Rob Kaufman and family medical fund
Donation protected
Some of you know me, for those of you that don't my name is Jeff and I have been friends with Rob for 20+ years and know the Kaufman family for even longer. Rob and I became close when he and I were roommates and had nothing to worry about except about what time were we going to Birch Hill on Saturday Night. All these years later Rob has not changed. He is always willing to bend over backwards for his family and friends. If you have ever spent any time with Rob you know you were in for a good time.
I not only have Rob as a friend I am fortunate that his wife and my wife are close friends as well. His daughter Alex is like the sister my daughter has never had. We all have become very close and we really are not friends we are family and when family is in a time of need you have to act.
This brings me to why I have started this page. In 2011 Rob was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. The first doctor he met with apologized and told him there was nothing he could do. For you who know Rob, know he would not accept that answer. So, Rob went for other opinions and found a doctor willing to save his life. Rob was told he needed to start chemo treatments immediately and if the chemo worked he would have to have his colon removed in an 8 hour surgery. If he survived this surgery he would have another round chemo treatments shortly afterwards. During this whole process Rob never complained, never asked for sympathy and still continued to make sure your needs were put before his. All he cared about was getting better and being there for his wife and daughter. He miraculously made it through this whole ordeal. I have to be honest I had my doubts and I thought I might lose my best friend. Boy was I wrong. A year later both our families were at Disney World taking a vacation I honestly never thought would happen.
For the next couple of years Rob had his problems and inconveniences but nothing compared to what he had initially been through. However he had to live with knowing at some point the cancer would return and unfortunately it has. He needs major surgery again and has been through a new round of chemo treatments as well. He has had a very tough time with it (Though he would never admit to that) and has even tougher times ahead. Unfortunately this is Rob’s life and will be fighting this in one way or another for the rest of his life. With these physical problems comes financial problems. This is the reason I have started this page. I would like to help him with the ever mounting medical bills. Give him a little piece of mind and allow him to concentrate on the fight to beat this awful disease. Allow him, his wife and daughter the ability to just love each other and worry just a little less about the bills to be paid.
Rob has a great support team behind him from his wife, daughter, mom, stepdad, brothers and his inlaws for both sides of the family. This is our turn to add to that support team
I ask you to have it in your heart and donate to help him with his medical bills. Every penny counts and no donation is too small. I thank you for taking the time to read this and I thank you in advance for anything you can do to help. I will tell you Rob has no idea I have done this as he would have put a stop to it immediately. He will find out the second it is shared on Facebook so let's show Rob how much we love him.
I will leave you by telling you family and friends are the most important things to Rob and if you were not sure about this please take look at this letter written by Rob's Nephew Nick.
Nicholas Kaufman Period 5
3/11/14 Hero Personal Narrative Final Draft
The light permeated his cold dim eyes as the image of the doctor who saved his life stood before him.
“Welcome to remission”, Dr. G declared with honest sincerity. The smile on my uncle’s fatigued face was an unstoppable wave of happiness that could not be stopped. Everyone in that room, even strangers in hospital beds nearby, could not help but smile as well.
“Alex!!!”, he exclaimed to his seven year old daughter as tears of joy and relief welled up in his eyes, “I’m gonna get to see you grow up! See you get married!”. Her young mind was not mature enough to grasp the severity of the situation prior. She was scared for him. We all were. My parents, sister, grandparents, Alex, Robert’s wife, and I were alleviated to not have to know life without him. Friend. Brother. Son. Uncle. His loved ones call him many things but to me, he will always be my personal hero.
Ten months prior to that joyous day, a day of sorrow and fear dwelled in our hearts. My uncle, 40, was diagnosed with stage four Colon Cancer. We were all devastated by this news, but my uncle told us all that he would be okay, and we knew in our hearts he would beat the bellowing behemoth that stood before him. My uncle began immediately trying to find a doctor who would help him become cancer free. The first doctor my uncle went to did not share the same image as my uncle and the rest of my family.
“I’m sorry Mr. Kaufman, but I’m afraid you only have nine to twelve months to live. There is no way we can operate. It would be to risky.”, the oncologist in New Jersey stated without emotion. The statement above continues to singe my brain. How could someone put a number on a life like that? Luckily my Uncle Robert can be quite stubborn at times. He refused to feel hopeless after that day like some of us did. He continued his search for life. Through our Aunt Terry he was able to contact another doctor in New York City. Dr.G. This man was not like the doctor he had visited prior. This man was older, more experienced, and not afraid to take chances to save the life of a young patient. Dr. G was determined to knock this monster right out of my uncle. He immediately suggested that my uncle begin going through the strongest chemotherapy available to patients. He also promised that when the time was right he would perform the risky surgery on my uncle to cure him of this malevolent disease. Thanks to my uncle’s strong determination and unwillingness to give up, hope was finally found.
