Help Blake Fight Cancer - Army Vet

Meet my brother, Sergeant Blake Nelson. Blake served in the Army and National Guard for 11 years. He is a devoted husband, son, brother, friend, and father. He loves our country and just days before meeting an officer application board, he suffered a seizure. Shortly after, he suffered from a second one. An MRI revealed that Blake had a brain tumor the size of a lemon in his left frontal lobe that needed to be removed immediately. Even though his life was changing right before his eyes, Blake contacted his family members and reassured them that it would be okay and that he loved them. On Friday, December 15, Blake underwent a craniotomy and the tumor was successfully removed.  But, as Blake recovered from the surgery and began to regain his motor functions, it was apparent that he had aphasia - loss of speech - and his ability to speak was not coming back as quickly as we originally had hoped it would. After three weeks, Blake is able to write and speak a few words. His wife, Christy, has not left his side and is working to help him get the speech and physical therapy needed, which has proved to be difficult as well.  In the meantime, the pathology has come back from the biopsy, and Blake had a Level 2 Astrocytoma, a malignant brain tumor. He will likely need a second surgery to ensure all malignant cells are removed, and radiation or chemotherapy might be necessary as well.  Blake's family, friends, and children have all rallied around him and are providing support any way they can. But with Blake's inability to work, and Christy helping him every day, they are in dire need of help to pay their monthly bills, speech and occupational therapy bills, and incoming medical expenses while Blake continues to get the help he needs. Blake's pride & joy has come from serving his country and his family. He had just obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Intelligence Analysis this year and was going to start his master's online after full-time as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army. Although this is no longer going to be possible, his current condition won't keep him down! He is fighting every day to regain his ability to speak and provide for his family. Blake is a combat veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom as a combat Protective Service Detail. He has begun fighting cancer with the same bravery and tenacity with which he has done everything else. We love him dearly and want to see him well again! Please help raise funds for my brother, Blake, and his family for their monthly expenses and ever-growing medical bills. This is one way you can show a veteran that his service is appreciated and not forgotten.

Update after 3 years:
My brother, Blake, is an Army Vet who served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and then served as an Army Reserve here at home. One of his assignments in Iraq took place at the Burn Pits and sadly, like many of our veterans who were exposed to the pits, Blake developed cancer. 3 years ago, Blake underwent surgery to remove the astrocytoma that had developed in his brain. Although the tumor was successfully removed, a part of his brain was damaged during the surgery and it took Blake almost an entire year to learn how to talk again. While his speech never recovered completely, and despite having seizures due to scarring, Blake courageously looked for work to help provide for his family. The Department of Corrections at Goose Creek Correctional Center took a chance on Blake and gave him full-time employment understanding that he had a speech impediment and that he could experience seizures, Despite the physical setbacks, Blake applied himself and received his certification for Time and Accounting for Criminal Justice Technician II.

He began experiencing severe headaches again, his speech started to slur, and his memory was fading. The most recent MRI revealed that he had developed a new tumor and that after surgery, he would require chemotherapy and radiation treatments. We aren't sure how long it will take for Blake to recover from this second surgery, and to say this is a hard blow for Blake and his family after all the progress made is an understatement. His wife and son are working to pay the bills, but they are still falling short on their rent and utilities. Until Blake gets approved for disability, they are in dire need of assistance. Any help for my brother and his family is humbly and greatly appreciated.