Help Michael Beat Cancer

My adopted son/nephew, Michael is a 22 years old, wonderful, loving young man.

After developing a lump in his left hamstring this past March, Michael was at work and squatted down when he felt a snap in his left hamstring and went to the doctor. He was told he had a strained hamstring and that it should be handled as a Workers Compensation injury.  

Michael went to a workers compensation occupational therapy doctor who also stated he had a strained hamstring and he was referred to physical therapy.  

Over the months of April and May Michael saw his workers comp doctor and physical therapist. The lump in his leg continued to grow and cause him great pain. All this time he continued to work and was not prescribed any pain medication.  

Finally, on May 31 Michael had an MRI performed which indicated that he had a large hematoma due to a hamstring tear.  Michael followed up with his workers comp doctor who referred him to an orthopedic surgeon to review for possible draining.

That doctor was immediately concerned that this wasn’t a hematoma or a hamstring tear and ordered another STAT MRI on June 14.

On June 18 the workers comp doctor told Michael that he did not have a work comp injury and that he should go immediately to his own primary care physician or Emergency Room.

On June 18, Michael went to the Emergency Room and by the end of the day, Michael had received a chest X-ray, an MRI with and without contrast of his left hamstring, and a CT scan of his Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis. He was advised by the Emergency Room doctor that it appeared Michael had Rhabdomyosarcoma and that it had metastasized to his lymph nodes and lungs. He was admitted to the hospital’s Oncology Unit.

 On June 19, Michael had a biopsy performed on his left femoral lymph node because it was enlarged.

On June 20, he had an IR Port Placement in his central chest.

On June 21, we were told that Michael has Stage 4- Ewing Sarcoma Family of Tumors and that it has metastasized to his lymph nodes and lungs. We were told that his cancer started approximately 4 months ago and that the mass is too large to surgically remove. In addition, it is still actively bleeding.  He has been given the news that he has a 50/50 chance of survival and since this is an aggressive cancer it will likely return. 

The current plan is aggressive chemotherapy; 5 days straight- 12 hours each day using 4 chemo medications that are administered through a PICC line in his arm (until his port heals). Then he will have a break for 2-3 weeks and then another round will take place. The goal is to kill the cancer and shrink the tumor small enough to be surgically removed.  They are also trying to save his leg. He will continue to be hospitalized as an inpatient  during the entire battle. 

He started his first round of chemotherapy on Saturday, June 23 and finished his 5th day on June 27.  

On June 28 his employer terminated his employment and cut his health insurance.  

As Michael’s Attorney in Fact, I will be withdrawing funds from this campaign to pay for his health insurance premiums through the COBRA plan, medical and prescription co-payments,  medical out of pocket expenses and help pay his bills during this time. 

Please pray for Michael, and if you are able to help financially, our family thanks you.