Terry and Ali Wilson's Medical Expenses

Hi, my name is Pat Callahan, and I am raising money for my sister Alison and her husband, Terry.

Terry has mantle cell lymphoma. He was initially diagnosed as stage 4 in Aug 2022. They were told there is no cure for this type of cancer, but with chemo, there is a strong chance of remission.

Terry immediately underwent four rounds of chemo, and after a clean PET scan in February, they were told his cancer was gone. A few months later, Terry began having stomach pain. A PET scan and biopsy confirmed his mantle cell lymphoma had returned.

Terry has started a more aggressive form of chemotherapy, which will be followed by a cutting-edge CAR T-cell therapy trial. CAR T-cell therapy is a way to get immune cells called T cells (a type of white blood cell) to fight cancer by changing them in the lab so they can find and destroy cancer cells. This type of treatment can be beneficial in treating some types of cancer, even when other treatments are no longer working.

The CAR T-cell therapy will require Terry and Ali to travel to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL, for three chemo treatments, followed by the CAR T-cell infusion and a 10-day hospital stay. After the hospital stay, Terry and Ali must live in Tampa for at least 30 more days so that doctors can closely monitor Terry.

The length of stay in Tampa for Terry's treatment was unanticipated. Ali was recently laid off from her job and has been working at a restaurant to make ends meet. Terry's treatment will require Ali to take an unpaid leave of absence from her job for the 6-week move to Tampa.

To know the Wilsons is to know an incredibly giving and gracious couple who would do anything for their friends and neighbors. Ali started a food pantry for her community during the pandemic to ensure no one went hungry – including putting together all the groceries needed for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for 100 needy families.

The money raised here will pay for the cost of living in Tampa during Terry's hospitalization and treatment: a rental that allows pets, food, gas, medical expenses not covered by Medicare, and any other expenses they incur during their stay in Tampa.

Ali and Terry live a life that models being there for others in their time of need. Please join me in supporting them in theirs.