Julio’s brain cancer battle

In 2018, Julio was experiencing inability to speak for short periods of time. After meeting with multiple medical professionals at the VA — health care he had access to as a U.S. Navy veteran — he was ultimately diagnosed with a brain tumor and referred to UCSF for an awake craniotomy. The surgery at UCSF and following radiation at the Community Cancer Institute in Clovis were both successful, and all of his follow-up MRIs were clear through March 2020.

Julio’s routine MRI in September 2020 showed significant growth of multiple new tumors along the left side of his brain. They are spread out and connected, making surgery and radiation unviable options for treatment. The speed of the growth was very concerning to his neuro oncologist, considering that the scans six months prior were clear. She was able to connect Julio with a doctor at the National Institutes of Health who is part of a clinical trial that is specifically for Julio’s type of brain tumor (anaplastic ependymoma) and its molecular structure. Julio was accepted into the clinical trial and begins treatments Oct 8, which consist of chemotherapy infusions and various tests on a weekly basis at NIH in Bethesda, MD. If the treatment shows success, which we all hope it will, this process may go on for up to two years.

The clinical trial pays for all of the medical costs and reimburses most of the cost of the flights, as well as most of the cost of hotel stays for 2-3 days per week. We have both received wonderful support from our employers to stay in Bethesda for longer chunks of time to avoid flying back and forth every week with Julio’s compromised immune system. While some of the costs are covered, there will still be a pretty significant financial burden to participate in the clinical trial. Ground transportation, uncovered lodging (4-5 nights per week when we stay for chunks of time), and miscellaneous expenses add up to a pretty significant amount that we will need to spend in order to give Julio the best medical treatment — in fact, it’s the only treatment in existence that is so specifically targeted toward his rare type of brain cancer.

Any help given is greatly appreciated, and if there is extra money left over once the trial is complete, it will be donated to a charitable cause related to brain cancer research. If you’d like to contribute, but gofundme isn’t your cup of tea, there are a couple of other options: Venmo @LizPina and CashApp $EZendner. 

From Julio:

“In my life growing up, I fought many many times, so I’m not scared of it. I still have it in me. I fought brain cancer 2 years ago and won. Brain cancer has challenged me for my belt once again. He thinks he has a chance, but I’m keeping this belt. My second fight with brain cancer starts now. Inside I’m scared, anxious, worried, and concerned. As a true champ I am also ready and I stay ready. I do not underestimate cancer. He has a long running record and has been brutal in the past, but he’s not ready for these hands.”