UPDATE: OUR CANCER WARRIOR WAS TAKEN AMID COVID-19
Donation protected
4/24/20 UPDATE:
Sharon and her children are attempting to cope with the loss of the incredible spirit which was Andy. There have been endless tears and many sleepless nights. Their grief is immense. It will take a long time to adjust to a world without this wonderful man and amazing warrior. COVID-19 took him so quickly. It is still difficult to comprehend.
I want to thank all of those who have been so kind with their heartfelt words and actions. The amazing generosity of your donations has truly touched each of us very deeply. There are simply no words to express my gratitude.
I pray daily to give everyone the strength to endure what this nation is going through. I know these are challenging times for all but with additional support from generous hearts, I know we can achieve my goal for this family that has been through so much as they continue to struggle. In unity we are strong and together we can help ease their financial burdens. Each share and donation, no matter how small, will mean so much to them. Every little bit adds up to what can be a life changer for Sharon, Matthew, Abby and Lucas.
So please DONATE. If you cannot, please SHARE and thank you so much.
May God watch over each of you, stay safe and remember to hug those you love...each day together is a gift.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
UPDATE: Andy was residing in a healthcare facility receiving physical therapy when on Friday, March 27th he began to develop a fever. On Saturday his oxygen levels had dropped and he was having difficulty breathing. He was rushed to the hospital. Over night he was put on life support and at 10:45 am on Sunday, March 29, 2020 our brave warrior passed away from what his doctors diagnosed as pneumonia due to COVID-19. Andy was not ready to leave this world but after his courageous three year battle with cancer, he was taken from us. Our family is devastated and I will miss my dear friend. Due to recent restrictions, no one had been permitted to see him for the past two weeks. Totally isolated from his family, Andy died alone and my sister and her children do not have proper closure. They must now make burial arrangements for Andy without the possibility of a proper funeral due to social distancing. Sharon, Matt, Abby and Lucas have been through hell. They are living a nightmare. I pray you can find it in your heart to help this unfortunate family and please share this fundraiser with everyone you know.
During this pandemic please cherish your loved ones. Stay home. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
God be with you all.
https://leberlakeside.com/tribute/details/1661/Anthony-Radler/obituary.html#tribute-start
______________________________________________________________________________________________
I am attempting to raise money for a very courageous man and his family. Andy is 54 years old. He is the husband to Sharon for the past 24 years and the father of Matthew, Abby and Lucas. He is also a brain cancer survivor. 30 months ago Andy was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain and 20 years after his first battle with brain cancer, he is once again in a fight for his life.
My name is Laura. I am the friend and sister-in-law of Andy (Anthony). In 1994 Andy and I were work colleagues. That year I introduced him to my younger sister Sharon. From the moment they met they were inseparable. They eloped in 1996 and later that same year Sharon gave birth to their first son Matthew and they moved to Hopatcong, NJ.
In May of 1997, Sharon came home to find Andy collapsed and unconscious in their driveway. After testing, it was found that he had experienced a grand mal seizure due to a walnut sized stage 3 astrocytoma in his temporal lobe. Andy had surgery to remove the tumor. Thanks to God’s blessings he came through the surgery successfully. By sheer luck, because of the tumor placement, he was very fortunate and did not lose his ability to walk and talk. He did however experience continued seizure activity and short term memory loss.
Andy slowly recovered but was permanently disabled due to the very high dose of anti-seizure medication he must take daily. In 1998 they were blessed with the birth of their daughter Abigail. Andy continued his course of 35 radiation treatments and a year of aggressive chemotherapy. He lost over 50 pounds. In 1999 they bought their home in Hopatcong and Andy finished his treatments. In 2002, against all medical odds and to the surprise of doctors and Sharon they became pregnant again. Their son Lucas was born on Valentine's Day of 2003.
In the Fall of 2003, 5 years after finishing his treatments, Andy was declared cancer free.
The Radlers led a difficult but relatively ordinary life as they raised their wonderful children. While Sharon continued to work 6 days a week, Andy gained weight and settled in as the homemaker. He always felt blessed to spend this time with his children and was present at all their after school activities. In 2015 Matthew graduated from Sussex Vo Tech High School where he studied welding and in 2016 Abby also graduated after studying baking and culinary arts. She was awarded a scholarship to the Johnson and Wales University in Florida. In May of 2017, she decided to fly to Florida with her dad to view the campus. During the flight, Andy experienced difficulty speaking and became disoriented. Upon arriving back home, Sharon took him to the emergency room where he became unable to speak. After testing, it was discovered that he had stage 4 lung cancer that had already metastasized to his brain. He had 6 brain tumors. He had been faithful to blood work and MRI scans every 6 months for the past 15 years. His last scan had been clear and he had no symptoms. This was fast in development and a total shock. Almost 20 years to the day, Andy had cancer again and Abby put her education on hold.
