Support Dale's Fight Against Lung Cancer

Please join our family as we come together to support my little brother, Dale Jr., who was recently diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, specifically non-small cell adenocarcinoma that's spread to his eyes and brain.

At 34 years old, he is facing the biggest battle of his life, something that seems so hard to believe. Just weeks ago, he was enjoying a healthy, happy life. And within days, it all changed.

A few weeks back, he started experiencing some flashing in one eye, then some stomach pain a week or so later. On 1/3/25, his boss (an angel, by the way) sent him to the ER. They sent him for imaging and found lots of fluid around his heart and lungs. They also found masses on his lungs and dropped the dreaded c word.

He was immediately transferred to Mayo in Rochester where they drained nearly two liters of fluid. They also confirmed what they suspected were masses and lesions on his eyes. Through additional scans, they found masses and lesions on his brain.

After nearly a week in the hospital, he was discharged to be with family while awaiting biomarker testing results. At a follow-up scan just a few days later, they were concerned about blood clotting around his lungs and growth in the lung tumor. He was admitted again to Mayo Clinic’s inpatient unit on 1/14/25.

To prevent additional complications, he will begin chemotherapy immediately, and likely radiation, until they receive the biomarker results. They are hopeful the biomarkers will be a match for targeted therapy, the best type of treatment - better outcomes, fewer side effects, easiest to administer, and more.

No matter what the treatment is, this will be the fight of a lifetime. The last thing he can afford on this journey is financial stress.

He has already missed the better part of two weeks of work. Both he and his fiancée will miss many more weeks and possibly months as the team continues to put together the best plan to treat him.

It is critical for him to have peace of mind financially, as he needs to focus on treatment, his kids, his fiancée, and the rest of his family. We’d be so appreciative of your help getting him there.

Our family is eternally grateful for all the support and outpouring of love already, and for all that is to come.

With so much gratitude,

Big brother and family