Cole Powers Cancer Battle and Last Wish

Hello, my name is April Hoy and I am hoping to assist a wonderful family during a very difficult time. My dear friend and co-worker Beth Powers' son had received devastating news late last year. I would first like to say I did ask permission to start this as the Powers family is remarkable and has always been the first to jump and help families in need, and I know how difficult it was to allow others to return the favor. This is a community of cancer patients, survivors, friends, colleagues, church family, blood family, and more that can make a difference for this young man and his wish.

21-year-old Cole was an outstanding athlete at Carroll high school and excelled in Track and Cross Country. During some races, he experienced blackouts which he found odd but didn't raise concern. As he continued and entered college, he started noticing more symptoms and oddities, which led him to return home from Indiana State. He started to lose vision in his left eye and went to a doctor who referred him to a specialist in Indianapolis for botox injections which they thought was due to a weak muscle in the eye, which would then return to normal. Before the injection they needed to complete a scan for the procedure. This is when their world was turned upside down and they got the call that Cole has a tumor in his brain. He was referred to a neurologist who needed to perform a biopsy which included an invasive procedure through the skull. The few weeks of waiting for the results was taxing as they hoped for good news and a plan, but when they got that call it was not what they wanted to hear. Cole's tumor is so large it takes up the entirety of his brain stem, confirmed cancer, and is inoperable due to the location. An attempt to remove any of the tumor would be fatal. The only option was intense and aggressive Chemo and Radiation which he endured for 6 of the most challenging weeks of his life. If you know Cole then you know how hard he fought through this. He reached the limit of radiation he will be able to receive and continues to have Chemo once per month to slow the growth and process, but there is no cure. He is trying to live his best life with the time he has. This young man goes through so much yet continues to work on his good days to contribute to the family and to try to be normal on good days. You will never hear him complain or seek pity. He fights and lives for whatever time he can have.

To make this clear, their family has been experiencing extreme bills with traveling to specialists, treatments, and medications, not to mention the time out of work as well. They are hard-working and will give and give without thought, and it's time to help give them a bit of relief. Cole has one wish: to go to Hawaii while he can still see and make a family memory. When he was first diagnosed, that was the plan, but now they are unsure how to financially make it happen. Please help us get this family of 5 to Hawaii for one last vacation before Cole's condition deteriorates. When he reaches the end of the Chemo treatments available, we are unsure how quickly things could progress or if he would even be strong enough to make the journey, so I pray you understand my urgency of this request. Any funds received will be to give Cole his last wish, and the rest will be to help pay down the medical bills.

Thank you all for your love, support, and prayers for the Powers Family.