Garrett Perales Medical Fund

Our bandmate, brother, friend has stage IV angiosarcoma of the lungs. Angiosarcoma is a rare and clinically highly variable cancer of blood vessels (a form of sarcoma). His is a high grade (aggressive) angiosarcoma which could have started anywhere in the body. The most common place for angiosarcomas to arise is in the head and neck area, breast (frequently several years after radiation and surgery for breast cancer), bone, or other vital organs such as liver and spleen.

Sarcoma is a rare cancer in adults (1% of all adult cancers), but rather prevalent in children (about 20% of all childhood cancers). It is made up of many “subtypes” because it can arise from a variety of tissue structures (nerves, muscles, joints, bone, fat, blood vessels – collectively referred to as the body’s “connective tissues”). Because these tissues are found everywhere on the body, Sarcomas can arise anywhere. Thus, within each site of the more “common” cancers there is the occasional surprise sarcoma diagnosis (e.g., breast sarcoma, stomach sarcoma, lung sarcoma, ovarian sarcoma, etc.). Angiosarcoma is one of the many “subtypes” of sarcoma. 

Garrett has decided to forgo conventional treatment (such as chemotherapy) and is instead, doing alternative holistic treatments. Thus far, all treatments are being paid for out of pocket by him and his family, as most insurance companies don’t cover alternative medical treatments, which are quite expensive. Garrett’s mom, Cinde Perales has been keeping up with all the financials over the last several months.