Zach’s war against Cancer!
Donation protected
Friends, Family and absolutely anyone that reads this, it’s with the saddest Mom heart I’m posting this GoFund Me but without the help of others, I’m not sure how Zach and Melissa will get through the next year financially.
Many of you already know Zach and Melissa but for those that don’t, here is why I’m posting a GoFund Me.
At the age of 8 Zach was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, has lived that constant life battle daily. Melissa and Zach have fought the T1 battle together, her always advocating, worrying and of course harping on him. ;)
Recently Melissa was diagnosed with Stage 1 Cervical Cancer. She has had surgery to remove it, and radiation to prevent it (hopefully) from returning. She’s a fighter and Cancer won’t get her! Eight days after finding out about her cancer, while scheduling her treatment plan - they were hit was devastating news about Zach.
Zach had a sore on his tongue ~ much like a cold sore ~ that would not heal. Because Zach has diabetes, they thought it was just a cold sore but they asked their dentist to check it out. Zach was immediately referred to an oral surgeon for a biopsy. The news wasn’t good!
It came back as squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Stage 2 tongue cancer. They were sent to The James Cancer Center in Columbus, Ohio. Where the surgeon delivered them the difficult news of the treatment plan of this dreadful disease. Zach is not smoker nor is he a tobacco chewer!!
The doctors feel this is genetic and will know more once they remove the cancer from his young body.
Zach will have surgery on August 20! (His 24th Birthday is August 18th!)
During this surgery, Zach will have 30 percent of his tongue removed. They will then take arteries and skin from his right arm to help rebuild part of his tongue, and then skin from his right leg to rebuild his arm. Zach will have about 25-40 lymph nodes removed from his neck to be biopsied to see if the cancer has spread. He will have a trachea tube in his neck to help him breathe for a bit after the surgery while his tongue heals. He will also have a feeding tube for about 6-8 Weeks during healing.
The surgery will take 3 surgeons 8-10 hours to get the cancer out of Zach’s 24 year old body. He will be in the hospital at least 8-10 days. When he is allowed to come home he will require home health care for about 8 weeks. His treatment plan isn’t done there!! Zach will than endure radiation for 4 months, speech and physical therapy to learn to swallow, eat, and talk again and use his tongue properly.
The entire recovery process is about 6 months. All of which is complicated by his diabetes... it slows healing ... his inability to eat during the healing process... causing blood sugars that will be difficult to keep controlled... a life threatening condition in itself.
Zach has already lost 20 lbs while they prep for this horrendous treatment plan with tests, appointments, etc. The cancer on his tongue is so painful he hasn’t eaten in over a week and he’s in constant agonizing pain.
My beautiful friend, Melissa is still healing from her surgery but is still at work daily with the grit and determination we all know her to have - but she will need to be off work for an extended period to be with Zach. The medical bills will be incredible not to mention travel time, eating away from home, daily expenses to keep a roof over their heads to bring Zach home to when he is out of the hospital.
They say God doesn’t give you more than you can handle but this sure is a whole lot for one mama to take on by herself. I ask you all to share their story and of course, every single dollar helps. I love this girl deep! She has been a rock in some of my darkest hours of life, always bringing me to tears of laughter.
To watch them from Wisconsin knowing I can’t be there to bring her chocolate ice cream with bananas to help heal her heart while she travels down this scary road is a helpless emotion but I can share with all of you her story and pray pray pray for her strength and Zach to heal and win the battle over cancer.
Thank you all! I’ll update the page as they share with me his healing.
Many of you already know Zach and Melissa but for those that don’t, here is why I’m posting a GoFund Me.
At the age of 8 Zach was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, has lived that constant life battle daily. Melissa and Zach have fought the T1 battle together, her always advocating, worrying and of course harping on him. ;)
Recently Melissa was diagnosed with Stage 1 Cervical Cancer. She has had surgery to remove it, and radiation to prevent it (hopefully) from returning. She’s a fighter and Cancer won’t get her! Eight days after finding out about her cancer, while scheduling her treatment plan - they were hit was devastating news about Zach.
Zach had a sore on his tongue ~ much like a cold sore ~ that would not heal. Because Zach has diabetes, they thought it was just a cold sore but they asked their dentist to check it out. Zach was immediately referred to an oral surgeon for a biopsy. The news wasn’t good!
It came back as squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Stage 2 tongue cancer. They were sent to The James Cancer Center in Columbus, Ohio. Where the surgeon delivered them the difficult news of the treatment plan of this dreadful disease. Zach is not smoker nor is he a tobacco chewer!!
The doctors feel this is genetic and will know more once they remove the cancer from his young body.
Zach will have surgery on August 20! (His 24th Birthday is August 18th!)
During this surgery, Zach will have 30 percent of his tongue removed. They will then take arteries and skin from his right arm to help rebuild part of his tongue, and then skin from his right leg to rebuild his arm. Zach will have about 25-40 lymph nodes removed from his neck to be biopsied to see if the cancer has spread. He will have a trachea tube in his neck to help him breathe for a bit after the surgery while his tongue heals. He will also have a feeding tube for about 6-8 Weeks during healing.
The surgery will take 3 surgeons 8-10 hours to get the cancer out of Zach’s 24 year old body. He will be in the hospital at least 8-10 days. When he is allowed to come home he will require home health care for about 8 weeks. His treatment plan isn’t done there!! Zach will than endure radiation for 4 months, speech and physical therapy to learn to swallow, eat, and talk again and use his tongue properly.
The entire recovery process is about 6 months. All of which is complicated by his diabetes... it slows healing ... his inability to eat during the healing process... causing blood sugars that will be difficult to keep controlled... a life threatening condition in itself.
Zach has already lost 20 lbs while they prep for this horrendous treatment plan with tests, appointments, etc. The cancer on his tongue is so painful he hasn’t eaten in over a week and he’s in constant agonizing pain.
My beautiful friend, Melissa is still healing from her surgery but is still at work daily with the grit and determination we all know her to have - but she will need to be off work for an extended period to be with Zach. The medical bills will be incredible not to mention travel time, eating away from home, daily expenses to keep a roof over their heads to bring Zach home to when he is out of the hospital.
They say God doesn’t give you more than you can handle but this sure is a whole lot for one mama to take on by herself. I ask you all to share their story and of course, every single dollar helps. I love this girl deep! She has been a rock in some of my darkest hours of life, always bringing me to tears of laughter.
To watch them from Wisconsin knowing I can’t be there to bring her chocolate ice cream with bananas to help heal her heart while she travels down this scary road is a helpless emotion but I can share with all of you her story and pray pray pray for her strength and Zach to heal and win the battle over cancer.
Thank you all! I’ll update the page as they share with me his healing.
Organizer and beneficiary
Michelle Champion
Organizer
Oregon, WI
Melissa Miller
Beneficiary
