Support Bert's Battle with Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer

Hello everyone. First let me tell you how awkward/uneasy/dirty? It feels to have to request this from you. I know we all have our own problems and everyone is just trying to get by right now…but who knew getting cancer could be so expensive?

Unfortunately, I do not possess the chemistry acumen to Walter White my way thru this thing and people aren’t going to pay me for worthless trivia knowledge. So here’s the deal…4 months ago I thought I was fine. I’m turning 50 in a couple weeks and thought I was in pretty good health. I’m happily married to my wife Molly for almost 16 years and have two amazing kids (14,9…the pic is a few years old cuz I’m weird about posting current pics of my kids on the internet ). However, about 4 months ago I noticed a couple issues and they informed me I had colon cancer. A couple days after that it was determined that I was at least Stage 3…and the thought then was “phew, at least I’m not Stage 4!”. A few weeks after that I had a PET Scan and it was determined that I am, in fact, stage 4 with cancer in my colon, lungs,lymph nodes and possibly liver (that one is still super small). My ultimate goal is to go to one of two clinics in Houston- one is world renowned, the other is not as well known (but the doctor basically invented the immunotherapy concept we hear about today…he’s been helping cancer patients with dire circumstances for over 40 years!). Both of those places will NOT be covered by my insurance. Each place will cost A LOT of money, but I know if I had a decent deposit to put down they’d see me(and we will figure out the rest later). But I have to be a little too candid here - in my heart the main reason I’m raising this money is to try and not leave my wife broke and/or bankrupt. My relationship with God has it where I do not fear death (although I’d obviously like to live much longer)…but my two big fears are:

1.My family being lonely and missing me when I’m gone.

2.Leaving my amazing wife and kids financially ruined…that’s the one that keeps me up at night.

I know these are tumultuous times and everybody has their own issues, but if any of y’all have the means, please help me at least take comfort in knowing I’m doing everything I can to hopefully survive this thing. But even if I can’t do that, PLEASE help me have peace in knowing I’m not leaving Molly and the girls in a terrible situation- where they are burdened with my debts long after I’m gone.

Lastly, if I could give this brief PSA…PLEASE, if you’re in your 40’s or early 50’s, go get your screenings and colonoscopies and all that! We do not have ‘old people’ insurance that covers most everything. Just to give y’all an idea - I had 2 blood tests (necessary to determine my immunotherapy treatment) that alone totaled $28k - that’s for just two blood tests! (Apparently NOT covered by insurance although they cover the immunotherapy treatment ). Each chemo/immunotherapy treatment I go in for costs $11,000! That’s $11,000 every two weeks (although in full disclosure, my insurance pays most of that as I hit my deductible about 10 minutes into all of this) - but the point is, PLEASE go get checked out so you don’t do what I did. I thought I was invincible…I was very wrong. Last thing (sorry so long) I just want to tell my wife (my absolute hero), my amazing kids, my parents and siblings …and all those friends and people (some of whom I’ve never even met!) who have prayed for me that I’ve felt your prayers and your support- and I’m simply honored by all of it. I love each and every one of you and you’ve given me such a faith in humanity (which isn’t always easy) that I just consider myself to be one of the luckiest people on Earth - to have such an amazing group supporting me thru all this. Thank you! I thank all of you with every fiber of my being. I promise you I will keep fighting.