Tom needs your help to beat brain cancer!

10/2/2024: Tom and Trish just got devastating news that the treatment he'd been receiving to help keep the brain tumor from growing is causing bleeding on the brain. He's been told there are no other treatment options for his stage of cancer and likely only has weeks to maybe a couple of months to live. While we are all in shock and angry that this is happening to the most wonderful human being on earth, we all need to be there for Tom now more than ever. We are not giving up however. We will still continue to fight this terrible cancer.

We've asked for financial help over the last couple of years since he'd been diagnosed. I truly believe that with the help that you all have provided to him - he's been able to get the medical attention he's needed, and has helped him make ends meet with their mortgage and other living expenses. You have made a difference!!!! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! Neither Tom nor Trish have been able to work with their respective medical disabilities, so they have relied on disability payments (fraction of their original earnings) to help cover their enormous medical costs and household/living expenses. We ask again for your help to alleviate financial stress on these two while they deal with doing what they can to keep Tommy as well as possible for as long as possible.

If you can't send money (which by the way - all money donated through this Gofundme goes directly to Tom's bank account), please reach out to Tom directly by calling or texting him at Five 1 seven, 8 nine nine, one 4 six 4. He'd love to hear from you to lend your support, prayers, and love. It makes him feel really good. :-)

Our family cannot thank all of you enough for your love and support over the last couple of years. We are all eternally grateful for your continued support. If there is anything more you can do to help Tom and Trish financially, it will most definitely help alleviate the stress caused from their huge medical expenses. We'd rather they enjoy their time together that they have instead of worry about making ends meet.

You are all amazing. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

*Posted on behalf of the entire Oberlin family

January 2024: On behalf of Tom and his family, I am writing to ask for your help in meeting his enormous medical expenses while he’s being treated for Glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is an aggressive and horrible brain cancer for which there is no cure. The average life span for someone who has this brutal cancer is 18 months, but I’m very happy to report that Tom has already beaten that statistic and is determined to keep fighting it for years to come! That doesn’t come without significant medical expenses!! It’s the new year too so Tom’s high deductible medical plan has been reset to zero. Medical bills are daunting when you can’t even work/earn an income, all while fighting to stay alive!

Since Tom was diagnosed in September2022, he has been religiously following suggestions to keep his tumor from growing. He exercises (you may recall last year he ran a half marathon with my other brother Gary just a few months after learning he had brain cancer), does not eat sugar (feeds cancer), takes cold showers/puts ice packs on his head to potentially slow tumor growth, does breathing exercises, and a myriad of other things he’s been told by others helps keep the cancer from growing.

Medically, he’s on Avastin (hope I spelled that right Tom) to cut off the blood supply to the tumor, takes chemo, and is on medication to control his focal seizures. Focal seizures affect his stomach and left leg. When he has seizures, he loses feeling in his leg/foot and it takes days for sensation to come back. If he has other seizures in the meantime it sets him back further. He struggles (not noticeably in my opinion) with remembering words and thinking clearly. That could be tumor, surgery, former radiation, or prescription meds causing that.

In addition, he has frequent MRIs, physical therapy, high cost prescriptions, etc…… All this and he still has to pay his mortgage, utilities, get groceries, and remain positive?????? But he DOES. He’s very positive, mostly optimistic, determined, and a complete inspiration to everyone who knows him.

Again, his deductible has reset to zero and our family could use your help to help him meet his hefty expenses to fight the good fight. We love him and want him to worry about staying strong/enjoying life, instead of worrying about money. Your help is appreciated!!! Thank you all for your love and support!