Let's Help Jakob Fight Melanoma Cancer

Tuesday, January 10, 2023, may not have been too eventful for most of us. But, it is a date that will be long remembered for my nephew and Godson, Jakob Chromey; his parents Chris and Kelly Chromey; his sisters Alisha Thompson and Gracie Chromey; his brother Colton Chromey; and the rest of his extended family and friends back in Minnesota. Jakob is in his fourth year at Georgia State University and was living on campus in Atlanta. His major is Film and Media and he will also have a minor in Political Science. He is looking forward to one day working in the film industry which is thriving in the Atlanta area.

Quite often, Chris and Jakob play various video games remotely from their respective homes. Late in the evening on January 10th, Chris was wondering if Jakob was going to get a game going. Jakob called Chris around 10:30 PM and all he said was, “Come get me.” Chris grabbed his car keys and flew out the door, figuring he would call Kelly as soon as he could. In good traffic, it takes about 40 minutes to drive from Chris and Kelly’s home in Lawrenceville to downtown Atlanta. During the drive, Chris was able to gather more info from Jakob. Jakob could not move his left arm and was losing feeling in his left leg. Chris told Jakob to get near the lobby entrance to ensure the EMTs find him quickly. The EMTs were called and so was Kelly, who until that call was unaware of what was transpiring as she was upstairs in bed reading a book.

EMTs transported Jakob to nearby Grady Hospital and he immediately underwent tests, scans and diagnostics. It was determined that Jakob had a brain bleed and needed emergency surgery to remove a tumor. By this time, the rest of the extended family was informed of what was happening, and Jakob’s siblings who live in Virginia Beach (Alisha and Colton) were en route. On this day, God was receiving an unusual amount of prayers for a certain young man in Atlanta and his worried family. Those prayers were answered when Jakob survived the surgery. His neurosurgeon explained the tumor was in a “natural path” and relatively easy to remove. However, during one of Jakob’s scans, a mass in his neck was discovered and he was diagnosed as having Stage IV melanoma cancer. Fortunately, there have been great medical advances made in treating melanoma cancer using immunotherapy along with radiation, and his oncologist said Jakob’s prognosis is very good due to his young age and good health.

Jakob spent the next nine days at Grady Hospital before being transported on January 20th to the Shepard Center, an acute rehabilitation facility. Jakob continues to have a long road ahead of him for recovery. His left arm and left leg are immobile making a wheelchair necessary for his mobility on most days. However, Jakob is making great strides in his physical therapy (“PT”) and recently has been able to walk with a “quad” cane. As we all know, Jakob is a rule follower and that makes him a great and compliant patient. Jakob received radiation treatments while he was at Shepard and is currently undergoing immunotherapy treatment at Piedmont Cancer Institute while also continuing his PT.

Chris and Kelly started a very informative Caring Bridge page shortly after Jakob’s brain surgery. What I am writing here is a short synopsis of what Jakob and his immediate family have endured. Jakob was discharged from Shepard 14 days earlier than expected. Chris and Kelly only had a couple of days to get their two-story home wheelchair accessible. Also, Kelly’s medical leave was to expire soon and Jakob needed 24-hour home care and transportation to PT and Piedmont. Kelly resigned from her position at the Gwinnett Coalition as a Community Helpline Specialist to take care of her son.

Jakob has medical insurance until he turns 26 through Chris’ employer. However, as one can imagine, the medical bills for what Jakob is going through are astronomical. There is a high yearly deductible, and after the deductible is paid only a certain percentage of the bill is covered. For instance, Jakob’s quarterly PET scans will cost roughly $3,000 each after insurance coverage. In addition to the medical bills and Kelly’s loss of income, there are costs associated with home reconfiguring for accessibility issues.

It was no easy task talking Chris and Kelly into doing a GoFundMe. It is difficult for most people to ask for help, and Kelly and Chris definitely fall into that category. If you are able to help with a financial donation, please make a donation knowing that any funds received will be used for Jakob’s medical costs as he fights melanoma cancer. Also, your continued prayers and healing thoughts are always welcomed and genuinely appreciated.

Sincerely, Jakob’s Auntie Car