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Fighting stage 4 Melanoma

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My name is Paul DeLand and this is our story:

Go Fund me?
  Talk about mixed feelings.  We have a good life.
 
And then that time comes that you have a lipoma on your back and when the surgeon decided to take it out, he discovers melanoma.  That will throw you for a loop.  Then find out it has metastasized into your lungs, and brain.   That was all a gut punch.  
 
  A good life.  My wife, Shannon and I are blessed.  We have each other and I honestly could not ask for a better partner.  She says we are going through stage 4 melanoma together and I see it in her eyes that is not just talk.  Three awesome children, one in the Air Force, one in the Army and one blessing us with a grandson already!  A good life.  Our family is supplemented by our work families and they couldn’t be better.  Whatever time off we need and unfortunately, those needs are great.  I think we saw at least a Dr a day for 6 weeks.  

  I work for the best new home builder in North Florida.  The family I work with is truly that, a family in every sense of the word.  Richard Bach said, “Members of the same family rarely grow up under the same roof”.  I think he meant that as we get older, we get to pick our family and God helped me pick a great one with this company.   Shannon works for a company that sells golf cart parts.  Their comment to her when all this started was “We aren’t saving babies here; do what you need to do to take care of your husband.  

  As I said, we have a good life.  After all, unlike many, we have insurance.  And the therapies have now given us hope for the future.  So, my question was why a Go Fund Me?  I am typically reluctant to ask for help.  Once we started looking at co-pays, deductibles, out of pocket expenses, missed work with no pay, (Not my wife’s employer’s fault, as I said they have been great about time off)  I realized there is no shame in allowing others to help.  

  There is our story.  My path (Our path) has yet to be revealed.  I do know there is a plan and I look forward to seeing it unfold.

 Thank you.
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    Co-organizers (3)

    Shannon Boyle Rogers
    Organizer
    Jacksonville, FL
    Paul DeLand III
    Co-organizer
    Madison Harbin
    Co-organizer

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