John Craig Memorial Fund
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It all started on January 23, 2018. John was brushing his teeth like any other day--except this time, something wasn't right. He found a lump the size of a small Tootsie Roll under his tongue. Concerned, he and his wife Alexandra called around & were surprisingly able to find an appointment with an ENT the same day. The next day, John & Alexandra found out that the lump wasn't merely the size of a Tootsie Roll... it was a 5 cm mass in the floor of the right side of his mouth.
After a surgical biopsy on January 31st, he was given two preliminary diagnoses: Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and then Poorly Differentiated Carcinoma. But the tumor still didn’t fit the exact description of either one. Puzzled, the pathology team sent the biopsy out for special testing. On February 16, 2018, the diagnosis changed once more to NUT midline carcinoma (NMC), a rare, aggressive, & highly lethal form of cancer. There are only about 250 documented cases in medical history. He is the first person to be diagnosed with it in South Carolina, only the third person in North Carolina, and he is the first patient with it to be treated at Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, NC. The average lifespan for patients with NMC is 6.7 months. Due to its rarity, information on the disease is extremely limited.
While devastated to receive such grim news, John & Alexandra had to act quickly, as the tumor had begun to show its ugly nature. In the three weeks it took to receive an official diagnosis, the cancer had more than doubled in size, wrapped itself around his jaw, & was traveling down the right side of his neck. The doctors recommended him to have a 3-day infusion of heavy-duty chemotherapy in hopes of shrinking the tumor prior to surgery. He started chemo the day he was diagnosed. While the tumor reduced in size by nearly half, he still required major surgery--consisting of removing the lower right half of his jaw and replacing it with a portion of his shin bone. They also removed a section of the base of his tongue, tissue from the floor of his mouth, & 35 lymph nodes from his neck. In addition to surgery to remove the visible cancer, he had to have a feeding tube put in & receive a tracheotomy for recovery purposes.
But the pre-op chemo & surgery were not enough. The post-op pathology report revealed 'extreme extra-nodal extension', meaning the cancer had burst through the lymph nodes (think popcorn as a visual), creating a high risk of microscopic cancer cells remaining. While the team at Levine had never treated NMC, they have treated numerous cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), of which NMC is a 'cousin'. The difference is that NMC is marked by a genetic mutation--meaning the DNA commands the cancer to grow, not an environmental factor. Based on the oncologists' knowledge of standard SCC & given the pathology report, they expected the cancer to return in the same area with 4-6 months if John did not receive follow-up chemo & radiation. However, due to the nature of NMC, they still fully expected the cancer to return no matter what method of treatment he did or didn't receive.
Since no treatment method was sure to work, John sought alternative care at CHIPSA Hospital in Playas de Tijuana. Unfortunately, the types of treatment he received were not enough to combat NMC, and the cancer returned in his neck, on top of his head, and in his hip. The doctors told the Craigs that any treatment would be palliative, and that there was nothing they could do other than make him comfortable as the disease runs its course.
John has received a course of palliative radiation, which has reduced the tumor in size and in pain levels. They are hoping that this has opened enough of a window for John to be able to participate in a clinical trial at Dana Farber in Boston in late August/September.
In the meantime, they are praying for a miracle. While John & Alexandra are aware of the severity of the diagnosis & the typical outcome, their faith is in Jesus Christ, and they know He is capable of healing John. But whether healing takes place on earth, or John is called home, their prayer is that God would give them the strength to walk whatever path may be before them. They pray for God to use their story to reach people and bring hope to hopeless situations. They hope that by sharing their journey, they can show people that joy can still be found amidst the darkest of circumstances.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Please pray, fervently, for God to miraculously heal John. Pray for him to achieve a manageable level of comfort as he endures whatever course may be set before him. Pray for Alexandra, and their 4-year-old son Johnny, to stay strong and not only to be an excellent support system for John, but also feel supported and loved themselves by all of you.
Please consider donating to the Craigs. One of their most prominent concerns is the financial burden of this situation, as the medical bills associated with John’s condition are not covered by insurance. Furthermore, the full responsibility of providing household income rests on Alexandra’s shoulders. Please support John and his family by contributing whatever amount you’re able so that the worry of money in the midst of this crisis can be lessened for them.
Finally, please share their story. You can find them on Facebook as 'The Candid Craigs' (link provided below). Please share their videos as well as this fundraising campaign.