Andy went through several sessions of full brain radiation in an attempt to shrink the tumors that were inoperable. 8 weeks later, an MRI revealed that the tumors had indeed shrank. The doctors said it was "remarkable". Unfortunately, to our horror, Andy had also developed a tumor in the same spot as 20 years ago.
In September 2017, Andy incredibly, once again had brain surgery to remove the large tumor. Andy's diagnosis was Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme. It was a glioblastoma, the deadliest and most aggressive form of brain cancer. In very rare instances the radiation used to kill cancer can cause an acceleration in the growth of dormant cells and other forms of cancer. Unfortunately this had happened to Andy. Our hearts were broken.
Surgery took its toll this time. Andy was left with cognitive and physical after effects. He began inpatient rehabilitation consisting of physical, occupational and speech therapy. In November 2017, another MRI scan was done and it revealed that only weeks after the surgery, the tumor was growing back. We were also informed that more surgery was not an option.
In 2018 Andy began wearing an optune cap. It is a device that sends low voltage waves of tumor treating current across the brain to confuse cancer cells. It helps keep the cancer from growing at a cost of $21,000 a month. For the next 2 years Andy continued chemotherapy treatments every 21 days and physical therapy. He became very weak and was wheelchair bound, Sharon became his caretaker. She would handle appointments and take care of his many needs around her work schedule. After a bout with pneumonia in October 2018, she had no choice but to take an unpaid leave of absence from her job to be with him. He could not be left alone and needed constant care.
In September 2019, their beautiful daughter Abby married her soul mate Nick, a young Marine who is about to be deployed to the Middle East. Andy escorted her down the aisle in his wheelchair and at the reception, he surprised everyone as he stood to dance with her. Every person in the room was brought to tears. It was a very emotional moment and a testament to his strength, spirit and love of his family. One week later Andy went for physical therapy and there he contracted a drug resistant form of pneumonia.
On October 1, 2019, Andy was rushed to the emergency room unresponsive with very low blood pressure. Later that night, he was admitted to the hospital and due to many errors and complications he still requires supervised care and remains hospitalized today. In the past 3 months, Andy has had pneumonia three times. He developed throat swelling esophageal thrush which caused choking so he was taken off food and medicine by the mouth. This in turn led to seizures and worst of all, a stroke due to medication changes and dosing errors. Sharon has not left his side, day or night, in over 100 days; sleeping in recliners at his bedside. She has been his advocate and champion. In December Sharon developed Shingles from all the stress she was encountering and during the week of Christmas their children visited both of their parents in separate rooms on different floors of the same hospital. It is almost unthinkable.
On New Years Eve Andy was moved to a rehabilitation hospital. He is finally receiving the care and physical therapy that he needs and is slowly improving. Andy can now eat pureed food. It is the first solid food he has eaten in over 3 months. His therapists are amazed by him. They are able to help him sit up and he is finally moving his legs; despite the pain it causes him. To our great relief, Andy’s brain tumors are miraculously stable with no sign of active growth. His lung tumor, although small, is still there but also stable. Under supervised care, with the necessary therapies and his amazing will to live, Andy will return home. When strong enough, he will be able to continue cancer treatments. Over the last 20 years his mantra has always been NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER BACK DOWN. He wants so badly to live. I have never witnessed such determination. He is truly a warrior. He beats the odds every day and we pray daily that he will continue to do so. He has always been our hero.
Sadly, the family is now overwhelmed with debt and Andy may not have a home to return to. Their electricity has been turned off twice and will soon be again. The oil tank for their furnace is empty (Update: Randy Colson, owner of Starz Oil, gifted the Radlers 150 gallons. God bless him). While Andy has been hospitalized, the roof of their home began to leak. One of the family cars caught fire. Their family dog died and their home of the last 20 years is in the process of foreclosure. The medical bills and others continue to mount. In the first week of 2020 Sharon was notified that she was terminated after 25 years with the post office due to her job leave status. She no longer has health or life insurance. Financially, they are spiraling out of control.
Andy and Sharon are very good people that have been through so much yet still find the courage and strength to continue their fight. They are both too proud to seek help so I am asking for them. Andy is a kind, funny, generous, good hearted soul and a wonderful husband and father. He and Sharon were always the first to help a friend in need. They now need the kindness and generosity of others. Hopefully with the love and support of family, friends, neighbors and caring strangers they will not lose their home and Andy will be able to return there. They are in a desperate position...Please help our warrior. Every donation you make is a blessing and every blessing brings my sister and her brave husband and children closer to easing their heavy burden. I truly appreciate your time and hope you can donate. Please forward this to anyone you think can help. God bless you all and thank you.
