Dave Vaughan Medical Fundraiser

Help Our Friend As He Faces Mounting Medical Costs

Many reading this will know that Dave Vaughan has organized successful GoFundMe campaigns for friends who have needed them. Now it's Dave who needs his friends to see him through a serious and costly health crisis. (Click on "Read more" for details)

Dave has probable renal cell carcinoma of the left kidney. It's "probable" because cutting into the kidney for a definitive biopsy tends to trigger an uncontrolled metastasis of this cancer. Dave has seen three specialists and all have confirmed the empirical diagnosis. All agree that the hazards of a biopsy are unacceptable.

The usual treatment for this condition is removal of the bad kidney. But Dave's other kidney is full of cysts and is functioning at no more than 40%. One kidney working at 40% is not enough.

What Are Dave's Options?

There is a robotically-assisted surgery that targets the cancer while preserving partial kidney function. Nationally, a few oncologists have the training to perform it. Dave has consulted Huntsman Cancer Center in Salt Lake City, one of the institutions with this expertise.

The surgery isn't usually done until the tumor reaches the perimeter of the organ. That puts Dave in the anxious condition of having to wait as the cancer continues to grow. It has to push out farther before he's a candidate for this rare and sought-after surgery. The Huntsman Center is tracking its progress.

In the meantime, Dave needs to boost immune and kidney function, control blood pressure, and control pain. He is seeing an integrative oncologist, with average out-of-pocket costs exceeding $2000 per month.

By sharing from his background in conventional medicine and nutrition therapy, Dave has been a force for healing. If you know Dave, you have benefited from his kindness and generosity. Please consider contributing today to help him face these new challenges.

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