Kenny's Fight: Leukemia & Bone Marrow Transplant

On December 21, 2022, my stepdad Kenny woke up with a fever and trouble breathing. He'd been feeling unwell for a couple days, and my mom Tammy convinced him to go to the ER. Upon his arrival, the hospital immediately knew something was seriously wrong. He was running a 105.7-degree fever, his blood pressure was 70/40, and his bloodwork showed he was depleted. Doctors tentatively diagnosed him with pneumonia and sepsis. But this wasn't just an infection; his white blood count was also dangerously low. Doctors began to suspect Kenny may have some form of cancer and admitted him to the hospital. The days that followed were a bit of a blur... Blood tests, antibiotics, blood transfusion, more tests, more antibiotics, bone marrow biopsy... An endless ABC soup of medical terms and game of telephone relaying updates to family. On December 23 -- two days before Christmas-- Kenny was diagnosed with leukemia.

If you've ever had a loved one with cancer, you probably googled something like "[insert type of cancer] prognosis" and "what's the worst form of [type of cancer]." When we started looking into leukemia, one thing became very clear: acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was the worst, most aggressive type of leukemia. We held our breath as doctors worked to figure out Kenny's specific diagnosis and treatment.

Unfortunately, we learned that Kenny has AML. Not only that, but he was also diagnosed with myelodysplastic-related changes (MRC), an issue with his bone marrow cells that makes treating AML even harder.

Kenny and his wife Tammy holding hands in the hospital

Kenny and Tammy spent Christmas Eve in the hospital. It was a difficult holiday season, but Kenny has kept strong faith and optimism for God's full healing despite the odds.

On Christmas morning, Kenny was released from the hospital with orders to appear at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center in Nashville to begin treatment within a few days.

Kenny started his first round of chemotherapy on New Year’s Day 2023. Thankfully, his heart was strong going into chemo, and he tolerated it very well (with the exception of painful mouth sores that made it difficult to eat for two weeks -- a common side effect).

Kenny's first chemo treatment

While chemotherapy is helping his body to fight AML, Kenny needs a bone marrow transplant to survive this disease. He is awaiting a donor, and we are hoping the transplant happens in March 2023.

This is where you come in. Kenny is facing an extremely intense course of treatment that will last for the next year, and he could use the support of our community to help him through this time. Here is what he is up against, and why we are asking for your financial support:

1) After the bone marrow transplant, Kenny will have to stay in Nashville for 100+ days. This is because Kenny will be vulnerable to life-threatening complications from his transplant until his body starts making new blood cells, ~100 days, and he needs to be close to his doctors for monitoring (see explanation here). Nashville is 3.5 hours from their home in Knoxville, which means Kenny and Tammy will need to get a room in a hospitality house ($45/day) or rent an AirBnB for 3.5 months on top of their monthly bills for their home in Knoxville.

2) Kenny retired in 2018, and social security is his only source of income. Tammy is disabled, meaning their household income is very limited.

3) Three months before Kenny was diagnosed with leukemia, Kenny and Tammy formally adopted their great niece whom they've cared for since 2018. She is now 9 years old. Kenny and Tammy are now trying to juggle being full-time parents to their newly adopted daughter while fighting this cancer. This requires funds for babysitters to care for her while they are at doctor's appointments and money for Tammy to travel back and forth between Knoxville and Nashville to care for both Kenny and their daughter.

Adoption day (three months before diagnosis)

4) Three days before Kenny's diagnosis, Kenny and Tammy took in another great niece who had no where else to go. They are now trying to meet her needs (increased food and utility bills, clothing, etc) on top of these surprise medical-related expenses.

How will my money be used?

All funds received will be applied to expenses incurred during leukemia treatment and the bone marrow transplant recovery period. These include: hotels/hospitality house/AirBnB in Nashville, food, transportation, insurance, co-pays, babysitters, and caretakers.

Who is Kenny, and why is he sick?

Kenny is my stepdad and is a devoted husband to Tammy, a devoted adopted father to my little cousin, a Cajun jokester, and a stellar home cook. He has three children (me, my sister, and my adopted cousin), two grandchildren, and two grandpups. He owned and operated the Frostbite Snoball stand on Emory Rd and loved sharing his favorite LA treat with his new neighbors. 

Kenny is a proud Veteran of the US Air Force (served Sept. 72 - Sept. 76). He served as a nuclear weapons technician, which exposed him to solvents and radiation daily. No PPE was used back in the 70s, and Kenny's cancer is associated with the exact same toxins that he was exposed to in the military. Kenny's doctors have stated that his AML is likely the result of his toxic exposure in the Air Force.

Kenny is a rock in our family. We are doing everything in our power to help him recover and live a long life!! Please say a prayer for Kenny, our family, and the phenomenal doctors, nurses, and social workers who are caring for him. We will keep you updated through this very foreign journey as we travel forward to the cure!

Please share our story with folks who may be in a position to help out. Every little bit will go a long way! Thank you!