Support David Giddens' Fight Against Stage 4 Cancer

Hi, my name is Heidi. Many of you know my brother-in-law, David Giddens. Dave is many things to many people: most importantly he’s the loving and dedicated husband of 22 years to Mariana and father to Alek. He is also a son, big brother, fun uncle and best friend. He is a hard worker, lover of his family & friends, and would do anything for those that he loves.

He has overcome numerous obstacles in his life. From losing his eye at a very young age to some personal struggles to now: the fight of his life, Stage 4 gastroesophageal cancer.

Obviously this diagnosis has come as a shock to us all. This GoFundMe was started in hopes to raise any funds that will help support his family.

Any support you can give would help with his past, current, and future medical bills, help support him while he takes time from work to undergo treatment and heal, and help with any unexpected expenses that may arise.

If you can’t donate, we completely understand. But a like or a share of this page goes a long way.

Dave currently lives in Arnold, Maryland with his wife, son and their two dogs. He is an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Annapolis, Maryland. His son, Alek, is a sophomore at Archbishop Spalding High School, where he plays on the Varsity Football team.

For those that wish to keep reading, below is the backstory of what led to Dave’s diagnosis and details of his treatments and the long road ahead. Thanks for taking the time to read!

Backstory

Severe Salmonella poisoning prompted an ER visit in early December of 2024. They did numerous tests there, including a CT scan. ER doctors told him that his CT scan was normal, and they sent him home with antibiotics for the infection.

Still not feeling well, he went to his primary care doctor earlier this month, who was able to pull up the CT scan from December. His doctor was alarmed and sent him back to the ER for immediate care and testing. Come to find out, the original CT scan was not normal. It revealed that he had enlarged lymph nodes all throughout his abdomen.

While at the second ER visit, another CT scan was done. This one confirmed what the last one did. And there they told him he had lymphoma.

He was sent to an Oncologist who ordered a biopsy of his lymph nodes and a PET scan. The biopsy showed that he did not have lymphoma, but he had metastatic adenocarcinoma from a GI source.

He was diagnosed with Stage 4 due to the extent of lymph node involvement.

This past week, he had an EGD and colonoscopy to find the source of the cancer. They found a large (4cm) tumor confirming gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. They also suspect that he has pancreatic cancer. Obviously, this will require further testing.

Treatment and beyond

Dave started FOLFOX chemotherapy treatment right away. This entails infusing for 5 hours, going home with a portable device that infuses the 3rd chemotherapy drug, and then going back to the infusion center to remove the device two days later. He will need to repeat this process every 2 weeks, at least until May.

In May, they will do another PET scan to see if the cancer has responded to treatment. He may need more treatment (chemo/radiation) or they may perform surgery; this is all unknown at this time.

He will also need to have weekly blood tests to monitor for any infection or low blood counts.

Obviously, this will not only take a physical and emotional toll on him and his family, but a financial one as well. They are currently faced with Dave not working. He is the primary source of income for his family, and he has not been able to work since December. His doctor advised him that he will not be able to work during his treatment. He is also in a significant amount of pain due to the tumor burden.

They have high deductible health insurance, and currently, the copay for chemo treatment is $700 every 2 weeks. Medical bills are now starting to pile up from his previous testing (biopsies, scans, etc.). He has disability through his employer, but that is only a small fraction of his previous monthly income. It will not be enough to sustain the medical bills, mortgage, health care insurance premiums, food, utilities, transportation, etc.

Once again, thank you for your support of Dave and his family. Prayers and well wishes are also welcomed and appreciated!