Support Van’s Road to Recovery ❤️

Our 17-year-old nephew, Van, was recently diagnosed with a localized pulmonary carcinoid tumor - something we never expected to hear.

What makes this even more surreal is how it was found.

Van had been off and on vomiting and just not feeling right for a few weeks - usually in the mornings, and just not going away over time. Then, just over a week ago, he noticed something incredibly unusual - his neck felt like bubble wrap under the skin. This is called crepitus, and it’s a rare finding caused by air escaping into places it shouldn’t be. It was that moment - something so unexpected and uncommon - that led doctors to dig deeper. What started as a trip to his pediatrician, led to heading to the emergency room in Green Bay, and then his (and mom's) first ambulance ride down to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

Up until then, they were "just" waiting on a GI consult and assuming this was related to anxiety or stomach issues. Cancer was not even on any radar.

Because of that rare symptom, imaging was done - and that’s when they discovered a mass in his airway.

The good news is that it appears localized, and doctors are optimistic that with full removal, his long-term outlook is very positive. We are holding onto that.

That said, the road ahead won’t be easy.

Van is facing:

• A major surgery involving his airway/lung

• A significant recovery period

• Time away from school, friends, and normal teenage life

• Ongoing follow-ups and imaging

We’re starting this fundraiser to help support Van through this time. Funds will go toward:

• Travel to and from appointments and surgery (gas, food, etc.)

• Comfort items during recovery

• Missed income and unexpected expenses

• Helping make this difficult time a little easier for him

In our family, strength isn’t rare - it’s in every single one of us…including Van.

Hard things will always show up in our lives (and honestly, it’s been a lot too often), but there will NEVER be something that will keep us down or tear us apart. And we owe a THANK YOU to all of our friends and loved ones, for always standing by us and helping us through it all.

If you’re able to donate, share, or even just send support, it truly means the world to our family.

Thank you for surrounding Van with love and strength as he takes on this fight.

❤️