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The Johnson Family – Community Support During Terminal Cancer
Candice, my sister, and Kevin, my brother-in-law. Kevin is a dedicated father of four to Piper (14), Trevor (22), Connor (24) and Amanda (32) and has been a loving husband and best friend to Candice for 30 years.
Kevin Johnson, Always Smiling
Those of you who know Kevin well know that he is the first with a laugh or a joke. He is the family super-chef, always ready to carve up a roast or grill a burger. Originally from Pennsylvania, he remains a dedicated Eagles / Flyers / Phillies fan. Kevin is a Marine Corp Veteran with ten years of service. He is an all around family man, spending his time when he’s not at work with his wife and kids.
Kevin has always worked multiple jobs to make ends meet and support his family. In addition to his "day job" in furniture sales, Kevin also has worked everything from handyman repair jobs to years of rural newspaper delivery in the early hours of the morning. The perfect example of "Kevin being Kevin" to me comes around every Thanksgiving . He is always up working at 2 a.m. driving the Black Friday papers out into the rural towns to be delivered, then coming back to the rest of the family to cheerfully whip up a cheeseball, carve up the bird, and play family games late into the evening with the rest of us before eventually dozing off on the couch from both a turkey coma and a very long, busy, happy family day. Here he is, ruling at Pictionary with his family.
A Cancer Diagnosis
In June of last year, Kevin went in for an x-ray for possible pneumonia. He was having trouble breathing and felt run down. What he thought would be a prescription for antibiotics was in fact a referral to an oncologist. He soon discovered that he was suffering from a large tumor in his lungs. Kevin was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, a form of cancer where you can hope to have some time with life-prolonging treatment, but for which there is no cure. Kevin, Candice and the kids did what most people do – pray and hope for the best while seeking out treatments and trying to go about life as normally as possible. In October everything seemed to be going in the right direction, when the doctors called the cancer successfully treated and the tumor completely gone.
A Turn For the Worse
Tragically, his next follow up PET scan three months later showed that the cancer had returned, this time in his liver. Kevin has since had mobility issues, severe vertigo and numbness in his limbs. He found out this week that he has had additional tumors grow rapidly into the bones in his hips and back.
Kevin is currently hospitalized at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls with dangerously low sodium levels and severe, difficult to manage back and hip pain at the tumor sites.
How We Can Help
Despite the chemo and radiation side effects and dozens of appointments to manage, Candice and Kevin have both needed to continue to work through his chemo, radiation and immunotherapy sessions. However, as his cancer continues to progress and fails to respond to the latest treatments, they have determined that a return to work for Kevin is no longer possible. Despite being fully insured, the costs associated with cancer are massive and add a significant stress to a family struggling with terminal illness. To date they have been resistant to asking for any kind of help from their community, but as they adjust to the new reality of a single income, they realize that this is no longer possible and have agreed to let us all help.
Please consider donating in any amount - even enough to pay for a meal or two would have a significant impact. Any assistance in any amount would be deeply appreciated by the entire family as they focus on treatment, pain management and spending time together as best as possible. If you are unable to manage a gift, please consider sharing this campaign.
I will post updates on Kevin's condition as they occur - please subscribe to those below. Thank you for taking the time to read this, for the support you may be able to lend, for sharing, and for your thoughts and prayers for the family.
With deep gratitude,
Crystal
(Sister-in-law and 30-year Pictionary rival to a wonderful guy.)
Candice, my sister, and Kevin, my brother-in-law. Kevin is a dedicated father of four to Piper (14), Trevor (22), Connor (24) and Amanda (32) and has been a loving husband and best friend to Candice for 30 years. Kevin Johnson, Always Smiling
Those of you who know Kevin well know that he is the first with a laugh or a joke. He is the family super-chef, always ready to carve up a roast or grill a burger. Originally from Pennsylvania, he remains a dedicated Eagles / Flyers / Phillies fan. Kevin is a Marine Corp Veteran with ten years of service. He is an all around family man, spending his time when he’s not at work with his wife and kids.
Kevin has always worked multiple jobs to make ends meet and support his family. In addition to his "day job" in furniture sales, Kevin also has worked everything from handyman repair jobs to years of rural newspaper delivery in the early hours of the morning. The perfect example of "Kevin being Kevin" to me comes around every Thanksgiving . He is always up working at 2 a.m. driving the Black Friday papers out into the rural towns to be delivered, then coming back to the rest of the family to cheerfully whip up a cheeseball, carve up the bird, and play family games late into the evening with the rest of us before eventually dozing off on the couch from both a turkey coma and a very long, busy, happy family day. Here he is, ruling at Pictionary with his family.
A Cancer Diagnosis
In June of last year, Kevin went in for an x-ray for possible pneumonia. He was having trouble breathing and felt run down. What he thought would be a prescription for antibiotics was in fact a referral to an oncologist. He soon discovered that he was suffering from a large tumor in his lungs. Kevin was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, a form of cancer where you can hope to have some time with life-prolonging treatment, but for which there is no cure. Kevin, Candice and the kids did what most people do – pray and hope for the best while seeking out treatments and trying to go about life as normally as possible. In October everything seemed to be going in the right direction, when the doctors called the cancer successfully treated and the tumor completely gone.
A Turn For the Worse
Tragically, his next follow up PET scan three months later showed that the cancer had returned, this time in his liver. Kevin has since had mobility issues, severe vertigo and numbness in his limbs. He found out this week that he has had additional tumors grow rapidly into the bones in his hips and back.
Kevin is currently hospitalized at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls with dangerously low sodium levels and severe, difficult to manage back and hip pain at the tumor sites.
How We Can Help
Despite the chemo and radiation side effects and dozens of appointments to manage, Candice and Kevin have both needed to continue to work through his chemo, radiation and immunotherapy sessions. However, as his cancer continues to progress and fails to respond to the latest treatments, they have determined that a return to work for Kevin is no longer possible. Despite being fully insured, the costs associated with cancer are massive and add a significant stress to a family struggling with terminal illness. To date they have been resistant to asking for any kind of help from their community, but as they adjust to the new reality of a single income, they realize that this is no longer possible and have agreed to let us all help.
Please consider donating in any amount - even enough to pay for a meal or two would have a significant impact. Any assistance in any amount would be deeply appreciated by the entire family as they focus on treatment, pain management and spending time together as best as possible. If you are unable to manage a gift, please consider sharing this campaign.
I will post updates on Kevin's condition as they occur - please subscribe to those below. Thank you for taking the time to read this, for the support you may be able to lend, for sharing, and for your thoughts and prayers for the family.
With deep gratitude,
Crystal
(Sister-in-law and 30-year Pictionary rival to a wonderful guy.)
Co-organizers (3)
Crystal Nye
Organizer
St. Paul, MN
Candice Johnson
Beneficiary
Amanda Kay Smith
Co-organizer
Greg Smith
Co-organizer