Help Garrett Fight the Effects of Cancer

Team fundraiser

Jennifer East and Jennifer East are organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Thank you to the dear supporters of this GoFundMe account for our incredible son, Garrett Robert East. It’s only been a little over 2 months that I had to give my last hugs and kisses and hold the hand of my beloved Garrett. I miss him in everything I do. A huge piece of my heart is missing. Many times it is hard to breathe just thinking about everything. I wish it was just a bad dream and soon I will wake up and Garrett is here, healthy and happy. I just wish for one more day to hold him again. I am forever changed and see life completely different.

This past Friday was a day of love shared between beautiful family and friends. My baby is in his final resting place in Washington. Garrett will forever have an unobstructed view of his beloved Seattle, Lake Washington and the cascade mountains (on a clear day), the same mountains and lake he could see from his apartment.

A huge thank you to all the amazing people who helped make his graveside service and Garrett’s Celebration of Life at Live Life Church as special as he is. We love you all. We love you Garrett.

If you would like to view Garrett’s memorial video that was played at the celebration of life: https://vimeo.com/970301971

Please see my Facebook Page or this link: https://vimeo.com/995627463 to watch/listen to the amazing concert by Mark Etherington of Mountain Holler, who played a tribute for Garrett. He is so incredibly talented and we are so very grateful.

With a very grateful heart for all the support and love over the past year we thank you all. The funds from this account helped ease Garrett’s mind when he couldn’t work anymore and has helped our family tremendously with medical bills, final care for Garrett and some of his burial costs. We collectively thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. The love and support means the world to us.

Garrett is all around us, you just have to look. He was so incredibly thankful to each and every one of you. Don’t hesitate to give that hug and tell someone how you feel about them, we aren’t promised tomorrow. Much love to you all ❤️

I’m including a link to Garrett’s Obituary: https://www.newcomerorlando.com/Obituary/279682/Garrett-East/Orlando-FL which includes an incredible eulogy, written for Garrett by his sister, Anna. She delivered it so beautifully at the graveside service, along with heartfelt messages from his brother Collin, best friend Mitch Foster, my cousin Bob Danson (who also lead the entire service so wonderfully) and so many others. It was so touching to hear all of the stories. I don’t have many photos, if anyone who attended have any to share, please send my way.

ORIGINAL POST:

I felt compelled to help my friend as she and her husband have taken yet another flight from Orlando to Seattle to be with their son, Garrett East, who is fighting cancer for his right to live. September of 2022, Jennifer East told me that her oldest son, Garrett, had stage 3 metastatic melanoma that had started as a lump under his arm.

UPDATE: This original fundraiser was to help Garrett purchase lymphoma equipment and any extra funds will help pay for his mounting medical expenses. His condition is now advanced to stage IV Metastatic Melanoma.

This is an advanced form of cancer that has spread beyond the original tumor to other areas of his body, including his brain. The original surgery was a partial success to remove the affected lymph nodes, but because they were too large and attached to the nerves, the surgeons had to stop. Garrett was left with swelling and painful lymphedema under his arm and chest area, which could be a permanent condition.

His family of six have all taken turns to be with Garrett as much as possible, since the diagnosis, living across the country. The family especially tries to be present while Garrett deals with the side effects of the treatments. Now Garrett lives with his parents full time, so they can help him with his care.

During his second round of cancer treatment, Garrett faced another obstacle. His radiologist discovered that cancer has spread to Garrett's brain, and he has a tumor, which was removed in 2023 to prevent permanent damage to his vision.

Brain surgery was but one step in Garrett’s recovery. After the craniotomy, which lasted almost five hours, Garrett recovered and then 6 rounds of radiation with a cyberknife machine.

Garrett then relocated to Florida for more advanced treatment at the Orlando Health Cancer Institute and has tried twice to get into trials there, denied first for having too many tumors and the second because he had previously been treated with a brain tumor. Then he has patiently waited for an FDA approval for the TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes) procedure.

Garrett has endured 31 rounds of radiation (brain, axilla and adrenal areas) and 18 rounds of immunotherapy / chemotherapy, at the time of this update. He has fought his way back from sepsis twice, a bad seizure (broke his back) and many other horrible side effects from his many medications.

This is why his family’s support – and yours – is so vital. Garrett has been unable to work since the fall of 2023, so his place of work ended his health insurance as of the end of 2023. Garrett and his family now pay for expensive insurance but are applying for financial aid and disability.

Balances owed after insurance coverage, combined with unexpected and costly out-of-pocket expenses, (just one example is a $50,000 bill for his chemotherapy port that is still outstanding) can devastate anyone's budget. When you factor in that his parents may need to relocate again to help facilitate his healing, the family is facing an overwhelming financial burden.

Your donations will help.

If you can spare the cost of an average cup of coffee, please consider donating to help Garrett and his family. Please share this with others.

Thank you!

Garrett's family will continue to update you on this site, as Garrett navigates through this painful and difficult phase of his life. Your support means so much to Garrett and his whole family. He is so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you.

On behalf of my dear friend and her sweet family, thank you for helping me help them.

~Mary Brotherton

Thanks to generous donors, the fundraiser met the original goal within the first week, but we all know cancer doesn't give up easily. Neither does Garrett!

At 35, Garrett has a mountain of in debt due to out-of-pocket medical costs. All funds from this account have been used to help defray his medical bills over the past year, including deductibles and his portion of bi-weekly chemotherapy / immunotherapy treatments, radiation, hydration infusions, constant tests and scans, ER visits, hospital time, recovery time, uncovered medications and procedures over the past year. This doesn’t factor in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for the upcoming TIL procedure in 2024.