Help John with Medical Expenses

My name is Bob DeMaria, I am currently raising funds for John Zoubek. I met John a little over a year ago and during that time I have come to see his generosity with others and his willingness to help other teams at work. I have learned that John has encountered some real challenges related to diagnosis with Common Variable Immunodeficiency in 2018 and has been fighting life threatening infections since. John’s Immunodeficiency is where his immune system cannot create antibodies to fight infection, which is a rare cogenital birth defect. He currently takes immunoglobulin which is created from plasma donors which acts as a “borrowed” immune system, but only gives him a fighting chance with infection.

This past year, John has been fighting an extremely bad infection in his left ear, and in his jaw and face. On June 1st, John underwent an emergency Revision Mastoidectomy, which he had had one prior last year around the same time, but never fully recovered. This procedure removed the entire left mastoid process (bone behind your ear), and unfortunately has left John on short term disability on a very rough road to recovery.

John spent a week hospitalized and received treatment, and was released, however, during that stay it was also discovered that he has chronic osteomyelitis of the jaw, and cervicofacial actinomycosis in his face and neck which could potentially be life threatening if not treated soon.

This infection will require yet another major surgical intervention to remove the infection with the help of his ENT and an Oral Surgeon to perform debridement of his face, neck and jaw, and also perform jaw reconstruction surgery. In the hopes to remove the infection for good.

Unfortunately, the orthognathic portion (jaw surgery) of the surgery John will need is in a grey area between dental and health insurance, and will most likely not be covered by insurance which puts John in a tougher financial position than he’s already in.

John has tried to find a doctor in network but is coming up short in this limited list and will need to go out of network to receive treatment from an oral surgeon alongside his ENT.

Between the surgery last year, and all of John’s medical visits, co-pays, co-insurance, countless prescriptions, John easily owes $15,000 in medical bills. With this other surgery he needs, the surgery costs could range anywhere from another $15,000 to $25,000 to do the surgery which would be out of pocket, and bone reconstruction to his jaw, and replace the teeth he lost due to this infection.

John is in constant pain every day and has had extreme difficulty with sleeping. John’s day while he is out on disability is spent sleeping most of the day and trying to eat food when it’s already painful enough to eat or talk. John doesn’t really move from the couch unless he has to go to the multiple doctors visits every week. He seems to be in good spirits, but I think John needs a little help to get through this really tough infection, so that he can recover completely and come back as the John we all know.

I would appreciate any support that can be provided to John to assist him on his recovery. Thank you for your financial support.