Gary Casteel Nursing Home Fund

Gary Casteel, 55-year-old husband to Karen, father to 5-year-old Ethan, University of Tennessee alum, Carson Newman alum, former Knox and Anderson County teacher needs $72,000 by Jan. 2, 2019, in order to continue to receive nursing home care for his terminal illness that has no cure.

In 2015, Gary Casteel was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy , a rare ailment in which the body systems shut down.

Three years later, 55-year-old Gary is now confined to a wheelchair and resides at West Hills Nursing home where he needs constant attention and care due to complete immobility, unable to speak, and almost constant blood sugar monitoring. 

This GoFundMe account has been set-up because insurance covering Gary's nursing home stay has ended , leaving the family with a payment of more than $6,000 per month, which is significantly more than family income. The family is hoping to raise one year of nursing home expenses totaling $72,000!

Gary's diagnosis and illness has been a traumatic experience for his family. Doctors have not been in agreement as to how to treat Gary's condition, requiring numerous medical visits to Vanderbilt Hospital and unusually expensive drugs that are not on the insurance company approved drug list. Gary's wife, Karen a teacher at Hall Middle School, has used up a lot of her sick time for her husband's medical treatments, and then in August 2018 she herself was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. Karen has undergone 8 chemotherapy treatments since her diagnosis, further draining the family's savings.

The GOAL is to raise the $72,000 by Jan. 2, 2019, for Gary's one year of nursing home care and to relive the stress off Karen's shoulders before Karen's scheduled double mastectomy on Jan. 4, 2019. 

Karen will be out of work for 4 months after her double mastectomy, and her personal out-of-pocket medical expenses during her treatments and her anticipated out-of-pocket medical expenses for her surgery and recuperation period, completely eliminates the family's ability to pay for Gary's nursing home care. 

Karen's income as a teacher eliminates her from TennCare eligibility. So without help, the Casteel's might have to use their 5-year-old son, Ethan's college savings account and be forced into a divorce in order for Gary to become eligible for medical assistance.

Gary and Karen love their Knoxville community. Gary graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1988 and Carson Newman College in 2000. Since graduating, he taught in Knox and Anderson County Schools, worked at the Knox County Library and worked in the Anderson County Social Security office until he was forced to take disability in 2015. Karen, 41, graduated from Carson Newman College in 2002 and has taught in the Knox County School system since that time.

Let's join together and give back to a couple who has given so much!