Help Marc fight brain cancer!
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Imagine getting "that" call...that unexpected call that always comes at THE most inopportune time with devastating family related news. That is what happened to our family last Wednesday when we got a call saying that our father, Marc Placeres had had a seizure and was being rushed to the hospital, the subsequent MRI revealing a golf ball sized tumor in his brain. The family rushed to his side at the Mayo Clinic in Lacrosse, WI from across the country in time for him to wake up from the brain surgery to remove the mass. Unfortunately, our worst fears were realized and then some as the mass was not only not benign, but was a rare, and the most aggressive form of brain cancer, a Glioblastoma. This particularly heinous form of cancer likely wasn't even there 3 months ago when Marc started getting persistent headaches, which illustrates how rapid this sort of tumor can develop. The skilled doctors at the Mayo Clinic removed what they could, but were unable to remove it all due to the nature of the disease and unfortunately he has been diagnosed as terminally ill.
We'll get to his story in a bit, but first a bit more context of the scenario. Marc recently changed jobs and unfortunately had a lapse in health insurance coverage. His seizure took place on 27 March 2019 followed shortly by subsequent surgery and oncology appointments in the next couple of days. In a cruel twist of fate, his insurance coverage started on 1 April 2019, too late to save him from the astronomical prices of that level of care. In spite of his new company’s efforts to help him out, they were unable to get him covered by the insurance company, and now as he is unable to work, he doesn't have health insurance at all. We have applied for Medicare, and Social Security Disability insurance, however that only amounts to a pittance of the total costs accrued.
Now onto the man that Marc himself is, and the legacy he must unfortunately leave behind too soon. He immigrated from Argentina accompanied by his sister and parents seeking asylum from political unrest at the time and, out of gratitude for the country who helped save him, he joined the Marine Corps where he served active duty from 1977 to 1981 and continued with the reserve unit until 1993. After the Corps, he studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Northern Iowa and continued that line of work till his seizure. He also raised 8 children, including biological, adopted, and step-children. He instilled a sense of duty to his children and three of us are veterans as well. He is also a proud grandfather of three beautiful girls and two energetic boys.
This is where, we hope, you can help. We come to you, hat in hand, asking for any support you can manage to make things easier for our family financially as we struggle to shoulder this unimaginable burden. The uninsured medical bills feel insurmountable at a time when the situation even with full insurance coverage would itself feel insurmountable. All contributions will go 100% to medical bills, cost of living, and end of life care. If you choose to help out, thank you very much for your contribution, no matter how much. Words cannot adequately express our gratitude for your compassion and it is a debt we fear we could never repay. If you chose not to, or otherwise cannot help, thank you for taking the time to read this far and please do not ignore persistent headaches. Semper Fi!
If you are unable to donate please share this page with everyone you know and if there is any other way you can help please contact me.
More info about the Glioblastoma cancer: https://www.abta.org/tumor_types/glioblastoma-gbm/
We'll get to his story in a bit, but first a bit more context of the scenario. Marc recently changed jobs and unfortunately had a lapse in health insurance coverage. His seizure took place on 27 March 2019 followed shortly by subsequent surgery and oncology appointments in the next couple of days. In a cruel twist of fate, his insurance coverage started on 1 April 2019, too late to save him from the astronomical prices of that level of care. In spite of his new company’s efforts to help him out, they were unable to get him covered by the insurance company, and now as he is unable to work, he doesn't have health insurance at all. We have applied for Medicare, and Social Security Disability insurance, however that only amounts to a pittance of the total costs accrued.
Now onto the man that Marc himself is, and the legacy he must unfortunately leave behind too soon. He immigrated from Argentina accompanied by his sister and parents seeking asylum from political unrest at the time and, out of gratitude for the country who helped save him, he joined the Marine Corps where he served active duty from 1977 to 1981 and continued with the reserve unit until 1993. After the Corps, he studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Northern Iowa and continued that line of work till his seizure. He also raised 8 children, including biological, adopted, and step-children. He instilled a sense of duty to his children and three of us are veterans as well. He is also a proud grandfather of three beautiful girls and two energetic boys.
This is where, we hope, you can help. We come to you, hat in hand, asking for any support you can manage to make things easier for our family financially as we struggle to shoulder this unimaginable burden. The uninsured medical bills feel insurmountable at a time when the situation even with full insurance coverage would itself feel insurmountable. All contributions will go 100% to medical bills, cost of living, and end of life care. If you choose to help out, thank you very much for your contribution, no matter how much. Words cannot adequately express our gratitude for your compassion and it is a debt we fear we could never repay. If you chose not to, or otherwise cannot help, thank you for taking the time to read this far and please do not ignore persistent headaches. Semper Fi!
If you are unable to donate please share this page with everyone you know and if there is any other way you can help please contact me.
More info about the Glioblastoma cancer: https://www.abta.org/tumor_types/glioblastoma-gbm/
Organizer
Erica Elaine French
Organizer
Norfolk, VA