KenWest Hockey Player Diagnosed with Cancer

Hi to all fellow 2005 parents, hockey parents, baseball parents, football parents, lacrosse parents, Ken-Ton school district parents, fellow parents, and to all my Facebook friends.... My name is Kristin Scholz, a Ken-Ton resident (262 Northwood Dr., Buffalo, NY 14223). Last week I learned that a good friend of my son, Damien Isch, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. This is a rare form of cancer; however, more common in teenagers, affecting the bones. The cancer, while diagnosed as localized and stage 2, it is on his ribs. He will have to undergo 12 weeks of chemotherapy to reduce the size of the cancer, followed by surgery in which they will remove three of his ribs, which will then be replaced with pieces of cadaver (to protect the area). Following this will be intensive physical therapy. After that another 16 weeks of chemo and then an evaluation to determine if he needs radiation. A LOT FOR A CHILD THAT SHOULD BE ENJOYING HIS SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.

 

Cancer in of itself is awful, but this type is devastating. Damien, a very active young man, is on the football and lacrosse teams for Kenmore West as well as a part of the KenWest Varsity hockey team (and also travel hockey). Currently, as Damien awaits his chemo treatments to begin the last week in February, he is basically on bedrest, because of the pain, but also there is the fear that if he falls or has an accident, the tumor could erupt and spread the cancer to other parts of his body. Needless to say, he will not be finishing the KenWest hockey season, and most likely will not be able to play sports for a very long time, if at all.

 

While this is just the beginning, and we are not sure of all the expenses that will accrue, I wanted to start this Go Fund Me page so that we can start raising funds that will be needed to cover the expenses that the Isch's insurance will not - medicine, various treatments, supplies/furniture that will help make Damien as comfortable as possible - including an adjustable bed. Sue Isch, Damien's mom, works for the Buffalo Public School system, as well as a second job on the weekend. Don, his father, works for Meals on Wheels. Obviously, they will want to be with Damien as much as possible, which may require taking a family leave from work, which is an unpaid leave. A parent should not have to worry about how they are going to pay their son's medical bills. Their priority right now is to be with their son. So today, I ask you all to please make a donation that will go directly into an account created, under Susan Isch's name (with Radius Credit Union) just to fund these expenses.

 

Also, please share this page. Thank you so much for your support.

Kristin Scholz