Sharon and her children are attempting to cope with the loss of the incredible spirit which was Andy. There have been endless tears and many sleepless nights. Their grief is immense. It will take a long time to adjust to a world without this wonderful man and amazing warrior. COVID-19 took him so quickly. It is still difficult to comprehend.
I want to thank all of those who have been so kind with their heartfelt words and actions. The amazing generosity of your donations has truly touched each of us very deeply. There are simply no words to express my gratitude.
I pray daily to give everyone the strength to endure what this nation is going through. I know these are challenging times for all but with additional support from generous hearts, I know we can achieve my goal for this family that has been through so much as they continue to struggle. In unity we are strong and together we can help ease their financial burdens. Each share and donation, no matter how small, will mean so much to them. Every little bit adds up to what can be a life changer for Sharon, Matthew, Abby and Lucas.
So please DONATE. If you cannot, please SHARE and thank you so much.
May God watch over each of you, stay safe and remember to hug those you love...each day together is a gift.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
UPDATE: Andy was residing in a healthcare facility receiving physical therapy when on Friday, March 27th he began to develop a fever. On Saturday his oxygen levels had dropped and he was having difficulty breathing. He was rushed to the hospital. Over night he was put on life support and at 10:45 am on Sunday, March 29, 2020 our brave warrior passed away from what his doctors diagnosed as pneumonia due to COVID-19. Andy was not ready to leave this world but after his courageous three year battle with cancer, he was taken from us. Our family is devastated and I will miss my dear friend. Due to recent restrictions, no one had been permitted to see him for the past two weeks. Totally isolated from his family, Andy died alone and my sister and her children do not have proper closure. They must now make burial arrangements for Andy without the possibility of a proper funeral due to social distancing. Sharon, Matt, Abby and Lucas have been through hell. They are living a nightmare. I pray you can find it in your heart to help this unfortunate family and please share this fundraiser with everyone you know.
During this pandemic please cherish your loved ones. Stay home. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
God be with you all.
https://leberlakeside.com/tribute/details/1661/Anthony-Radler/obituary.html#tribute-start
______________________________________________________________________________________________
I am attempting to raise money for a very courageous man and his family. Andy is 54 years old. He is the husband to Sharon for the past 24 years and the father of Matthew, Abby and Lucas. He is also a brain cancer survivor. 30 months ago Andy was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain and 20 years after his first battle with brain cancer, he is once again in a fight for his life.
My name is Laura. I am the friend and sister-in-law of Andy (Anthony). In 1994 Andy and I were work colleagues. That year I introduced him to my younger sister Sharon. From the moment they met they were inseparable. They eloped in 1996 and later that same year Sharon gave birth to their first son Matthew and they moved to Hopatcong, NJ.
In May of 1997, Sharon came home to find Andy collapsed and unconscious in their driveway. After testing, it was found that he had experienced a grand mal seizure due to a walnut sized stage 3 astrocytoma in his temporal lobe. Andy had surgery to remove the tumor. Thanks to God’s blessings he came through the surgery successfully. By sheer luck, because of the tumor placement, he was very fortunate and did not lose his ability to walk and talk. He did however experience continued seizure activity and short term memory loss.
Andy slowly recovered but was permanently disabled due to the very high dose of anti-seizure medication he must take daily. In 1998 they were blessed with the birth of their daughter Abigail. Andy continued his course of 35 radiation treatments and a year of aggressive chemotherapy. He lost over 50 pounds. In 1999 they bought their home in Hopatcong and Andy finished his treatments. In 2002, against all medical odds and to the surprise of doctors and Sharon they became pregnant again. Their son Lucas was born on Valentine's Day of 2003.
In the Fall of 2003, 5 years after finishing his treatments, Andy was declared cancer free.
The Radlers led a difficult but relatively ordinary life as they raised their wonderful children. While Sharon continued to work 6 days a week, Andy gained weight and settled in as the homemaker. He always felt blessed to spend this time with his children and was present at all their after school activities. In 2015 Matthew graduated from Sussex Vo Tech High School where he studied welding and in 2016 Abby also graduated after studying baking and culinary arts. She was awarded a scholarship to the Johnson and Wales University in Florida. In May of 2017, she decided to fly to Florida with her dad to view the campus. During the flight, Andy experienced difficulty speaking and became disoriented. Upon arriving back home, Sharon took him to the emergency room where he became unable to speak. After testing, it was discovered that he had stage 4 lung cancer that had already metastasized to his brain. He had 6 brain tumors. He had been faithful to blood work and MRI scans every 6 months for the past 15 years. His last scan had been clear and he had no symptoms. This was fast in development and a total shock. Almost 20 years to the day, Andy had cancer again and Abby put her education on hold.
