Kick Steve's Cancer To The Curb
Donation protected
On Tuesday, February 28, my dear friend Steve Christou was diagnosed with Stage 4 Kidney Cancer, in what is the latest blow to Steve and his husband Dan.
In 2011 when they took half of his right kidney, they said it was probably all set, in 2013 when they took the other half, they said this should do it because Renal Cell Carcinoma doesn’t usually spread. During his routine “final” scan last month they discovered it had indeed spread. A follow-up PET scan determined that it has spread to two lymph nodes and they again say that if they take these, that should do it.
To make matters far worse, Steve’s income, as a Bartender, is their primary income. Dan was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2012, and had a craniotomy to have it removed. He is still doing oral chemotherapy every fourth week, and has been since 2012. This means he cannot work a full-time job, instead being on permanent disability/SSDI, at a fraction of his former income. He has been working a part-time job to help support them, but can’t do more than he is.
Steve is a popular bartender, who often tries to give the shirt off his back to others. He’s been known to literally take furniture and other items from their house and give it to others in need. He worries more about others than he does himself at times, and this time he can’t.
Steve will be having a major surgery to remove the lymph nodes. They are buried deep in his lower abdomen, and because he also had a previous colon resection surgery, there is a lot of scar tissue. Steve’s surgery is scheduled for March 16th at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. The surgery is going to be difficult, and he will need to stay at Moffitt after the surgery for about a week, or maybe more if there are complications. He will be getting an incision from his sternum to below his belly button and many of his internal organs need to be shifted and moved around to get to the affected lymph nodes. The doctors have warned that it will be extremely painful and that it will take at least several weeks for recovery.
These two men have worked their entire adult lives only to have everything wiped out by repeated major medical issues. This time they need help, since they will have only Dan’s disability payments to live on for the several weeks of recovery, and that barely covers their housing costs. They are too proud to ask for it, so I’ve set this page up to raise funds to cover the medical related costs that Steve’s individual plan under the Affordable Care Act won’t cover, as well as living expenses, travel costs – since Moffitt is not commutable at this time of year, bills and other related expenses.
For those of you who don’t know Steve personally, he is a loving husband, and generous friend. He, or rather they, need your help. Would you please help me to help them, and spread the word?
In 2011 when they took half of his right kidney, they said it was probably all set, in 2013 when they took the other half, they said this should do it because Renal Cell Carcinoma doesn’t usually spread. During his routine “final” scan last month they discovered it had indeed spread. A follow-up PET scan determined that it has spread to two lymph nodes and they again say that if they take these, that should do it.
To make matters far worse, Steve’s income, as a Bartender, is their primary income. Dan was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2012, and had a craniotomy to have it removed. He is still doing oral chemotherapy every fourth week, and has been since 2012. This means he cannot work a full-time job, instead being on permanent disability/SSDI, at a fraction of his former income. He has been working a part-time job to help support them, but can’t do more than he is.
Steve is a popular bartender, who often tries to give the shirt off his back to others. He’s been known to literally take furniture and other items from their house and give it to others in need. He worries more about others than he does himself at times, and this time he can’t.
Steve will be having a major surgery to remove the lymph nodes. They are buried deep in his lower abdomen, and because he also had a previous colon resection surgery, there is a lot of scar tissue. Steve’s surgery is scheduled for March 16th at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. The surgery is going to be difficult, and he will need to stay at Moffitt after the surgery for about a week, or maybe more if there are complications. He will be getting an incision from his sternum to below his belly button and many of his internal organs need to be shifted and moved around to get to the affected lymph nodes. The doctors have warned that it will be extremely painful and that it will take at least several weeks for recovery.
These two men have worked their entire adult lives only to have everything wiped out by repeated major medical issues. This time they need help, since they will have only Dan’s disability payments to live on for the several weeks of recovery, and that barely covers their housing costs. They are too proud to ask for it, so I’ve set this page up to raise funds to cover the medical related costs that Steve’s individual plan under the Affordable Care Act won’t cover, as well as living expenses, travel costs – since Moffitt is not commutable at this time of year, bills and other related expenses.
For those of you who don’t know Steve personally, he is a loving husband, and generous friend. He, or rather they, need your help. Would you please help me to help them, and spread the word?
Organiser and beneficiary
Anthony Leto
Organiser
Cape Coral, FL
Daniel Mitton
Beneficiary