Treatment for Sarcoma Tumor

Update as of February 24th, 2020.

In October 2018 Kevin was diagnosed with a rare sarcoma. The months after his diagnosis have included:  radiation, tumor-removing surgery, intensive chemotherapy and rehabilitation.

In January 2020, only a few short months after finally being able to get back to work part-time and start a slow road to recovery, Kevin learned that his original sarcoma had resurfaced in his left lung.  He was immediately scheduled for surgery and in mid-February he underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of his left lung which contained a large metastatic sarcoma tumor that had been rapidly growing.  The surgery went well.  Kevin will soon undergo chemotherapy for a period of four months.

Kevin has had to stop working to undergo the most recent surgery and mostly likely will not be able to work during the next four months of chemotherapy.  He  plans to return to work part-time after completing his treatment as he regains strength.

In the months ahead, Kevin will incur living and medical expenses and will not be able to work during this time due to the nature of treatment.  While on LTD, Kevin will have to pay full premium for his medical coverage. This fund will be used to help cover Kevin’s costs as well as travel and living expenses for his immediate family traveling from across the country to assist him during recovery and treatment. This fund is allowing Kevin to not add financial concerns to an already difficult period in his life.

Kevin and his family have remained extremely grateful for the financial contributions, thoughts, prayers and words of support and encouragement from friends during this time.

This was originally posted in October of 2018.

In the last three weeks, 46 yo Kevin was diagnosed with stage 3 undifferentiated  pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) which will require extensive radiation and chemotherapy treatment and a limb-sparing surgical procedure to remove a large tumor found in his leg.  See more: https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6963/undifferentiated-pleomorphic-sarcoma 

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma is best treated with a multidisciplinary approach that involves medical oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, radiation therapists and others. UPS is rarely seen by oncologists in their practices and with a 70% survival rate.  Due to the rarity of his sarcoma, is imperative that Kevin has access to a multidisciplinary center that sees and treats a high number of such cases annually as this is associated with better outcomes.

Kevin currently has Kaiser insurance, not renowned for specializing in  UPS.  His best approach is to get a second opinion about the best course of treatment.   Due to the severity of his condition, he will likely need to complete  his treatment outside of Kaiser (going out of network will mean he will need to cover all costs out of pocket). 

Kevin will use this fund to obtain a second out-of network opinion provided by the Northern California institutions which have expertise in treating this rare sarcoma and the limb-sparing surgical procedure which will be required to fully remove the tumor from his leg: e.g.,  UCSF and Stanford in NoCal or otherwise,  Sloan Kettering in New York.  We are already busy reaching out to recommended doctors at these institutions (there are few specialists in this area).  If you, or anyone you know, specializes in soft tissue sarcoma in an extremity please be in touch.

Please consider contributing to his fund, sharing photos with Kevin or this page  with others