Tommy's Melanoma Marathon
Donation protected
On Monday, June 17, when we got a call from our best friends, we instantly got excited because we thought that they were calling to tell us their first child made his (gender was unknown at the time) appearance. We do not think that there is a day that goes by without us wishing that is what the call was about. Brittany was calling to let my husband and I know that cancerous spots have been found on Tommy's brain.
As the time has progressed since the initial finding and Beau (the cutest, healthiest, sweetest baby boy) being welcomed into the world, so much has happened each day in the life of the Henry Family, that I thought it would be best for Tommy to be the one to share his journey with you all thus far:
"As the school year was coming to an end, I was looking forward to summer for many reasons but most of all Brittany and I were expecting our first child in June! We had prepared ourselves (as best we could) for the adventures that were soon to come, particularly in parenthood. However, the last few weeks of school I was exhausted and had a headache here and there, nothing I really thought anything of. Overall, I am in pretty good health--I run and train for half marathons, full marathons and triathlons. I eat a relatively healthy, vegetarian diet, get lots of sleep, etc, everything we are all supposed to do, right? After seeing my primary care doctor in April, Brittany requested a CT to put our minds at ease about my headaches (given that I had a stage 1 melanoma removed from the left side of my head about 4 years ago, right before our wedding. I have had follow ups with my dermatologist every 6 months with no new spots since then). That CT quickly turned into an MRI and on June 17, 2019 we received a phone call asking us to come in and discuss my results. My MRI showed that I had three cancerous spots on my brain. Sitting there in that doctors office I was shocked, angry, scared, blindsided...among other things. When you’re 32 years old you think you have your whole life ahead of you. Your plans include raising a child, going on vacation, living your life… not fighting cancer! However, God had a different plan for my life!
We were scheduled for a C-section just two days later as our sweet baby (whose gender was unknown) was breech. My wife went into labor at 2 am the following day and at 4:12 am on June 18, 2019, my life was forever changed as I heard the doctor say “you have a healthy baby BOY!” The joy that I felt at that moment was nothing I could have imagined and I knew right then and there that my purpose in life and my drive to fight like hell to beat this cancer was my son, Beau.
The rest of that week held many doctors appointments and a PET scan. After bringing our new baby home on Thursday, we received the news on Friday that my cancer was also in my bone marrow, lymph system, and the lining of my lung, as well as the previously discovered spots in my brain. Stage 4 cancer-- a diagnosis hard to swallow. The following week involved many more doctors appointments and a biopsy of my lung spots that lead us to a definitive diagnosis of Stage 4, metastatic melanoma. Many people think of melanoma as “just a skin cancer” however, I have come to learn that it is far more than that. Melanoma is a very aggressive form of cancer and up until recently, the treatment options were very slim.
After meeting with many new doctors including an oncologist, radiation oncologist, neurosurgeon, dermatologist and primary care doctor all in Charleston, and a melanoma specialist at Duke, we now have a treatment plan in place and underway. I have already undergone stereotactic radiation for the spots in my brain and will have repeat scans in a month to determine the status of those. I have begun a new therapy called immunotherapy for the rest of the spots found throughout my body. Where most people know that chemotherapy is a type of treatment that wipes the bad cells away with the good ones, many may not know the treatment of immunotherapy increases MY immune system to attack the cancer cells without killing any of my cells. The side effects of this treatment can range from very mild to severe as it can cause my body to attack itself however, the side effects vary from person to person. My plan is that I will receive this dual immunotherapy treatment of Opdivo and Yervoy every three weeks for four treatments and then will continue Opdivo alone every two weeks until we see the tumors go away or until we see that they are no longer responding to the treatment. My doctors have given me a lot of hope that I will respond to these treatments given my overall health, young age and positive attitude. I will have to travel to Duke to see my specialist, Dr. Hanks, but will be able to receive all of my infusions here in North Charleston at Dr. Bellil’s office. I have been very blessed that my team of doctors all make me a priority and I am not only being treated as a patient but most importantly as a person.
In addition to my immunotherapy, I have made many lifestyle changes to aid in my healing. I have radically changed my diet, spend time daily doing my devotion/meditation, exercising daily, etc. I believe that with the combination of conventional medicine from the doctors, my lifestyle changes, the power of prayer and a positive attitude— I WILL BEAT CANCER! I am a WARRIOR.
This diagnosis is not something I would wish upon anyone, and after taking time to process my diagnosis, I started to realize that God has CHOSEN me to live this life and make this part of my testimony. My prayer has always been that God would use me as His hands and feet, I just never thought this would be the way he wished for me to do it. Through this time, my faith has been strengthened more than I could have ever thought possible. God has strategically placed people in my path over the last few months who have shown me his mercy and grace. I believe in the power of prayer, I believe that God CAN and WILL heal me, and I believe that one day, this will all be a story to tell— a part of my testimony—to help someone else battling the same diagnosis as myself.