Thank you for your time, prayers, support, and love for the Craig family! To God be the glory.
Follow 'The Candid Craigs' Here!
After a surgical biopsy on January 31st, he was given two preliminary diagnoses: Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and then Poorly Differentiated Carcinoma. But the tumor still didn’t fit the exact description of either one. Puzzled, the pathology team sent the biopsy out for special testing. On February 16, 2018, the diagnosis changed once more to NUT midline carcinoma (NMC), a rare, aggressive, & highly lethal form of cancer. There are only about 250 documented cases in medical history. He is the first person to be diagnosed with it in South Carolina, only the third person in North Carolina, and he is the first patient with it to be treated at Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, NC. The average lifespan for patients with NMC is 6.7 months. Due to its rarity, information on the disease is extremely limited.
While devastated to receive such grim news, John & Alexandra had to act quickly, as the tumor had begun to show its ugly nature. In the three weeks it took to receive an official diagnosis, the cancer had more than doubled in size, wrapped itself around his jaw, & was traveling down the right side of his neck. The doctors recommended him to have a 3-day infusion of heavy-duty chemotherapy in hopes of shrinking the tumor prior to surgery. He started chemo the day he was diagnosed. While the tumor reduced in size by nearly half, he still required major surgery--consisting of removing the lower right half of his jaw and replacing it with a portion of his shin bone. They also removed a section of the base of his tongue, tissue from the floor of his mouth, & 35 lymph nodes from his neck. In addition to surgery to remove the visible cancer, he had to have a feeding tube put in & receive a tracheotomy for recovery purposes.
But the pre-op chemo & surgery were not enough. The post-op pathology report revealed 'extreme extra-nodal extension', meaning the cancer had burst through the lymph nodes (think popcorn as a visual), creating a high risk of microscopic cancer cells remaining. While the team at Levine had never treated NMC, they have treated numerous cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), of which NMC is a 'cousin'. The difference is that NMC is marked by a genetic mutation--meaning the DNA commands the cancer to grow, not an environmental factor. Based on the oncologists' knowledge of standard SCC & given the pathology report, they expected the cancer to return in the same area with 4-6 months if John did not receive follow-up chemo & radiation. However, due to the nature of NMC, they still fully expected the cancer to return no matter what method of treatment he did or didn't receive.
Since no treatment method was sure to work, John sought alternative care at CHIPSA Hospital in Playas de Tijuana. Unfortunately, the types of treatment he received were not enough to combat NMC, and the cancer returned in his neck, on top of his head, and in his hip. The doctors told the Craigs that any treatment would be palliative, and that there was nothing they could do other than make him comfortable as the disease runs its course.
John has received a course of palliative radiation, which has reduced the tumor in size and in pain levels. They are hoping that this has opened enough of a window for John to be able to participate in a clinical trial at Dana Farber in Boston in late August/September.
In the meantime, they are praying for a miracle. While John & Alexandra are aware of the severity of the diagnosis & the typical outcome, their faith is in Jesus Christ, and they know He is capable of healing John. But whether healing takes place on earth, or John is called home, their prayer is that God would give them the strength to walk whatever path may be before them. They pray for God to use their story to reach people and bring hope to hopeless situations. They hope that by sharing their journey, they can show people that joy can still be found amidst the darkest of circumstances.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Please pray, fervently, for God to miraculously heal John. Pray for him to achieve a manageable level of comfort as he endures whatever course may be set before him. Pray for Alexandra, and their 4-year-old son Johnny, to stay strong and not only to be an excellent support system for John, but also feel supported and loved themselves by all of you.
Please consider donating to the Craigs. One of their most prominent concerns is the financial burden of this situation, as the medical bills associated with John’s condition are not covered by insurance. Furthermore, the full responsibility of providing household income rests on Alexandra’s shoulders. Please support John and his family by contributing whatever amount you’re able so that the worry of money in the midst of this crisis can be lessened for them.
Finally, please share their story. You can find them on Facebook as 'The Candid Craigs' (link provided below). Please share their videos as well as this fundraising campaign.
Thank you for your time, prayers, support, and love for the Craig family! To God be the glory.
Follow 'The Candid Craigs' Here!
Organizer
Alexandra Craig
Organizer
Rock Hill, SC