tumors have not been reduced. Their expansion has been slowed considerably, so that’s a plus. He’s had his dosage upped, so hopefully progress will be noticeable in the next round of scans in six weeks.

The cancer has spread to his hip bones, which is causing a considerable amount of pain. He has appointments this week for an infusion which is supposed to relieve some of that. And he’s meeting with his radiation oncologist to set up treatments for the hips. Apparently, bones respond to radiation very well. So that could be a big improvement.

He also has some new very small tumors starting to appear on various parts of his body, but mostly on his head and face. They have been identified as malignant, so a treatment plan for those should be coming soon. All in all, he’s feeling ok, but getting weaker from fighting this battle on so many fronts.

The weekly trips to the clinic in Huntersville continue, and we hope they will for a very long time.

****Update*****

The latest update on my Pops’ cancer battle.

He got called back to the BioOncology Institute for a new trial. This one is targeted at the specific mutation his cancer is. The trial has so far been shown to be quite effective, so we’re all very happy that he could get into this one. The weekly trips to the Institute in Huntersville will begin after next week, and hopefully continue until this cancer has finally been beaten.

****Update as of October 19th 2025****

This week brought some real changes in my Pops’ cancer battle. Scans from the previous week had shown that the tumors were still growing, and the trial medications really hadn’t done what we anticipated they should have. So, he was pulled out of the trial, and chemo and radiation will start next week. Those treatments are to slow down the tumor growth, so he can get back on another trial. They met with the clinic oncologist on Thursday, and he had some very promising news to share. Pops name has been put on the list for another trial that has shown some very good results in fighting pancreatic cancer. This trial would be a weekly infusion, so the traveling to Huntersville would continue. A slot should open by the end of the year, but in the meantime, he’ll be receiving the chemo and radiation treatments. The radiation should ease the pain from the tumors on his back and chest, and the chemo should stop the spread and reduce the tumors in his lungs. Last Wednesday, a tumor on his left retina was discovered, and the chemo may help with that situation as well. This doesn’t get any easier.

****Update as of September 27th 2025****

My Pops is still putting up the good fight. My brother Todd was there a couple weeks ago to help them out and took over the driving for the week, giving my Mom a much-needed break.

Treatment #2 was this past week. It was a tough week, my folks had to drive to the clinic Monday, home Tuesday, back to the clinic Wednesday and then home again on Thursday. They’re still making the trip to the clinic at least once a week. The traveling and living out of suitcases is getting tough (and expensive - averaging $2K a month), but it's worth it. Pops has had no serious side-effects so far, and he’s still feeling pretty good. He’ll be getting scans in the coming weeks, which will hopefully show the trial drugs are working against the spread of the cancer. After four years and a couple of recurrences, surgery, radiation treatments and multiple rounds of chemo, we’re praying that this clinical trial will finally turn the tide and my Pops can kick cancer’s ass one more time.

****Update****

Latest update. My Pops started treatments this past week. And so far – so good. No serious side effects, just the fatigue that was expected. The treatments will be every three weeks for the duration, and testing/monitoring every week for a couple more cycles. And soon, the periodic scans will start in order to measure the (hopefully) progress. While the weekly trips are tedious, as my Mom says – It’s better than planning a funeral.

Thanks again for all the support for my Pops, it means the world to me.

****UPDATE As of August 27th 2025****

Here’s the latest on my Pop’s fight with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

The outpouring of love & support has been gratifying. Thank you to all.

After multiple trips to the clinic in Huntersville, NC, and more tests and more paperwork and yet more tests, he has been accepted into a clinical trial. Other good news is that recent scans have shown that the spread of the cancer has been limited, and less than had been expected. My folks will leave on Monday (9/1) to spend a week there for the initial infusion of the trial medication, and follow-up testing and monitoring. There will be weekly trips back to the clinic for the next few months. And then begins at least one trip every three weeks indefinitely, until one of three things happens:

Or

Or

****UPDATE****

An update on my Pop’s progress.

Thank you for the generous donations you’ve made so far; they are greatly appreciated!

He was rejected out of the initial clinical trial at the 11th hour due to a minor medical condition. As depressing as that was, the Institute in Charlotte has found another trial that he is eligible for. The process is now moving forward again. Starting August 18th, he and my Mom will once again be making the many required trips between home and the Institute.

The battle continues.

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My Pops has been fighting an up and down battle with pancreatic cancer for the past three years, with a recurrence in Dec 2024 and again in May of this year. In June, we learned that the cancer had metastasized to the point that it was terminal; he was given six months. He started chemo again in an attempt to extend the time left.

In July, a bit of a miracle happened; he got accepted into a very promising clinical trial. That’s the good news. The challenge is that they will be making the trip to the Carolina BioOncology Institute several times a month for the duration of the trial – which could last up to 2½ years. The Institute is in Huntersville, NC, which is a suburb of Charlotte, and a 250+ mile round trip from my parents’ home.

There will be some out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance, and there will be the ongoing travel, accommodation, and meal expenses for the multiple trips to the Institute. There is a limited amount of reimbursement available from the trial sponsor, but that will fall short of covering all the expenses.

Of course, there is no amount of money too great for my father’s life, but this is just one small burden I would like to help lift from their shoulders.