Struggling Family Suffering From Cancer Diagnosis
Donation protected
My Dear Friends,
On July 23, 2018, Tommy Holmes was enjoying a day at the beach with his 2-year old daughter, Violet. When the two returned home, Tommy proceeded to give Violet a bath. Tommy’s wife, Jessie, 7-months pregnant with their second child, soon arrived home from work. Very quickly, she noticed that Tommy was disoriented and not making sense. Tommy is a Type 1 diabetic so she immediately checked his blood sugar, which was normal. Jessie then took his blood pressure, also normal. Tommy became more disoriented and she called 911. Tommy was taken by ambulance and admitted to the emergency room at West Hills Hospital. His speech became progressively impaired and he was no longer able to recognize his pregnant wife. The doctors ordered a CT Scan of his brain followed by an MRI; the tests revealed that there was a mass on his brain. Jessie was informed that Tommy would be having emergency brain surgery within a few days, once the Doctors could get the swelling in his brain under control. Three days later Tommy had brain surgery. On August 6th, they received the devastating news that the mass in Tommy’s brain was a Glioblastoma tumor, stage 4, grade 4 brain cancer.
The mass was removed, but this was just the first step in what is a long, arduous, emotionally and physically draining process that will continue for many, many months. After Tommy healed from the surgery, he underwent 6 weeks of radiation coupled with chemotherapy. This first round of treatment was completed just in time for Tommy to be with Jessie when she gave birth to their son, Joey, in late September.
Tommy is now doing 5 days of chemo every month, for 12 months. His chemo days and the days following are challenging for him as he deals with fatigue and nausea. And, these physical aspects are accompanied by the emotional strain associated with the constant realization that they are dealing with a very serious, very scary illness – a strain that weighs heavily on both Tommy and Jessie.
Because Tommy’s career has enabled him to work from home, he has always been a very hands-on father. However, the effects of Tommy’s treatment have impacted the energy he has been able to contribute to both work and caring for his family. The demands of caring for their infant and toddler while maintaining their home during these challenging times, has proven to be quite overwhelming. They have been piecing together help from family and friends as well as having to hire people to assist with childcare and taking care of everyone’s needs. In addition to the costs associated with Tommy’s traditional treatments, they are trying to cover the costs of integrative medical support as well, which is critical to provide Tommy with the most comprehensive care he can possibly get. (Their insurance does not cover these services.) Their funds are quickly disappearing and their bills are mounting.
Donations from this fundraiser would be used to ensure that Tommy has access to each and every treatment that can help him conquer this devastating illness as well as supporting this family in the process. Thank you so much for your love, your prayers, and your support, which will ensure that Tommy will soon be well again.
On July 23, 2018, Tommy Holmes was enjoying a day at the beach with his 2-year old daughter, Violet. When the two returned home, Tommy proceeded to give Violet a bath. Tommy’s wife, Jessie, 7-months pregnant with their second child, soon arrived home from work. Very quickly, she noticed that Tommy was disoriented and not making sense. Tommy is a Type 1 diabetic so she immediately checked his blood sugar, which was normal. Jessie then took his blood pressure, also normal. Tommy became more disoriented and she called 911. Tommy was taken by ambulance and admitted to the emergency room at West Hills Hospital. His speech became progressively impaired and he was no longer able to recognize his pregnant wife. The doctors ordered a CT Scan of his brain followed by an MRI; the tests revealed that there was a mass on his brain. Jessie was informed that Tommy would be having emergency brain surgery within a few days, once the Doctors could get the swelling in his brain under control. Three days later Tommy had brain surgery. On August 6th, they received the devastating news that the mass in Tommy’s brain was a Glioblastoma tumor, stage 4, grade 4 brain cancer.
The mass was removed, but this was just the first step in what is a long, arduous, emotionally and physically draining process that will continue for many, many months. After Tommy healed from the surgery, he underwent 6 weeks of radiation coupled with chemotherapy. This first round of treatment was completed just in time for Tommy to be with Jessie when she gave birth to their son, Joey, in late September.
Tommy is now doing 5 days of chemo every month, for 12 months. His chemo days and the days following are challenging for him as he deals with fatigue and nausea. And, these physical aspects are accompanied by the emotional strain associated with the constant realization that they are dealing with a very serious, very scary illness – a strain that weighs heavily on both Tommy and Jessie.
Because Tommy’s career has enabled him to work from home, he has always been a very hands-on father. However, the effects of Tommy’s treatment have impacted the energy he has been able to contribute to both work and caring for his family. The demands of caring for their infant and toddler while maintaining their home during these challenging times, has proven to be quite overwhelming. They have been piecing together help from family and friends as well as having to hire people to assist with childcare and taking care of everyone’s needs. In addition to the costs associated with Tommy’s traditional treatments, they are trying to cover the costs of integrative medical support as well, which is critical to provide Tommy with the most comprehensive care he can possibly get. (Their insurance does not cover these services.) Their funds are quickly disappearing and their bills are mounting.
Donations from this fundraiser would be used to ensure that Tommy has access to each and every treatment that can help him conquer this devastating illness as well as supporting this family in the process. Thank you so much for your love, your prayers, and your support, which will ensure that Tommy will soon be well again.
Organizer
Jessie Holmes
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA