Todd Yunker Memorial Fund
Donation protected
Our Story
My (Alex) Cancer Diagnosis
First round of chemo for treatment (2013)
My first diagnosis of lymphoma was during my 4th year of college; specifically, second year at Oregon State University in 2013. During the winter term, I happened to rest my hand on my left leg and noticed a squishy mass. I went into the student health services and they weren’t sure exactly what it was. They recommended that I talk to a specialist at Samaritan Health Hospital in Corvallis. After talking to the specialist, he said that it could be anything but, they would need to do some tests on it. I went through with a surgery to remove the mass. A few weeks later the test results came back in as Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. More tests were performed at OHSU that showed the lymphoma was throughout my body. But, tests for anything in my brain had not been done. From there I began the chemo back home in Salem at the Salem Hospital. I spent the rest of the school year at home working on course work and doing the chemo. The chemo cycle was supposed to be six months long and at the end I was declared cancer free.
During this time; my parents helped me get to and from my treatments along with any medical bills that occurred. Both my parents were working and helping me with my diagnosis.
Second round of chemo leading to the transplant (2014-2015)
Being cancer free, I went back to school in the fall of 2013 at Oregon State to finish my degree in chemical engineering. I was able to go to classes for about six months with no issues. During the Winter Term 2014, I felt a sharp pain in my left knee that only happened once; so, I went on with my life and studies. Further into the term, my walking ability got progressively worse and worse. To the point where I was having to use crutches to get around. I went back to my oncologist at Salem Hospital and they ran some tests. The tests showed that it looked like my cancer was back, this time in my brain and that I should go to OHSU to perform more tests. The team at OHSU ran multiple tests including a craniotomy and spinal taps to determine what was the cause. They found lesions in my brain but, didn’t show a cancer source. They let me go a few weeks and then performed more scans which showed that the lesions had grown. That led to another sequence of chemo that included a stronger variation that could go into my brain. The lesions reacted to the chemo and reduced in size. With the type of lymphoma that I had; this chemo sequence would lead to a stem cell transplant.
As I was going through this chemo; I was still finishing my degree. My professors were able to help me do more of my course work from home. During this time again, my parents were helping me get to and from my treatments and to campus if I needed to do anything there. With everyone’s help I was able to complete my degree and graduate in June 2014. At the same time my walking ability was getting worse and worse. I started on crutches and by the end of the year I was on a walker. The chemo was still working so, the team at OHSU progressed toward the stem cell transplant. Luckily, my lymphoma had not spread to my spine and they were able to harvest my own cells for the transplant.
I ended up doing six rounds of the stronger chemo which then led into the transplant. The transplant occurred at the end of January 2015; this included doing multiple strong chemo’s over about eight days to wipe out my immune system. Concluding with the stem cell transplant to reboot my immune system. During this time my walking ability had gotten worse. I was still using a walker to move around. But, with the transplant chemo; I was in bed for about a month and a half until I was cleared to leave.
Recovery after the transplant (2015 – present)
I finished the treatment in March 2015. From there I had to continue to go back for tests to make sure that the transplant had worked. As I got further from the end of the transplant; the appointments/checkups got further and further spread apart.
During this recovery time, my walking ability was poor. I was still using the walker to get around the house. But, to go upstairs; I had to go up one stair at a time sitting. My legs were contracted; I couldn’t straighten them out. During this time, I was doing physical therapy which my parents helped me get to and pay for. The physical therapy would help when I was there doing it. But, in the days after my legs would become stiff again and my posture would go back to a hunch. I did this physical therapy two times a week for months as my insurance would allow it. The therapists had ideas that would potentially help me including a muscle lengthening procedure. Other therapists had talked about how I should get used to being in a wheelchair because of how bad the contractures were. Overall, this was from March 2015 to about March 2017.
My parents and I asked my oncologist at OHSU if there was a surgeon we could talk to there about a second opinion on my legs. He suggested a surgeon and when we talked to her; she said that it wouldn’t be perfect but, she could get me walking better. The first surgery was in June to loosen the muscle in my left ankle. The second surgery was for releasing the muscles behind both knees simultaneously. I spent August at a care facility while my legs healed and the therapists there could make sure that I was able to walk. At the end of August; I was walking much taller and with crutches. When I got home I was able to walk up and downstairs for the first time in years. By continuing physical therapy since then I’ve been able to start walking without assistance or using a cane/crutches. My parents continued to help me with the therapy and financial aspects of the surgeries and therapy. Even with all the therapy, I’m still not fully able to work at a normal job. I’m still striving for this goal.
My Dad’s Cancer Diagnosis
In Spring 2017, my dad Todd Yunker, was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer. His cancer was supposed to be aggressive with most patients only living up to two years after diagnosis. At the time he wasn’t feeling much of the symptoms and proceeded to do the chemo for four-months. When the chemo ended; his cancer had reduced in size and his oncologist moved him onto maintenance. During this time, he continued to help me with my physical therapy and he continued to work a contract job from home. He didn’t show any sign of slowing down; he was working on a couple of website ideas and his books. During my chemo, he was able to finish writing his first book and during his chemo he was working on a sequel/follow-up to it. He was in good health up through the new year 2018.
During March 2018, my dad started to feel a lack of energy and began to have stomach bloating issues. He went into the doctor; where they did a blood transfusion to help with his blood levels. Then we found out that he had an infection; which led to a round of antibiotics which he had a reaction to. He stayed in hospital for a few days while they got his infection under control. During this time, they wanted to start the chemo again but, were not able to until the infection was under control.
Finally, on May 11, he went back into the hospital because he was still feeling weak. The doctors continued to do tests and discovered that his liver was failing. On May 17, his oncologist said that he had around a week left to live. That same night, his health went into a major decline. The next morning, the doctors took him off the monitors and put him on pain medications. He passed away at 12:15 the same day. He had many goals in life ranging from finishing his book series to helping me get back on my feet after my own diagnosis. My parents celebrated their 28th anniversary this year; just a little over a month before my dad’s rapid decline in health. He loved taking care of our three shelties Rumor, Greta, and Mia.
The quickness of his illness took us by complete surprise. As a family we didn’t have time to really get things put together financially. We found bills that we didn’t know about including a couple of credit cards that he had put many of the medical bills on. With all this stress my mom and I haven’t had time to grieve for him; we’ve had to deal with new issues that keep seeming to crop up.
Current Situation
After going through my dad’s medical bills and general household bills; we could use some help to get back on our feet. The money my dad had left over in his accounts after bills will only maintain us for three to four months. This is where the GoFundMe comes in. The money will go directly to my mom to help us pay bills and begin the process of downsizing. We just need some breathing room so, that we can move forward and get into a house that fits us and the dogs. Any donation would greatly help.
My (Alex) Cancer Diagnosis
First round of chemo for treatment (2013)
My first diagnosis of lymphoma was during my 4th year of college; specifically, second year at Oregon State University in 2013. During the winter term, I happened to rest my hand on my left leg and noticed a squishy mass. I went into the student health services and they weren’t sure exactly what it was. They recommended that I talk to a specialist at Samaritan Health Hospital in Corvallis. After talking to the specialist, he said that it could be anything but, they would need to do some tests on it. I went through with a surgery to remove the mass. A few weeks later the test results came back in as Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. More tests were performed at OHSU that showed the lymphoma was throughout my body. But, tests for anything in my brain had not been done. From there I began the chemo back home in Salem at the Salem Hospital. I spent the rest of the school year at home working on course work and doing the chemo. The chemo cycle was supposed to be six months long and at the end I was declared cancer free.
During this time; my parents helped me get to and from my treatments along with any medical bills that occurred. Both my parents were working and helping me with my diagnosis.
Second round of chemo leading to the transplant (2014-2015)
Being cancer free, I went back to school in the fall of 2013 at Oregon State to finish my degree in chemical engineering. I was able to go to classes for about six months with no issues. During the Winter Term 2014, I felt a sharp pain in my left knee that only happened once; so, I went on with my life and studies. Further into the term, my walking ability got progressively worse and worse. To the point where I was having to use crutches to get around. I went back to my oncologist at Salem Hospital and they ran some tests. The tests showed that it looked like my cancer was back, this time in my brain and that I should go to OHSU to perform more tests. The team at OHSU ran multiple tests including a craniotomy and spinal taps to determine what was the cause. They found lesions in my brain but, didn’t show a cancer source. They let me go a few weeks and then performed more scans which showed that the lesions had grown. That led to another sequence of chemo that included a stronger variation that could go into my brain. The lesions reacted to the chemo and reduced in size. With the type of lymphoma that I had; this chemo sequence would lead to a stem cell transplant.
As I was going through this chemo; I was still finishing my degree. My professors were able to help me do more of my course work from home. During this time again, my parents were helping me get to and from my treatments and to campus if I needed to do anything there. With everyone’s help I was able to complete my degree and graduate in June 2014. At the same time my walking ability was getting worse and worse. I started on crutches and by the end of the year I was on a walker. The chemo was still working so, the team at OHSU progressed toward the stem cell transplant. Luckily, my lymphoma had not spread to my spine and they were able to harvest my own cells for the transplant.
