Toms Fight
Donation protected
Hello everyone!
This 'gofundme' campaign is dedicated to our Dad. Our mission is to raise awareness and funds to help cover expenses and educate people about brain cancer.
Our Dad has 4 daughters; Blythe-30, Brooke-26, Devin-22 and Chloe-14. Together we will all be uploading information, answering any questions and keep everyone updated on Tom's Fight :)
A little background of our Dad. Our Dad, Tom, grew up in Mountain View, California with 2 sisters (Jeanne and Mary) and a brother (Mike). Being the oldest, he was to 'pave the way' for his youngest siblings. Tom had a wonderful childhood full with friends, family, parties and of course....planes. Since Tom was a little boy he dreamed of being a pilot. When he was 14 Dad saved enough money to take his first flying lesson, he was hooked and immediately fell in love. Tom was motivated and eventually received his private pilots license at the age of 16. After high school he was accepted at San Jose State where he studied aeronautical engineering and received his Bachelor’s Degree in 1984. He then landed a job with Lockheed and continued to follow his dream. In 1985 Tom joined the Navy. Having his heart set, he knew he wanted to fly fighter jets. After much determination, some tough boot camp and many more hours of studying he got the gig! Tom was officially a pilot in the U.S Navy.
I’m sure everyone has seen the movie 'Top Gun'....well, that is our Dad. Yes, seriously! That is him. He was a pilot in the Navy and flew F-14's for many years before becoming Commander of his own squadron. During his Navy jet training days he met and fell in love with our Mother, Melanie.
Dad put in 20 years with the Navy before retiring but still continues to do what he loves, flying planes. In 1996, Tom landed a job with Southwest Airlines where he is still currently employed.
A few weeks ago Dad was having issues with his sinuses. He went about his business but the sinuses continued to get worse. After visiting the doctor, he recommended getting an MRI. Thinking nothing of it, he obliged and had the scan done. The results we received were shocking. Our Dad unfortunately had some spotting on the brain which indicated a tumor. We remained hopeful and prayed it was nothing serious.
After visiting a few more doctors they recommended getting a brain biopsy to confirm any prior diagnoses. On July 10, 2015 Tom underwent brain surgery and the doctors were able to get a clean sample of the spotting/tumor. The sample was sent to the lab at MD Anderson Houston and he had been officially diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiform (GBM).
Glioblastoma Multiform or GBM is malignant tumor that affects the brain and the spine. This type of cancer is uncommon but occurs mostly in men 50+. GBM is the most aggressive brain tumor and there is no cure for this disease. GBM's side effects are different in every person. It depends on the position of the tumor, if it is operable and the size. Dad’s tumor is in a very delicate spot so unfortunately it is non-operable. It is located on the left frontal lobe which affects the right side of his body. Since the tumor grows and presses on certain nerves it can make it complicated for him to get certain words out. This is called 'aphasia'. Aphasia simply blocks the brain to use and understand words. However, it does not interfere with the intelligence or the ability to retain information.
At the moment Dad is undergoing radiation, chemotherapy and general therapy to keep his brain stimulated and strong.
We are in this together and we are hoping we can spread awareness to our community, loved ones and anyone else. Any help is greatly appreciated as we continue to stay strong during Tom's Fight!
Thank you,
The Horan Family
This 'gofundme' campaign is dedicated to our Dad. Our mission is to raise awareness and funds to help cover expenses and educate people about brain cancer.
Our Dad has 4 daughters; Blythe-30, Brooke-26, Devin-22 and Chloe-14. Together we will all be uploading information, answering any questions and keep everyone updated on Tom's Fight :)
A little background of our Dad. Our Dad, Tom, grew up in Mountain View, California with 2 sisters (Jeanne and Mary) and a brother (Mike). Being the oldest, he was to 'pave the way' for his youngest siblings. Tom had a wonderful childhood full with friends, family, parties and of course....planes. Since Tom was a little boy he dreamed of being a pilot. When he was 14 Dad saved enough money to take his first flying lesson, he was hooked and immediately fell in love. Tom was motivated and eventually received his private pilots license at the age of 16. After high school he was accepted at San Jose State where he studied aeronautical engineering and received his Bachelor’s Degree in 1984. He then landed a job with Lockheed and continued to follow his dream. In 1985 Tom joined the Navy. Having his heart set, he knew he wanted to fly fighter jets. After much determination, some tough boot camp and many more hours of studying he got the gig! Tom was officially a pilot in the U.S Navy.
I’m sure everyone has seen the movie 'Top Gun'....well, that is our Dad. Yes, seriously! That is him. He was a pilot in the Navy and flew F-14's for many years before becoming Commander of his own squadron. During his Navy jet training days he met and fell in love with our Mother, Melanie.
Dad put in 20 years with the Navy before retiring but still continues to do what he loves, flying planes. In 1996, Tom landed a job with Southwest Airlines where he is still currently employed.
A few weeks ago Dad was having issues with his sinuses. He went about his business but the sinuses continued to get worse. After visiting the doctor, he recommended getting an MRI. Thinking nothing of it, he obliged and had the scan done. The results we received were shocking. Our Dad unfortunately had some spotting on the brain which indicated a tumor. We remained hopeful and prayed it was nothing serious.
After visiting a few more doctors they recommended getting a brain biopsy to confirm any prior diagnoses. On July 10, 2015 Tom underwent brain surgery and the doctors were able to get a clean sample of the spotting/tumor. The sample was sent to the lab at MD Anderson Houston and he had been officially diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiform (GBM).
Glioblastoma Multiform or GBM is malignant tumor that affects the brain and the spine. This type of cancer is uncommon but occurs mostly in men 50+. GBM is the most aggressive brain tumor and there is no cure for this disease. GBM's side effects are different in every person. It depends on the position of the tumor, if it is operable and the size. Dad’s tumor is in a very delicate spot so unfortunately it is non-operable. It is located on the left frontal lobe which affects the right side of his body. Since the tumor grows and presses on certain nerves it can make it complicated for him to get certain words out. This is called 'aphasia'. Aphasia simply blocks the brain to use and understand words. However, it does not interfere with the intelligence or the ability to retain information.
At the moment Dad is undergoing radiation, chemotherapy and general therapy to keep his brain stimulated and strong.
We are in this together and we are hoping we can spread awareness to our community, loved ones and anyone else. Any help is greatly appreciated as we continue to stay strong during Tom's Fight!
Thank you,
The Horan Family
Organizer
Devin Anne Horan
Organizer
The Woodlands, TX