Andy went through several sessions of full brain radiation in an attempt to shrink the tumors that were inoperable. 8 weeks later, an MRI revealed that the tumors had indeed shrank. The doctors said it was "remarkable". Unfortunately, to our horror, Andy had also developed a tumor in the same spot as 20 years ago.
In September 2017, Andy incredibly, once again had brain surgery to remove the large tumor. Andy's diagnosis was Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme. It was a glioblastoma, the deadliest and most aggressive form of brain cancer. In very rare instances the radiation used to kill cancer can cause an acceleration in the growth of dormant cells and other forms of cancer. Unfortunately this had happened to Andy. Our hearts were broken.
Surgery took its toll this time. Andy was left with cognitive and physical after effects. He began inpatient rehabilitation consisting of physical, occupational and speech therapy. In November 2017, another MRI scan was done and it revealed that only weeks after the surgery, the tumor was growing back. We were also informed that more surgery was not an option.
In 2018 Andy began wearing an optune cap. It is a device that sends low voltage waves of tumor treating current across the brain to confuse cancer cells. It helps keep the cancer from growing at a cost of $21,000 a month. For the next 2 years Andy continued chemotherapy treatments every 21 days and physical therapy. He became very weak and was wheelchair bound, Sharon became his caretaker. She would handle appointments and take care of his many needs around her work schedule. After a bout with pneumonia in October 2018, she had no choice but to take an unpaid leave of absence from her job to be with him. He could not be left alone and needed constant care.
In September 2019, their beautiful daughter Abby married her soul mate Nick, a young Marine who is about to be deployed to the Middle East. Andy escorted her down the aisle in his wheelchair and at the reception, he surprised everyone as he stood to dance with her. Every person in the room was brought to tears. It was a very emotional moment and a testament to his strength, spirit and love of his family. One week later Andy went for physical therapy and there he contracted a drug resistant form of pneumonia.
On October 1, 2019, Andy was rushed to the emergency room unresponsive with very low blood pressure. Later that night, he was admitted to the hospital and due to many errors and complications he still requires supervised care and remains hospitalized today. In the past 3 months, Andy has had pneumonia three times. He developed throat swelling esophageal thrush which caused choking so he was taken off food and medicine by the mouth. This in turn led to seizures and worst of all, a stroke due to medication changes and dosing errors. Sharon has not left his side, day or night, in over 100 days; sleeping in recliners at his bedside. She has been his advocate and champion. In December Sharon developed Shingles from all the stress she was encountering and during the week of Christmas their children visited both of their parents in separate rooms on different floors of the same hospital. It is almost unthinkable.
On New Years Eve Andy was moved to a rehabilitation hospital. He is finally receiving the care and physical therapy that he needs and is slowly improving. Andy can now eat pureed food. It is the first solid food he has eaten in over 3 months. His therapists are amazed by him. They are able to help him sit up and he is finally moving his legs; despite the pain it causes him. To our great relief, Andy’s brain tumors are miraculously stable with no sign of active growth. His lung tumor, although small, is still there but also stable. Under supervised care, with the necessary therapies and his amazing will to live, Andy will return home. When strong enough, he will be able to continue cancer treatments. Over the last 20 years his mantra has always been NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER BACK DOWN. He wants so badly to live. I have never witnessed such determination. He is truly a warrior. He beats the odds every day and we pray daily that he will continue to do so. He has always been our hero.
Sadly, the family is now overwhelmed with debt and Andy may not have a home to return to. Their electricity has been turned off twice and will soon be again. The oil tank for their furnace is empty (Update: Randy Colson, owner of Starz Oil, gifted the Radlers 150 gallons. God bless him). While Andy has been hospitalized, the roof of their home began to leak. One of the family cars caught fire. Their family dog died and their home of the last 20 years is in the process of foreclosure. The medical bills and others continue to mount. In the first week of 2020 Sharon was notified that she was terminated after 25 years with the post office due to her job leave status. She no longer has health or life insurance. Financially, they are spiraling out of control.
Andy and Sharon are very good people that have been through so much yet still find the courage and strength to continue their fight. They are both too proud to seek help so I am asking for them. Andy is a kind, funny, generous, good hearted soul and a wonderful husband and father. He and Sharon were always the first to help a friend in need. They now need the kindness and generosity of others. Hopefully with the love and support of family, friends, neighbors and caring strangers they will not lose their home and Andy will be able to return there. They are in a desperate position...Please help our warrior. Every donation you make is a blessing and every blessing brings my sister and her brave husband and children closer to easing their heavy burden. I truly appreciate your time and hope you can donate. Please forward this to anyone you think can help. God bless you all and thank you.
Organizer
Laura Selleck
Organizer
Roxbury Township, NJ