I came across the link to this GoFundMe campaign on FB this morning and realized the young man they are trying to raise the funds for is my neighbour's son. The family are hard working and proud people who don't easily ask for help. I've lived beside them for over twenty-five years, great people.
This is from the campaign writeup:
Nathan Kelly is a 24 year old father with aggresive relapsed Hodgkins Lymphoma. Nathan urgently needs to be treated with a drug regime that is currently not covered. We are asking you to please join us in Nathan's fight to beat this cancer.
At the age of 22 just after having his first child, a daughter named Eva, he was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer.
Nathan was treated with 8 cycles of chemo and was in remission. However 2 years later in 2016 he relapsed. Nathan has been treated with 2nd line chemo followed by a stem cell transplant.
Unfortunately, after all of this treatment which included 2 weeks in hospital and very high dose chemo with his transplant Nathan is not in remision. Nathan has residual cancer in an area between his lungs and he is currently being treated with radiation.
Nathans' prognosis for a cure or long term survival is very low. The chance of relapse is 80% in the next 2 years.
A new drug called Brentuximab approved in Ontario but not financially covered by the province is an antibody made to attack Hodgkin's Lymphoma cells very specifically. When combined with another agent called Bendamustine remission rates have been 80%! Doctors believe this new combination of drugs will be the new standard of care for all Hodgkins Lymphoma patients in the near future because of its proven sucess and cure rates.
Nathan's Oncologist, Dr Gordon Swain, believes this treatment is his only chance for a cure or long term survival.
Nathan needs this treatment NOW and the cost of the medicine is $250,000
Neither Nathan or his family have the medical insurance or funds to cover this life saving treatment.
Please help us fund this life saving treatment for Nathan, for his life and his future.
As soon as I saw the post I sent an email to the campaign sponsor offering the branch's hall for a fundraiser. As I thought about what more I could do to help, I thought about this community.
If anyone wishes to contribute directly, please put "For Nathan" in the memo if through Steemit or email me at [email protected] if directly to the GoFundMe campaign. That will allow me to report back to everyone how much the community contributed.
