We Believe in the Cure and Seth

Our son-in-law was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon cancer. My husband, Rich, and I share Seth's story with the hopes that you will join us in helping this very special family.

From an early age, Seth Stehman knew he wanted to serve our country. We all took great pride in his patriotism and dedicated service. From the day we met him, Seth has been the kind of man anyone would want their daughter to date.  When he and Jessica got married and had children, we saw him flourish as a steadfast son, loyal brother, loving husband, devoted father, and remarkable son-in-law.

Seth and Jessica, (Seth’s wife), live with their four children, in Rapid City, South Dakota. Seth works as a Quality Assurance and Operations Specialist for Westhills Village Assisted Living Facility.  He is quite the outdoorsman and loves to hunt. Jessica is the Owner-Operator at Imagination Station Daycare & Preschool.  She refers to herself as “Chaos Coordinator,” but those of us who know her well know that she has everything working like a well-oiled machine.  The families she serves appreciate the fantastic care she provides every day, and her staff members love her. Together they provide care for so many children to keep the community thriving during this rough time. How she juggles all four kids and running a great business is unimaginable for many of us, she does a fantastic job! She loved her involvement with the “Raiders Mom Squad” as she supported her oldest son’s many athletic endeavors in school.

Their four children range from 10-18. Zane, 18, just graduated from High School (virtually because of COVID) and was recently accepted at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology to study mechanical engineering.  All those years building with Legos have paid off!  Devin, 16, just got his learner’s permit, followed by a new vehicle. He is the techie of the family. Chloe, 13, loves to cook, enjoys dance (ballet and tap), and her cat, Babushka (Bushka for short.)  Sophia, 10, affectionately called “FiWa,” enjoys ballet and rarely leaves her dad’s side.  She is so glad he is home.

Jill, Jessica’s mom, aka Bumpa, lives close by and enjoys helping taking care of the “Grands,” whether it was in the delivery room when Devin was born or when Seth went for his first chemo appointment, she is always there to help. Jill continues to be a rock and a great source of love, comfort, and support.

Seth served our country in the Air Force for 21 years, so they lived apart much of that time, and he retired from the military two years ago.  It was so great to have him home. On July 3, 2018, Seth laced up his boots for the last time. He thanked his coworkers, supervisors, commanders, and friends along with his parents, brothers, and of course, his family, referring to Jessica as his rock.

He told Jessica, “I can never begin to thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me and our family. I can’t take back what I’ve missed out on, but I promise you that I will try each and every day to repay you. I wouldn’t be here or where I’m at without you. You’ve sacrificed the most, and for that, I thank you. No words can begin to say how much I love you. Thank you for always being there, we did it!”

She replied with “I have never been more proud of this man. Final out completed. He has served his country without fail. He has given our family more than we ever thought possible. I love you, MSgt. Stehman. Now on to our next adventure!”

We enjoy trips to Rapid City to see them, and they enjoy coming to Denver as well.  Our favorite visit was to celebrate Seth’s military retirement at a Denver Bronco Game with the whole family. They also enjoy visiting their family in Pennsylvania, where Seth grew up.  Trips home include visits with Seth’s parents and his brothers, Zawn, Zech, Sheldon, and Lance, along with the Stehman cousins.

Their home is also filled with furry love. Annie, their Fox Red Labrador, had nine puppies seven years ago. The Stehman’s kept the darkest, biggest male, Bo, and Denali Rose, a dark female, came to live with us in Littleton, Colorado.  Bo enjoys hunting with Seth, and Denali loves her work as a Therapy Dog with my husband, Rich.  Bushka and Fiona, the main coon kittie (the cats that tolerate each other), and chihuahuas Cleo and Zoey to round out their furry friends.

Fast forward to today, and Seth is fighting for his life.  A few weeks ago, Seth was a healthy 43-year-old. Then, a trip to the doctor for a sore back revealed he had developed Stage 4 Colon cancer.

 After many tests and X-rays, the official diagnosis is High-Grade Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma.  Here are the details we know today:
     ·  This type of cancer is very aggressive, so they have already started chemotherapy.
     ·   His cancer is treatable, but it has a history of coming back.
     ·   Doctors believe it originated around the appendix, and it has metastasized all over his abdomen, so they are not able to remove it through surgery.  

Seth was just approved to go to Mayo Clinic, and he and Jessica will be traveling to Rochester, MN, soon.

As you can imagine, we are seeking any treatment that can help and praying for a miracle.

We hope Seth’s insurance will cover the cost of the majority of traditional medical treatment, and we understand that it’s rarely enough to cover all expenses.  Through this GoFundMe account, we hope to:
     ·    Handle travel and out-of-pocket expenses for medical treatment
     ·    Supplement lost wages during treatment
     ·    Help cover their out of pocket costs for clinical trials and expenses while at Mayo Clinic
     ·    Build up funds so they can explore complementary and alternative medicine

To conquer this cancer, Seth needs a robust support system and the means to explore all alternatives.  Your donations can help!

We hope you will help support this mission however you can through prayer and funding.  All donations will go directly to the Stehman Family to cover Seth’s treatment expenses. 

We believe that through acts of kindness and prayers, miracles happen!

On behalf of our entire family, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued support during this challenging time.