Help Mark LeGrand through cancer

Last summer, singer-songwriter Mark LeGrand and his wife Sarah Munro began to notice his persistent weakness and fatigue. Both had been living in Montpelier, Vermont for more than 30 years raising a growing family and tending to their growing garden. As their grandchild headed back to school and the vegetables were being pulled from the vines, Mark found himself at his primary care physician in early September with a weight loss of 20 pounds and severe anemia. The required Iron supplements Mark had to take made him sick and with a loss of energy. A scheduled colonoscopy in mid-September found a mass in his colon, and an upper Endoscopy on October 5th found a large tumor in his stomach and a Fistula that had extended into his colon.

It was advanced cancer. Adenocarcinoma.

Sarah and Mark met immediately with a Gastroenterologist team to discuss paths forward, and the team admitted Mark to the hospital less than a week after the Endoscopy. He was very dehydrated and sick, having lost another 10 pounds. It was determined that the only option for his survival would be not only drastic and requiring the most technical medical care, but a procedure that would change Mark and Sarah's entire world forever.

Mark LeGrand underwent a major surgery on October 24th, 2023 that removed his entire stomach, spleen, and a portion of his pancreas and colon. While unfathomable to most of us as to how a person can live without those organs, advanced medical technology would make it possible for Mark to recover. He spent a week in the hospital healing and undergoing scrutinizing aftercare. The Adenocarcinoma was primarily in his stomach and a few lymph nodes. The specialists put in a feeding tube and sent Mark and Sarah home with Home Health Nursing care. 

However, just a few weeks ago, Mark and Sarah ended up back in the hospital for an infection in his blood, abdomen and also in his left lung, requiring round-the-clock antibiotics. Although cautiously optimistic, the specialist team is certain that it will take a long time for him to recover. Mark will have to go through Chemo when he gets stronger and will have to be on a second round of antibiotics for 6 weeks.

Mark has had to face these hard truths as they have come barreling toward him. To me, Mark is family and the reason I was able to find a place in Montpelier when he and Sarah allowed me to stay in their home when I relocated to the town in 2007. Without his support and guidance, I would not be in the position I am in today. For most, however- Mark LeGrand is known all over Vermont as the classic Honky-Tonk and Country Blues performer who held residencies for Happy Hour and hundreds of stage performance gigs. Mark was crushed to be told that he would not be able to perform as he had for the foreseeable future. The stage performances were not only a showing of his very soul and outpouring of years of commitment to his craft, but also a substantial and constant portion of his income. The remaining secondary income has been completely removed as well, with Mark no longer being able to perform the duties of his other employment.

This campaign is our plea for aid in this unbelievable time. The money sent here will be used for everything from payments toward the unimaginable medical bills to simply providing Sarah and Mark with the most basic expenses of groceries and utilities. Any amount you can give through this ongoing battle will let Mark know how much the community is able to provide for a man who worked every day to provide something better for his community. I thank you so much.

Knayte Lander

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