Tom Messer is a pillar of our community — someone who shows up for others without hesitation. Now, Tom and his son, Odin Watsonmesser and the Watsonmesser family, need our support as they navigate an incredibly difficult and overwhelming chapter.

Since November, Odin began experiencing persistent headaches that led to multiple visits to doctors and the emergency room. On December 15th, a CT scan at Saanich Peninsula Hospital revealed swelling in his brain. Further testing, including a spinal tap and MRI, confirmed the presence of a mass.

Odin was transferred to the Neurosciences Unit at Victoria General Hospital, where he spent five days undergoing additional evaluation and monitoring. Doctors initially suspected the mass was a form of glioma tumor. Odin was released home for Christmas so the family could spend time together.

In the new year, Odin met with Neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Hentschel regarding next steps. On January 19th, Dr. Hentschel recommended a biopsy, which took place the following week. The procedure was successful, and Odin is in recovery.

On February 3rd, the pathology results confirmed that Odin has a grade 2 Astrocytoma — a diffuse Glioma brain tumor that has spread throughout a large portion of his right temporal lobe. The tumor being grade 2 and the genetic markers in Odin's specific tumor mean it is slower growing, but still very serious and life threatening in the long term. Doctors have advised that it has likely been growing in his brain for years at this point.

The next step is a major surgery: a craniotomy scheduled for Monday, February 9th. During this procedure, surgeons will remove as much of the tumour as possible, along with a portion of Odin’s temporal lobe, while working carefully to minimize long-term effects. One of the primary concerns is potential vision loss.

Following surgery, Odin is facing a long road to recovery, including further treatment such as radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy. Throughout this time, Tom has been and will continue to be Odin’s primary caregiver. Both Tom and Odin have already missed many weeks of work, resulting in significant loss of income.

Funds raised through this GoFundMe will help support:

• Post-surgery recovery and rehabilitation costs

· Travel to and from Victoria

• Overnight accommodations during treatment and recovery

• Loss of wages and missed work

• Ongoing treatment-related expenses

Any contribution, no matter the size, will help ease the financial stress so this family can focus on healing and being together. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this page or holding Tom and Odin in your thoughts means more than words can say.

Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and support during this time.