As of now, I have not experienced any major side effects of my treatment and my prayer is that this is the way it continues to be. I have recently experienced some hoarseness in my voice and have learned that there is some advancement of my cancer in my chest causing some vocal cord paralysis. This doesn’t change a thing, and my oncologist is encouraged that the treatment will help heal these spots to reverse this. I will be teaching this year for my third year at Newington Elementary, and am thankful for the support of my co-workers and principal’s there during this journey.
How can you help our family at this time?
1- LOVE- Be a Prayer Warrior! Pray for me daily for the strength to continue to be the best dad, husband, son, and teacher I can be, and to teach my students with limited to no side effects. Pray for my family to also remain strong and steadfast through this journey with me.
2- SUPPORT- Finances! It is hard to ask for help at times, but we know God is the ultimate provider and through him all things are possible. Our hope is to raise money to cover the cost of travel expenses to Duke, incidental medications, doctor appointment fees, scans, infusions and treatments for both this year and looking into next as well as any time that may have to be missed from work due to my treatment.
3- AWARENESS- Put on Sunscreen and Get Checked!! When you’re in the sun, cover your skin!! Go to a dermatologist and get your body checked— if caught early, melanoma can be treated easily!!
Thank You comes nowhere close to what our family can properly say for what you are doing in this time. I just ask and pray that through this journey God is glorified and I am used to spread His name every step of the way. If my story reaches just one person and gives them hope and encouragement it will reaffirm to me that God chose this path for me, and for that I will always be grateful for the life He has given me, and for the new friends I will make along this journey."
Love, Tommy
For everyone who knows Tommy & Brittany, you know they are fighters and quite frankly, nothing ever gets in their way once they set their sights on something, Tommy's recovery being no exception. As Tommy continues his treatment, this truly will be another marathon for him with many hills and detours, but we can all help him cross the finish line and beat Melanoma. The cost of one treatment alone is truly unfathomable, then add in having a newborn and just day-to-day life, which we all know can be quite demanding! Tommy listed the ways in which you can help above, however, just $1 can help their family progress in their fight against cancer.
If you choose to donate or simply lift them in your prayers, please share their story and encourage others to join #TeamTommy, and we will continue to provide updates on his journey!
-Kat & Grant Hoskins
As the time has progressed since the initial finding and Beau (the cutest, healthiest, sweetest baby boy) being welcomed into the world, so much has happened each day in the life of the Henry Family, that I thought it would be best for Tommy to be the one to share his journey with you all thus far:
"As the school year was coming to an end, I was looking forward to summer for many reasons but most of all Brittany and I were expecting our first child in June! We had prepared ourselves (as best we could) for the adventures that were soon to come, particularly in parenthood. However, the last few weeks of school I was exhausted and had a headache here and there, nothing I really thought anything of. Overall, I am in pretty good health--I run and train for half marathons, full marathons and triathlons. I eat a relatively healthy, vegetarian diet, get lots of sleep, etc, everything we are all supposed to do, right? After seeing my primary care doctor in April, Brittany requested a CT to put our minds at ease about my headaches (given that I had a stage 1 melanoma removed from the left side of my head about 4 years ago, right before our wedding. I have had follow ups with my dermatologist every 6 months with no new spots since then). That CT quickly turned into an MRI and on June 17, 2019 we received a phone call asking us to come in and discuss my results. My MRI showed that I had three cancerous spots on my brain. Sitting there in that doctors office I was shocked, angry, scared, blindsided...among other things. When you’re 32 years old you think you have your whole life ahead of you. Your plans include raising a child, going on vacation, living your life… not fighting cancer! However, God had a different plan for my life!
We were scheduled for a C-section just two days later as our sweet baby (whose gender was unknown) was breech. My wife went into labor at 2 am the following day and at 4:12 am on June 18, 2019, my life was forever changed as I heard the doctor say “you have a healthy baby BOY!” The joy that I felt at that moment was nothing I could have imagined and I knew right then and there that my purpose in life and my drive to fight like hell to beat this cancer was my son, Beau.
The rest of that week held many doctors appointments and a PET scan. After bringing our new baby home on Thursday, we received the news on Friday that my cancer was also in my bone marrow, lymph system, and the lining of my lung, as well as the previously discovered spots in my brain. Stage 4 cancer-- a diagnosis hard to swallow. The following week involved many more doctors appointments and a biopsy of my lung spots that lead us to a definitive diagnosis of Stage 4, metastatic melanoma. Many people think of melanoma as “just a skin cancer” however, I have come to learn that it is far more than that. Melanoma is a very aggressive form of cancer and up until recently, the treatment options were very slim.
