Help Support the Family of Roger Baker Jr.

For those of you that know Roger Baker Jr. very well or even a little, you know how kind and generous he is. He has always been there for his family and friends in so many ways. Roger is embarking on a scary journey and our family is asking for your help as he is fighting stage 4 cancer at the age of 43.

First and foremost, we ask for your prayers for healing, strength and perseverance. Roger has a very long and hard road ahead. 

Roger started his own business in 2019 which has been impacted by COVID and he does not have medical insurance. His fiancé, Kristie, has also been impacted by COVID and is now not working and is a stay-at-home Mom and teacher for their 12 and 5 year old boys (Bradley and Daxton). Without income coming in and with no medical insurance, they will be overwhelmed with the medical bills already incurred after almost two weeks in the hospital and surgery. They will have even more expenses for future oncology appointments and tests, and travel expenses to doctor visits and treatments moving forward.

My brother and his fiancé are such kind, modest and humbled people. They hate to ask for help unless absolutely necessary. Our family would be so appreciative if you can offer any financial assistance during this trying time. 

Roger's story: 
A few weeks ago, my little brother spiked a fever and had symptoms that we thought may have been COVID. After a couple of days of fevers and a negative test, he was rushed to the emergency room for severe abdominal pain.

The doctors discovered a large abdominal abscess. Roger spent days in the hospital with many scans and the doctors just kept saying 'we don't know what is causing the mass'. On December 15, he underwent an exploratory surgery where the doctors diagnosed him with stage 4 colon cancer. They removed the abscess and parts of his colon to remove the cancer. In that surgery, they also found cancerous spots on his liver. 

After days of recovering from the surgery with hopes to go home, his blood draw revealed concerning levels and his pathology reports exposed other cancer cells that were not from the colon or liver. More scans found another mass that is attached to his spleen, stomach and pancreas. 

What's next:
Thankfully, my brother was able to leave the hospital in time for Christmas. He is slowly recovering at home. Next, he will meet with a team of oncologists from Duke to undergo more scans to understand what the doctors are dealing with. It is still unknown what truly is the source of his cancer. The team will work with Roger to determine an aggressive plan that could include surgery and/or chemotherapy that will start only after his body heals from these last two weeks. 

Although there are still so many unknowns, one thing is for sure: Roger is ready to fight and beat cancer! He and our entire family are so appreciative of the support and prayers he has received so far. Thank you for hearing his story and for your continued prayers and support.