Supporting Geoff and Julie
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We all know and love Julie (Van Duzen) and Geoff Nantes. Julie and Geoff both share a love of theatre and have volunteered thousands of hours to community theatre in stage management, lighting design, production, costuming, and are loved by everyone they meet.
Julie and Geoff fell in love and planned to marry but six months before they got married, Geoff became ill and was given the devastating diagnosis of an aggressive brain cancer. He was fortunate to have amazing doctors and medications and "slayed the dragon" to be able to marry his princess. They were blessed later with their beautiful son Henry and Julie is now pregnant with Baby Boy Nantes.
After 5 years of cancer-free life Geoff, Julie and family are facing a new challenge and chapter in their lives.
On February 14, Geoff and Julie were given the diagnosis that Geoff’s cancer had come back. As Geoff had been feeling well, this came as a complete shock.
Geoff, Julie and Henry had been celebrating the news of baby number two who would be joining their family in July and they had not expected anything like this. Sadly, Julie's Mom who was an incredible support passed away last year and they are missing the support that she would have provided to the three of them if she were here.
Chemo and radiation treatments started quickly, but despite the treatments Geoff found he was suffering with more symptoms.
After a brief stay in the hospital and some more testing we have learned that Geoff is suffering from extreme swelling most likely from the intensive radiation he underwent. This reaction is rare but severe. He will no longer be able to have this life-saving treatment.
Having met with his oncology team, the best form of treatment is a chemo like infusion drug therapy, Bevacizumab or Avastin. Geoff will require 4 treatments every 3 weeks over 12 weeks. The struggle with this drug therapy is that it is not covered by OHIP or any other government grants. The family is already enrolled in the Trillium Drug Program and has drug company grants to cover the Chemo that Geoff is already on. This new drug does not fall into any of these funding categories.
Geoff’s treatments will cost around $4000 a session totaling a total of $16 000.
He needs to start this medication next week and so we must act quickly to raise funds so that he can get this chemotherapy right away.
While recovering from the first diagnosis, Geoff was unable to work. When he did return to work, Julie was then off on maternity leave. Now Geoff is unable to work again. This lovely family has been struggling on one income and their finances are drained.
There will be more costs to come with Geoff being off work and Julie's impending maternity leave (where they will have to survive on less than one income). Trips to out-of-town appointments for treatments, babysitters, and the time Julie will have to take off work to go to appointments with Geoff will add to the financial burden in addition to the $16,000
We are reaching out to you as family, friends and community to help any way that you can. No amount is too small as we work our way to our goal of $25,000. If everyone who has ever been in a show with them donated $10-20, we would reach this goal quickly.
Julie and Geoff appreciate all the love and support that they have had through this process and feel truly blessed to have such amazing friends and family.
Please, if you can help to assist this young family to get the chemotherapy that Geoff desperately needs and to helpsupport Julie, Henry and Baby Boy Nantes, we would all be forever grateful.
Julie and Geoff fell in love and planned to marry but six months before they got married, Geoff became ill and was given the devastating diagnosis of an aggressive brain cancer. He was fortunate to have amazing doctors and medications and "slayed the dragon" to be able to marry his princess. They were blessed later with their beautiful son Henry and Julie is now pregnant with Baby Boy Nantes.
After 5 years of cancer-free life Geoff, Julie and family are facing a new challenge and chapter in their lives.
On February 14, Geoff and Julie were given the diagnosis that Geoff’s cancer had come back. As Geoff had been feeling well, this came as a complete shock.
Geoff, Julie and Henry had been celebrating the news of baby number two who would be joining their family in July and they had not expected anything like this. Sadly, Julie's Mom who was an incredible support passed away last year and they are missing the support that she would have provided to the three of them if she were here.
Chemo and radiation treatments started quickly, but despite the treatments Geoff found he was suffering with more symptoms.
After a brief stay in the hospital and some more testing we have learned that Geoff is suffering from extreme swelling most likely from the intensive radiation he underwent. This reaction is rare but severe. He will no longer be able to have this life-saving treatment.
Having met with his oncology team, the best form of treatment is a chemo like infusion drug therapy, Bevacizumab or Avastin. Geoff will require 4 treatments every 3 weeks over 12 weeks. The struggle with this drug therapy is that it is not covered by OHIP or any other government grants. The family is already enrolled in the Trillium Drug Program and has drug company grants to cover the Chemo that Geoff is already on. This new drug does not fall into any of these funding categories.
Geoff’s treatments will cost around $4000 a session totaling a total of $16 000.
He needs to start this medication next week and so we must act quickly to raise funds so that he can get this chemotherapy right away.
While recovering from the first diagnosis, Geoff was unable to work. When he did return to work, Julie was then off on maternity leave. Now Geoff is unable to work again. This lovely family has been struggling on one income and their finances are drained.
There will be more costs to come with Geoff being off work and Julie's impending maternity leave (where they will have to survive on less than one income). Trips to out-of-town appointments for treatments, babysitters, and the time Julie will have to take off work to go to appointments with Geoff will add to the financial burden in addition to the $16,000
We are reaching out to you as family, friends and community to help any way that you can. No amount is too small as we work our way to our goal of $25,000. If everyone who has ever been in a show with them donated $10-20, we would reach this goal quickly.
Julie and Geoff appreciate all the love and support that they have had through this process and feel truly blessed to have such amazing friends and family.
Please, if you can help to assist this young family to get the chemotherapy that Geoff desperately needs and to helpsupport Julie, Henry and Baby Boy Nantes, we would all be forever grateful.
Organizer and beneficiary
Deanna Clatworthy-Supple
Organizer
Guelph, ON
Julie Van Duzen
Beneficiary
