Bryan beating Lymphoma

The Last Six Months

In December 2022 my brother Bryan was diagnosed with a rare and extremely aggressive form of cancer called Burkitt Lymphoma. We soon learned that Bryan would require six months and eight total rounds of extremely intense chemotherapy, but we also learned that this specific type of cancer is very often curable. Bryan was ready for the fight of his life. Yet after multiple hospital stays, two battles with neutropenic infections and multiple blood transfusions, in July after a PET scan, we found out Bryan’s cancer had returned.

We were all devastated by this news as we were expecting to hear that he was in complete remission. Even more devastating is the fact that because of how rare Primary Refractory Burkitt Lymphoma is, there have been very few case studies highlighting successful treatment options when the cancer has proven to be resistant to chemotherapy. However, Bryan is determined to live, and his Oncology team is equally determined to help him fight this.

The Next Battle

Bryan has begun a new regimen of treatment that consists of two to four rounds of even more intense chemo followed by a stem cell transplant. As it turns out, we just learned that I am a perfect match for Bryan and will be able to donate the needed T cells when we get to that point. I am honored and humbled to potentially be able to contribute in such a way to his healing. Finding a match for a T cell transplant is often difficult to accomplish. Even siblings only have a 25% chance of matching which means we are already beating the odds!

Bryan has managed to remain incredibly positive, and his approach has been inspirational to all of us. He constantly tells me how grateful he is for the opportunity to fight a little harder for his own continued presence on this earth and his attitude is a testament to his love for life and his desire to live more of it.

He was just sharing with me, that with the help of his wife (and primary caretaker) Allie, he has

committed to an anti-cancer diet, to daily exercise including Yoga and breathwork, to mindfulness and presence in the moment, to prayer and spiritual growth, and to comprehensive healing. Bryan’s spirit is strong, and he is prepared for whatever comes his way.

The BIG Challenge

Unfortunately, as he was explaining to me, this has created an even bigger challenge financially for Bryan and his family. He was days away from going back to work when he learned that the cancer had returned, and he would be starting a new treatment regimen—This meant he would not be able to earn an income for at least another six months. As the primary provider, this has dramatically impacted his family, his fight, and his healing. It’s obviously hard to stay focused on healing with the threat of eviction looming. While Bryan remains headstrong in dealing with all the challenges of fighting this disease with grace and with a solution-oriented mindset, his biggest challenge right now is solving these financial issues that arise from his unemployment.

The disability application process, which began back in January, has been incredibly frustrating. This diagnosis should have met the criteria for immediate approval; however, Bryan was denied disability immediately. He appealed this decision in March with the help of an attorney but has yet to even receive a response. He has been told by his lawyer that this is simply the way they handle cases and to not even expect a response until early 2024! They are very likely to deny it again as they operate like an insurance company and (by default) deny claims as long as they can, leaving him with no income during a period of great need. As Bryan keeps emphasizing, this is extremely frustrating since he has worked his entire adult life, paying into Social Security for the last 25 years. This is his own money he’s asking for.

Counting our Blessings

Luckily, we have been blessed with the support of a tireless network of friends and family. You guys have been a Godsend. Still, we have no choice but to ask for more help as we navigate these next six months of treatment and healing. The recovery phase following a stem cell transplant is intense and it is paramount that housing is secured during these next several months. Thanks to the support of our loved ones already, Bryan and Allie have been able to remain in their home thus far. But they need to be able to secure the next six months of rent to get through this and get back to work and to living a normal life again.

So many of you have already given so much and if you find you are not in the position to help with direct donations, please accept our gratitude for all that you have already given. If you are able to give, we would be so grateful for your donation—any amount helps! If you would rather help with tangible items sent directly to Bryan and Allie, I started a registry of things that could be helpful in day-to-day life. I will leave a link below.

Help Everyone Can Offer

Of course, one of the most helpful things you can do is to share this Gofundme link across ALL your social media platforms; Even share it with folks you know offline and in the “real world”—The impact could be huge as the reach through networking can expand exponentially and you never know who might see it and decide to help. Prayer, positive energy and words of support and encouragement are also hugely helpful in aiding Bryan with keeping a positive attitude through this journey.

Most importantly, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to read this and sharing this link with your friends and connections. We have been humbled by your altruism already and reminded that we are not alone in this world. We appreciate our connectedness and accept our interdependence on each other. This battle is too big for one person to carry alone. To quote Ryunosuke Satoro, “Individually we are one drop. Together we are an Ocean.”

With Love and Gratitude,

David

Amazon wish list:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1QBP3AXNTYGJU?ref=cm_sw_em_r_un_un_SNI7MQnqHS9zb