I ended up doing six rounds of the stronger chemo which then led into the transplant. The transplant occurred at the end of January 2015; this included doing multiple strong chemo’s over about eight days to wipe out my immune system. Concluding with the stem cell transplant to reboot my immune system. During this time my walking ability had gotten worse. I was still using a walker to move around. But, with the transplant chemo; I was in bed for about a month and a half until I was cleared to leave.
Recovery after the transplant (2015 – present)
I finished the treatment in March 2015. From there I had to continue to go back for tests to make sure that the transplant had worked. As I got further from the end of the transplant; the appointments/checkups got further and further spread apart.
During this recovery time, my walking ability was poor. I was still using the walker to get around the house. But, to go upstairs; I had to go up one stair at a time sitting. My legs were contracted; I couldn’t straighten them out. During this time, I was doing physical therapy which my parents helped me get to and pay for. The physical therapy would help when I was there doing it. But, in the days after my legs would become stiff again and my posture would go back to a hunch. I did this physical therapy two times a week for months as my insurance would allow it. The therapists had ideas that would potentially help me including a muscle lengthening procedure. Other therapists had talked about how I should get used to being in a wheelchair because of how bad the contractures were. Overall, this was from March 2015 to about March 2017.
My parents and I asked my oncologist at OHSU if there was a surgeon we could talk to there about a second opinion on my legs. He suggested a surgeon and when we talked to her; she said that it wouldn’t be perfect but, she could get me walking better. The first surgery was in June to loosen the muscle in my left ankle. The second surgery was for releasing the muscles behind both knees simultaneously. I spent August at a care facility while my legs healed and the therapists there could make sure that I was able to walk. At the end of August; I was walking much taller and with crutches. When I got home I was able to walk up and downstairs for the first time in years. By continuing physical therapy since then I’ve been able to start walking without assistance or using a cane/crutches. My parents continued to help me with the therapy and financial aspects of the surgeries and therapy. Even with all the therapy, I’m still not fully able to work at a normal job. I’m still striving for this goal.
My Dad’s Cancer Diagnosis
In Spring 2017, my dad Todd Yunker, was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer. His cancer was supposed to be aggressive with most patients only living up to two years after diagnosis. At the time he wasn’t feeling much of the symptoms and proceeded to do the chemo for four-months. When the chemo ended; his cancer had reduced in size and his oncologist moved him onto maintenance. During this time, he continued to help me with my physical therapy and he continued to work a contract job from home. He didn’t show any sign of slowing down; he was working on a couple of website ideas and his books. During my chemo, he was able to finish writing his first book and during his chemo he was working on a sequel/follow-up to it. He was in good health up through the new year 2018.
During March 2018, my dad started to feel a lack of energy and began to have stomach bloating issues. He went into the doctor; where they did a blood transfusion to help with his blood levels. Then we found out that he had an infection; which led to a round of antibiotics which he had a reaction to. He stayed in hospital for a few days while they got his infection under control. During this time, they wanted to start the chemo again but, were not able to until the infection was under control.
Finally, on May 11, he went back into the hospital because he was still feeling weak. The doctors continued to do tests and discovered that his liver was failing. On May 17, his oncologist said that he had around a week left to live. That same night, his health went into a major decline. The next morning, the doctors took him off the monitors and put him on pain medications. He passed away at 12:15 the same day. He had many goals in life ranging from finishing his book series to helping me get back on my feet after my own diagnosis. My parents celebrated their 28th anniversary this year; just a little over a month before my dad’s rapid decline in health. He loved taking care of our three shelties Rumor, Greta, and Mia.
The quickness of his illness took us by complete surprise. As a family we didn’t have time to really get things put together financially. We found bills that we didn’t know about including a couple of credit cards that he had put many of the medical bills on. With all this stress my mom and I haven’t had time to grieve for him; we’ve had to deal with new issues that keep seeming to crop up.
Current Situation
After going through my dad’s medical bills and general household bills; we could use some help to get back on our feet. The money my dad had left over in his accounts after bills will only maintain us for three to four months. This is where the GoFundMe comes in. The money will go directly to my mom to help us pay bills and begin the process of downsizing. We just need some breathing room so, that we can move forward and get into a house that fits us and the dogs. Any donation would greatly help.
Organizer and beneficiary
Alex Yunker
Organizer
Salem, OR
Jennifer Yunker
Beneficiary