I originally started this campaign to help with expenses associated with a total pneumonectomy of my right lung, that was performed at Memorial Sloan Kettering, in May of last year - 2024. This campaign continues because, though we removed the lung and a portion of my pleural lining, some small amount of cancer remained. And now the cancer is growing again!

I’m continuing this campaign with the goal of being able to afford a costly procedure, recommended by my Oncologist, that isn’t yet covered by my insurance.

Donations, and reshares of my campaign, are deeply appreciated as I continue to strive to reach the goal.

2024 started out fairly well, all things considered, but descended into a harrowing journey including a lung removal surgery, a near-fatal cardiac tamponade, job loss, and the confirmation that the cancer was growing again, all while relying on insurance coverage and your generous donations to get me through. I’m hoping, with your help (and my medical team of course), that in 2025 we finally find a way to put my cancer into remission. Please help with a reshare or donation.

Thank you!

Who am I, and why help?

A Former Teacher’s Story:

tl;dr(summary): I like helping people, and I want to continue helping people. My right lung has been removed, but the cancer is growing again, so I’m humbly asking for help to afford a personalized care option.

In January of 2023, I began my first cohort as Lead Instructor of Web Development at Ironhack Miami. It was the most meaningful professional experience of my life.

Why?

First, and perhaps most importantly, I recognized that people didn’t come to me just to learn new skills. People came to Ironhack to change their lives!

Recognizing that early, and promising to meet people at that moment, during their life change, and give them my absolute best, was the most meaningful professional work I’ve ever done.

Students came to me knowing they had greater potential, with a dream, but needing some kind of conduit through which they could fully discover that potential, and pivot into more fulfilling jobs that could lead them toward their dreams.

I met students who came to me working in retail/hospitality/etc., and after 9 weeks with me, they left as Junior Software Engineers and Web Developers! It was an amazing thing to witness! I’m not taking credit for their hard work. And believe me, the work was hard. However, having the opportunity to participate in someone’s life change, and giving my all to HELP, has been the pride of my life.

Continuing the dream:

I’m hoping to take things a step further.

I share a dream with some of my Alumni to build a company of our own. If I live long enough for this to come to fruition, and the company succeeds, my mission to help people change their lives and realize their dreams will have come full circle. I will have gone from training Ironhackers to hiring Ironhackers. It will be a wonderful thing! I am excited for what the future could bring!

Now, you may have noticed, perhaps I am “burying the lead” as they say. Why on earth, despite everything else I’ve been doing, did they remove my right lung?!?!

Well…. This is where it gets complicated.

Here is a fact of human life: 1 of every 2 people in their lives will be diagnosed with cancer. Usually that diagnosis is late in life and, these days, it’s caught early or is something easy to deal with. However, on occasion, people in the prime of their working years may receive that diagnosis as well.

On a weekend during a break between my first and second cohorts, I went to the Emergency Room feeling like I couldn’t get enough air. They discovered my right lung was collapsed and, to make this part of the story short, through various tests and procedures they discovered I’d developed a Squamous Cell Carcinoma in my right main stem bronchus. Lung Cancer. At my age?! What are the chances? Very slim. But it is real, and it’s something I’ve been dealing with since March of 2023.

The cancer “journey” is a roller coaster. I sincerely wouldn’t wish it on anybody. I’ve been through multiple rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, I’ve developed pneumonia twice, and have had my entire right lung removed. I’ve had my share of ups and downs.

Some have been surprised that, despite all of that, I’d decided to continue working. There is a practical reason for that, I had to pay the bills. Of course. Like all of us.

But this gets to another reason why my role at Ironhack was the most meaningful role in my life. Despite my battle, it gave me purpose. It kept me from falling into despair, and focused on helping people realize their dreams.

My students saw me completely bald at times, and with a nice head of hair at others. They saw me feeling a little “icky” from time to time, to say the least. However, despite it all, I remained fully committed to their success. And I was glad to have the opportunity to continue doing my work.

Now, despite having my right lung removed, my cancer has proven resistant to everything that has been attempted. Some cancer remained after the procedure and is now growing again.

The intent of the lung removal was to be “curative”. To leave me free of disease, and free to continue pursuing my dreams and helping others to pursue theirs. That turned out not to be the case.

My case has left my medical team struggling for answers at times and struggling to find ways to keep me alive at others. One thing I’ve been advised to pursue is personalized treatment (not yet covered by insurance) if I can find a way to afford it. I described this procedure, and associated costs, in full detail in Update 5, on September 10th, 2024.

This is why I’ve set my fundraising goal so high. I would like to, at least, get close enough to paying for the personalized treatment so that I can perhaps take out a personal loan to cover the rest.

My humble ask:

Assistance in helping me afford this one-of-a-kind personalized care option.

As we all know, healthcare in the US can be quite costly.

If you have the means and would like to donate to help, any amount will be gratefully appreciated. If you are unable to help, please share this campaign (here or on any social network). Or maybe, just pray for my healing.

As I said at the beginning, I like helping people, and I want to continue helping people.

I don’t want to die. Every person’s death is a tragedy. When a young person dies though, dreams die too. Let’s keep the dream alive, and me too please.

Humbly and with gratitude,

Dustin Hurtt