Rob's Cancer Journey

Hi, My name is Terri and I'm doing a fundraiser for my friends Rob and Debbie, who are in need right now. Let me tell you about their situation.

My friend Debbie was divorced and became a single mom when her kids were 7 & 2 (now 27 and 21). Debbie’s daughter has Hydrocephalus and had 31 brain and shunt surgeries during her time as a single parent. Debbie spent weeks and weeks in the hospital with her daughter while her son would stay with family members. Debbie always worked 2-4 jobs to make ends meet. Life was not always easy for her, but she did what she had to for her kids! Her children were her everything and she sacrificed a LOT for them, including having a LOVE life.

Fast forward to 2019, Debbie meets Rob. They fell in love, built a new home in October of 2020 and got married on the beach on 1/1/21. Life was so good…..until Memorial Day weekend 2022. Rob was having severe abdominal pain and was taken to the ER. He thought he had kidney stones. After 6 days in the hospital, they heard the dreaded word, CANCER! They were devastated. How could it be? Rob was only 51 years old! Rob was diagnosed with follicular non-hodkins Lymphoma, a non-aggressive and treatable but non curable form of cancer. He went through 6 rounds of chemo and in February of 2022 he had a clear PET scan! After 6 months off of work, Rob returned to work. Rob is a semi-truck delivery driver for Coca Cola. He has been at that job for 33 years. 6 weeks after his return to work, he injured his shoulder on the job. They did a CT Scan and found an 8mm mass around his first rib. Within 24 hours a biopsy was done, and results were once again cancer. The results were diffuse large B cell Lymphoma, an aggressive and fast-growing cancer. Within a week, Rob began his first of 6 new rounds of Chemo. This time, Rob worked through his chemo. Finances were still tight because he was off work for 6 months during the previous year’s treatments. His last treatment was in October 2023. The November 2023 PET scan showed clear, with just a shadowing left in his rib area. He was referred to Karmanos Cancer Institute for his next steps. He was scheduled to begin a Stem Cell Transplant in early December. He would be his own donor. His body, however, wasn’t producing enough stem cells for collection so his transplant was cancelled. CAR-T Cell Therapy is the next course of action. He just had a repeat PET Scan on February 5, 2024 and the results were not good. His cancer is back and now in 4 areas. He is currently doing testing to start his CAR-T treatment which will start in March. Due to the neurological risks, Rob will not be able to drive for 8 weeks minimum. This treatment will also lower his immune system so he will likely be off work for an extended period of time. Debbie had to get another job to help with the loss of Rob’s income.

Please consider helping my friends, Debbie and Rob. They have both worked so hard to get where they are at in life. At a time when they should be enjoying the love that they have for each other, that they waited so long for to find, their life is filled with Dr Appts, treatments, stress and uncertainty.Your contribution will not only help alleviate the financial strains on  Debbie and Rob but will also provide peace of mind for them and to be able to focus on healing.