Support Zach Southerland’s Cancer Battle
Donation protected
In late 2018, after what was at first thought to be a bad sinus infection in the ER [and then a painful week in the hospital] Zach Southerland was diagnosed with a rare head and neck cancer classified at the time, as a low grade sarcoma. Because of this, the correct plan for treatment and chemotherapy was not known. Even with the very best doctors on Zach’s diagnostic team, there was a significant gray area in how to proceed while giving him the best chance at remission -- because of this sarcoma’s rarity.
After many weeks of chemotherapy, Zach went back to the ER for an MRI that revealed the chemotherapy was not working and his tumor was growing. We [his family] learned that there are still so many cancers that need research funding to be better understood, and to streamline treatments. Zach's cancer just happens to be one of them. So he had the option to continue to try different chemotherapy drugs over many months-years, or to have the ENT and Neurosurgeons perform a complex surgery to remove the cancerous tumor.
If you know Zach, you can easily guess what he chose. Which was to get the surgery, and to schedule it immediately. When we were informed that permanently removing his left eye would make the surgery less complex, Zach simply said, and I quote “Take it out then. If I want my eye back, I’ll just build a prototype that has X-Ray vision. Besides I already found the perfect wife, what do I need 2 eyes for?"
That’s Zach’s typical style – Identify the problem, solve it, tell a joke about how undaunted you are and move on. If it’s a big problem, find a bigger solution. Then Repeat.
The surgery took place in January 2019 without incident, and was considered a success with one major caveat; the biopsy on Zach’s full tumor revealed that it is actually an aggressive cancer which had spread and must be considered a stage 4 sarcoma due to its severity. Which means for Zach, that instead of being near the end of his cancer battle, this is more like the halfway point. He will be facing another 5 months of radiation and 2 IV chemotherapies, with the timeline depending on what his body can handle. The radiation intensity will cause him to go deaf in one ear and will permanently eradicate his sense of smell and possibly his taste. But nothing will deter his will to overcome these obstacles, all of which he already considers opportunities to challenge his personal resilience.
While these outcomes are still tough, especially for a young family, we are truly only focused on these 3 things:
1.) Find Zach the ULTIMATE SERVICE DOG to assist him in caring for our toddler in the home during this healing process.
2.) Raise funds to support on-going research for all cancer types through St. Louis’s own PEDAL THE CAUSE where Zach is going to tell his story as a Featured Fighter and 100% of the funds raised benefit Siteman Cancer Center directly [where Zach is being treated] and Siteman Kids. http://www.pedalthecause.org/
We also plan to participate with ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL which has several fundraising events and opportunities throughout the year.
Zach and I [his wife Jessica] feel adamantly that although this cancer is difficult for anyone, it is incomprehensible that a child would have to endure similarly aggressive treatments. If we could only help discover more precise therapies across all diagnoses, then Zach’s suffering will have been productive in some way. All funds raised in excess of the cost of Zach’s medical needs and service dog, will be donated to the above 2 cancer research organizations.
3.) SURVIVE
Whatever you feel motivated to do or say, for Zach and our family during this formidable time. Please say it, please do it. Attitude is everything and it will help him quickly overcome this. No amount of encouragement will or has gone unheard, whether it be physical or spiritual.
For now — I [Jessica] am able to be the most responsive to any questions or encouragement via text messaging, and am providing my phone number to be available for Zach’s friends and family. Thank you, and God Bless you for your compassion.
NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER SURRENDER.
The Southerlands
After many weeks of chemotherapy, Zach went back to the ER for an MRI that revealed the chemotherapy was not working and his tumor was growing. We [his family] learned that there are still so many cancers that need research funding to be better understood, and to streamline treatments. Zach's cancer just happens to be one of them. So he had the option to continue to try different chemotherapy drugs over many months-years, or to have the ENT and Neurosurgeons perform a complex surgery to remove the cancerous tumor.
If you know Zach, you can easily guess what he chose. Which was to get the surgery, and to schedule it immediately. When we were informed that permanently removing his left eye would make the surgery less complex, Zach simply said, and I quote “Take it out then. If I want my eye back, I’ll just build a prototype that has X-Ray vision. Besides I already found the perfect wife, what do I need 2 eyes for?"
That’s Zach’s typical style – Identify the problem, solve it, tell a joke about how undaunted you are and move on. If it’s a big problem, find a bigger solution. Then Repeat.
The surgery took place in January 2019 without incident, and was considered a success with one major caveat; the biopsy on Zach’s full tumor revealed that it is actually an aggressive cancer which had spread and must be considered a stage 4 sarcoma due to its severity. Which means for Zach, that instead of being near the end of his cancer battle, this is more like the halfway point. He will be facing another 5 months of radiation and 2 IV chemotherapies, with the timeline depending on what his body can handle. The radiation intensity will cause him to go deaf in one ear and will permanently eradicate his sense of smell and possibly his taste. But nothing will deter his will to overcome these obstacles, all of which he already considers opportunities to challenge his personal resilience.
While these outcomes are still tough, especially for a young family, we are truly only focused on these 3 things:
1.) Find Zach the ULTIMATE SERVICE DOG to assist him in caring for our toddler in the home during this healing process.
2.) Raise funds to support on-going research for all cancer types through St. Louis’s own PEDAL THE CAUSE where Zach is going to tell his story as a Featured Fighter and 100% of the funds raised benefit Siteman Cancer Center directly [where Zach is being treated] and Siteman Kids. http://www.pedalthecause.org/
We also plan to participate with ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL which has several fundraising events and opportunities throughout the year.
Zach and I [his wife Jessica] feel adamantly that although this cancer is difficult for anyone, it is incomprehensible that a child would have to endure similarly aggressive treatments. If we could only help discover more precise therapies across all diagnoses, then Zach’s suffering will have been productive in some way. All funds raised in excess of the cost of Zach’s medical needs and service dog, will be donated to the above 2 cancer research organizations.
3.) SURVIVE
Whatever you feel motivated to do or say, for Zach and our family during this formidable time. Please say it, please do it. Attitude is everything and it will help him quickly overcome this. No amount of encouragement will or has gone unheard, whether it be physical or spiritual.
For now — I [Jessica] am able to be the most responsive to any questions or encouragement via text messaging, and am providing my phone number to be available for Zach’s friends and family. Thank you, and God Bless you for your compassion.
NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER SURRENDER.
The Southerlands
Organizer
Jessica Southerland
Organizer
Ballwin, MO