After several months of intense chemo treatments signs of progress arose within him. Some of the cancerous tumors in his colon were receding, and he was getting in condition for the final step of Dr.G’s plan. Surgery. This would be my uncle's first time going under the knife and it was not a simple surgery. The surgery my uncle was preparing to go through was ten hours long required three top surgeons to remove tumors from the liver and stomach. It also involved removing his entire colon. Although this will result in him needing a colostomy bag for the remainder of his life, it was a small price to pay to see his little girl grow up and be around the ones he loved. My uncle was very nervous. He was told of all the risks and things that could go wrong during the surgery, including the chance he may never wake up. The weeks leading up to the big surgery were tough. Anxiety saturated my whole family. On the day of the procedure, my uncle broke down. Thoughts of losing the ones he loved filled his mind, as did many other questions. The biggest one being, “Is this the last time I’ll see the ones I love?”. My uncle walked into the surgery ward ready to end the biggest battle of his life. The smell of bleach and soap invaded my nose as I walked into the ICU the next day.
“He’s been smiling ever since he woke up,” a nurse commented happily as I turned the corner to his room. A feeling of pride came over me when I saw his smiling face. He was weak from the surgery, but the uncle I had before all of this was still there. I felt it in his mien. If it weren’t for his fighter personality and constant will to move on, I don’t know if I’d still have him here today. I’m just glad he did it… My uncle beat cancer.
I always knew my uncle was a great man. He is a fighter. He always stood strong on his opinions and goals. Stubborn at times, but this quality has had a good side to it too. He never gave up on himself. When times were dark, he kept pushing until he found the light. After his surgery he was in a lot of pain and was in the hospital for over a month. I visited him almost every day, and noticed how he would look and be a little stronger each time we saw each other. He went from weighing a sickly 120 pounds to a healthy 190 in the years following the surgery. He remains in remission and has even gained the strength to work with my father and lay tile. I honor my uncle for everything he did before and after he had cancer. He has gone through a lot, and I feel blessed to still have him here with me. I am blessed to have my hero…
I not only have Rob as a friend I am fortunate that his wife and my wife are close friends as well. His daughter Alex is like the sister my daughter has never had. We all have become very close and we really are not friends we are family and when family is in a time of need you have to act.
This brings me to why I have started this page. In 2011 Rob was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. The first doctor he met with apologized and told him there was nothing he could do. For you who know Rob, know he would not accept that answer. So, Rob went for other opinions and found a doctor willing to save his life. Rob was told he needed to start chemo treatments immediately and if the chemo worked he would have to have his colon removed in an 8 hour surgery. If he survived this surgery he would have another round chemo treatments shortly afterwards. During this whole process Rob never complained, never asked for sympathy and still continued to make sure your needs were put before his. All he cared about was getting better and being there for his wife and daughter. He miraculously made it through this whole ordeal. I have to be honest I had my doubts and I thought I might lose my best friend. Boy was I wrong. A year later both our families were at Disney World taking a vacation I honestly never thought would happen.
For the next couple of years Rob had his problems and inconveniences but nothing compared to what he had initially been through. However he had to live with knowing at some point the cancer would return and unfortunately it has. He needs major surgery again and has been through a new round of chemo treatments as well. He has had a very tough time with it (Though he would never admit to that) and has even tougher times ahead. Unfortunately this is Rob’s life and will be fighting this in one way or another for the rest of his life. With these physical problems comes financial problems. This is the reason I have started this page. I would like to help him with the ever mounting medical bills. Give him a little piece of mind and allow him to concentrate on the fight to beat this awful disease. Allow him, his wife and daughter the ability to just love each other and worry just a little less about the bills to be paid.
Rob has a great support team behind him from his wife, daughter, mom, stepdad, brothers and his inlaws for both sides of the family. This is our turn to add to that support team
I ask you to have it in your heart and donate to help him with his medical bills. Every penny counts and no donation is too small. I thank you for taking the time to read this and I thank you in advance for anything you can do to help. I will tell you Rob has no idea I have done this as he would have put a stop to it immediately. He will find out the second it is shared on Facebook so let's show Rob how much we love him.
