Juniors Cancer Journey

Junior Hamm is organizing this fundraiser.

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Hello, My name is Junior, and I am seeking donations to help with current cancer treatment medical bills I've incurred during my two journeys with cancer from 2015 to the present 2022. On December 23,2015 I received the dreaded phone call that I had been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. Although it was detected early at Stage 1, aggressive cells in the tumors dictated an obvious choice of surgery. Due to abdominal scar tissue from previous surgeries, I was not a candidate for robotic DaVinci surgery, and an open radical prostatectomy was performed on March 30, 2016. Urological follow-ups and PSA testing over the next five years were negative for the presence of cancer, and I was given the great news that my cancer was in remission. That joy was short-lived. A biopsy of a suspicious lump above my right eye and growing numbness in my face detected a malignant adnexal poro carcinoma, a rare, aggressive form of skin cancer traveling along nerves.After removal at the University Of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City on October 12/2021, and plastic surgery facial reconstruction, I was referred for follow-up head and neck cancer radiation treatments in Burlington, Iowa. I started daily radiation treatments shortly after thanksgiving Monday thru Friday, for a total of 33 treatments ending January 21, 2022. Every morning at 10:00 A.M. I was secured to the treatment table in a custom made protective mask that held my upper body perfectly still to ensure the radiation was delivered with pinpoint accuracy.Living in a rural Illinois, area, I have had to travel out of state for most of my medical treatment, logging almost 4000 travel miles on our car in the last eight months. Radiation damage to my eyes and skin have entailed additional out of area appointments for medical care. I will have added expense soon with scheduled cat scans and MRIs in Iowa City to determine the effectiveness of surgery and radiation treatment on my cancer.The primary medical facilities have been very cooperative in helping me work out payment plans, but gas, lodging and medical expenses not covered by insurance have put financial stress on both my husband and myself. We are both on fixed pensions and in our 70s. This is an appeal to help ease this burden as my husband and I attempt to pay our fair share of the cancer expenses. I never thought I would be facing cancer and its physical, mental and financial stress twice in such a short period. Thank you for monetary donations, prayers and words of goodwill.....Junior Hamm