Help Kai Machida Keep Fighting!

Kai Machida.

To know him is to love him.

To know him is to laugh with him. A lot. :)

He is the first to help and the last to complain.

Broadcasting about his private life isn’t his style, which is why most of you were unaware of the battle he’s been fighting behind the scenes for the last two years and counting.

While writing this GoFundMe, I came across a serendipitous quote today:

“Tell the story of the mountain you climbed. Your words could be a page in someone else’s survival guide.”

-Morgan Harper Nichols

Kai’s battle with cancer is one that our collective families, friends, and strangers alike need to hear. Because at some point in our lives, the bravest thing we can do is ask for help.

Here’s Kai’s story:

On September 2020, Kai was diagnosed with head and neck cancer (oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma). Within the next three months that followed, he had surgery to remove 32 lymph nodes and 27 tumors and underwent chemotherapy and radiation.

In May 2021 cancer had spread to his lungs. He had to start a new type of chemotherapy and another round of radiation targeting his lower trachea and right lung area. I remember texting to check in with him and he told me his doctor said this chemo would cause acne. Kai joked about being not so stoked about re-living teenage acne as an adult. I always admired how light-hearted he remained when confronted with more mountains to climb.

In February 2022 another PET scan confirmed continued cancer spread, which prompted ongoing immunotherapy and the start of cancer medication. Another scan was done three months later (May 2022) and showed continued spread, still. Despite it all, Kai felt well otherwise and still maintained a good quality of life.

A series of unfortunate events that began on August 14 unraveled and significantly changed the trajectory of Kai’s quality of life and treatment plan.

He was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia aspiration (inflammation of lungs from food/liquid breathed into lungs) and hypoxia (oxygen deficiency). An EGD procedure revealed a TEF, an abnormal connection between the esophagus (which connects the throat to the stomach) and the trachea (which connects the throat to the windpipe/lungs).

This is a serious complication that can result from radiation therapy, and it’s why Kai ended up in the hospital; consuming food and drink with a TEF gets aspirated into the lungs. As such, this meant he could no longer eat or drink by mouth again. He had a PEG (feeding tube) placed and went home after 7 days in the hospital.

A follow-up procedural visit to his doctor 2 days later was done for further evaluation of the condition of his lungs and chemotherapy was placed on hold. The next day, he was admitted to ICU for the same complications from 8/14 and placed on a ventilator; he also had surgery to place an esophageal stent.

Kai was discharged from the hospital on September 4 and is at home with my cousin Reyna. Once she exhausts her remaining two-week vacation time (taken 8/31), she will be on leave without pay from her job to be a full-time caregiver for Kai.

I know this journey may come as a shock and surprise to most of you. If you’ve seen Kai before August, you’d see the same familiar smiling, easy-going, healthy guy you know him to be.

From day one when confronted with this diagnosis, Kai persisted in controlling the controllables and maintaining a sense of normalcy concurrent to his circumstance. Throughout much of his treatment, he continued to work out, prevented the typical weight loss that occurs with cancer treatment and remained relentlessly optimistic. He stayed committed to getting well and approaching his treatment on his terms.

With this new adjustment in lifestyle, Kai and the family have another uphill mountain to climb. While a lot of this is hard news to hear, I hope that you are equally inspired by his story and his ongoing fight. The family has not ceased to be grateful for the wins and the good that persists both before the diagnosis and to this day.

Kai doesn’t want or need our sympathy - he and the family need our light and our help. Funds raised will go towards Kai's ongoing medical expenses and the family's living expenses.

I encourage you to share this GoFundMe page across all avenues possible. And, in respect of the family's wishes to focus as much as possible on the present journey ahead, please leave your direct words of support on this platform instead of on their social media pages.

Mahalo for your support!