After meeting with many new doctors including an oncologist, radiation oncologist, neurosurgeon, dermatologist and primary care doctor all in Charleston, and a melanoma specialist at Duke, we now have a treatment plan in place and underway. I have already undergone stereotactic radiation for the spots in my brain and will have repeat scans in a month to determine the status of those. I have begun a new therapy called immunotherapy for the rest of the spots found throughout my body. Where most people know that chemotherapy is a type of treatment that wipes the bad cells away with the good ones, many may not know the treatment of immunotherapy increases MY immune system to attack the cancer cells without killing any of my cells. The side effects of this treatment can range from very mild to severe as it can cause my body to attack itself however, the side effects vary from person to person. My plan is that I will receive this dual immunotherapy treatment of Opdivo and Yervoy every three weeks for four treatments and then will continue Opdivo alone every two weeks until we see the tumors go away or until we see that they are no longer responding to the treatment. My doctors have given me a lot of hope that I will respond to these treatments given my overall health, young age and positive attitude. I will have to travel to Duke to see my specialist, Dr. Hanks, but will be able to receive all of my infusions here in North Charleston at Dr. Bellil’s office. I have been very blessed that my team of doctors all make me a priority and I am not only being treated as a patient but most importantly as a person.
In addition to my immunotherapy, I have made many lifestyle changes to aid in my healing. I have radically changed my diet, spend time daily doing my devotion/meditation, exercising daily, etc. I believe that with the combination of conventional medicine from the doctors, my lifestyle changes, the power of prayer and a positive attitude— I WILL BEAT CANCER! I am a WARRIOR.
This diagnosis is not something I would wish upon anyone, and after taking time to process my diagnosis, I started to realize that God has CHOSEN me to live this life and make this part of my testimony. My prayer has always been that God would use me as His hands and feet, I just never thought this would be the way he wished for me to do it. Through this time, my faith has been strengthened more than I could have ever thought possible. God has strategically placed people in my path over the last few months who have shown me his mercy and grace. I believe in the power of prayer, I believe that God CAN and WILL heal me, and I believe that one day, this will all be a story to tell— a part of my testimony—to help someone else battling the same diagnosis as myself.
As of now, I have not experienced any major side effects of my treatment and my prayer is that this is the way it continues to be. I have recently experienced some hoarseness in my voice and have learned that there is some advancement of my cancer in my chest causing some vocal cord paralysis. This doesn’t change a thing, and my oncologist is encouraged that the treatment will help heal these spots to reverse this. I will be teaching this year for my third year at Newington Elementary, and am thankful for the support of my co-workers and principal’s there during this journey.
How can you help our family at this time?
1- LOVE- Be a Prayer Warrior! Pray for me daily for the strength to continue to be the best dad, husband, son, and teacher I can be, and to teach my students with limited to no side effects. Pray for my family to also remain strong and steadfast through this journey with me.
2- SUPPORT- Finances! It is hard to ask for help at times, but we know God is the ultimate provider and through him all things are possible. Our hope is to raise money to cover the cost of travel expenses to Duke, incidental medications, doctor appointment fees, scans, infusions and treatments for both this year and looking into next as well as any time that may have to be missed from work due to my treatment.
3- AWARENESS- Put on Sunscreen and Get Checked!! When you’re in the sun, cover your skin!! Go to a dermatologist and get your body checked— if caught early, melanoma can be treated easily!!
Thank You comes nowhere close to what our family can properly say for what you are doing in this time. I just ask and pray that through this journey God is glorified and I am used to spread His name every step of the way. If my story reaches just one person and gives them hope and encouragement it will reaffirm to me that God chose this path for me, and for that I will always be grateful for the life He has given me, and for the new friends I will make along this journey."
Love, Tommy
For everyone who knows Tommy & Brittany, you know they are fighters and quite frankly, nothing ever gets in their way once they set their sights on something, Tommy's recovery being no exception. As Tommy continues his treatment, this truly will be another marathon for him with many hills and detours, but we can all help him cross the finish line and beat Melanoma. The cost of one treatment alone is truly unfathomable, then add in having a newborn and just day-to-day life, which we all know can be quite demanding! Tommy listed the ways in which you can help above, however, just $1 can help their family progress in their fight against cancer.
If you choose to donate or simply lift them in your prayers, please share their story and encourage others to join #TeamTommy, and we will continue to provide updates on his journey!
-Kat & Grant Hoskins
Organizer and beneficiary
Katherine Hoskins
Organizer
Summerville, SC
Brittany Henry
Beneficiary