I will leave you by telling you family and friends are the most important things to Rob and if you were not sure about this please take look at this letter written by Rob's Nephew Nick.
Nicholas Kaufman Period 5
3/11/14 Hero Personal Narrative Final Draft
The light permeated his cold dim eyes as the image of the doctor who saved his life stood before him.
“Welcome to remission”, Dr. G declared with honest sincerity. The smile on my uncle’s fatigued face was an unstoppable wave of happiness that could not be stopped. Everyone in that room, even strangers in hospital beds nearby, could not help but smile as well.
“Alex!!!”, he exclaimed to his seven year old daughter as tears of joy and relief welled up in his eyes, “I’m gonna get to see you grow up! See you get married!”. Her young mind was not mature enough to grasp the severity of the situation prior. She was scared for him. We all were. My parents, sister, grandparents, Alex, Robert’s wife, and I were alleviated to not have to know life without him. Friend. Brother. Son. Uncle. His loved ones call him many things but to me, he will always be my personal hero.
Ten months prior to that joyous day, a day of sorrow and fear dwelled in our hearts. My uncle, 40, was diagnosed with stage four Colon Cancer. We were all devastated by this news, but my uncle told us all that he would be okay, and we knew in our hearts he would beat the bellowing behemoth that stood before him. My uncle began immediately trying to find a doctor who would help him become cancer free. The first doctor my uncle went to did not share the same image as my uncle and the rest of my family.
“I’m sorry Mr. Kaufman, but I’m afraid you only have nine to twelve months to live. There is no way we can operate. It would be to risky.”, the oncologist in New Jersey stated without emotion. The statement above continues to singe my brain. How could someone put a number on a life like that? Luckily my Uncle Robert can be quite stubborn at times. He refused to feel hopeless after that day like some of us did. He continued his search for life. Through our Aunt Terry he was able to contact another doctor in New York City. Dr.G. This man was not like the doctor he had visited prior. This man was older, more experienced, and not afraid to take chances to save the life of a young patient. Dr. G was determined to knock this monster right out of my uncle. He immediately suggested that my uncle begin going through the strongest chemotherapy available to patients. He also promised that when the time was right he would perform the risky surgery on my uncle to cure him of this malevolent disease. Thanks to my uncle’s strong determination and unwillingness to give up, hope was finally found.
After several months of intense chemo treatments signs of progress arose within him. Some of the cancerous tumors in his colon were receding, and he was getting in condition for the final step of Dr.G’s plan. Surgery. This would be my uncle's first time going under the knife and it was not a simple surgery. The surgery my uncle was preparing to go through was ten hours long required three top surgeons to remove tumors from the liver and stomach. It also involved removing his entire colon. Although this will result in him needing a colostomy bag for the remainder of his life, it was a small price to pay to see his little girl grow up and be around the ones he loved. My uncle was very nervous. He was told of all the risks and things that could go wrong during the surgery, including the chance he may never wake up. The weeks leading up to the big surgery were tough. Anxiety saturated my whole family. On the day of the procedure, my uncle broke down. Thoughts of losing the ones he loved filled his mind, as did many other questions. The biggest one being, “Is this the last time I’ll see the ones I love?”. My uncle walked into the surgery ward ready to end the biggest battle of his life. The smell of bleach and soap invaded my nose as I walked into the ICU the next day.
“He’s been smiling ever since he woke up,” a nurse commented happily as I turned the corner to his room. A feeling of pride came over me when I saw his smiling face. He was weak from the surgery, but the uncle I had before all of this was still there. I felt it in his mien. If it weren’t for his fighter personality and constant will to move on, I don’t know if I’d still have him here today. I’m just glad he did it… My uncle beat cancer.
I always knew my uncle was a great man. He is a fighter. He always stood strong on his opinions and goals. Stubborn at times, but this quality has had a good side to it too. He never gave up on himself. When times were dark, he kept pushing until he found the light. After his surgery he was in a lot of pain and was in the hospital for over a month. I visited him almost every day, and noticed how he would look and be a little stronger each time we saw each other. He went from weighing a sickly 120 pounds to a healthy 190 in the years following the surgery. He remains in remission and has even gained the strength to work with my father and lay tile. I honor my uncle for everything he did before and after he had cancer. He has gone through a lot, and I feel blessed to still have him here with me. I am blessed to have my hero…
Organizer and beneficiary
Jeff Ringel
Organizer
Hillsborough Township, NJ
Robert kaufman
Beneficiary