It has been a long couple of months for Jerry Angelstad, who currently owns the Quick Cobbler.
At 65-years-old he has been diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer with little help available in Canada, said members of his family through their GoFundMe page.
He has been referred to the MDAnderson Cancer Clinic in Houston, Texas but this is going to be a costly venture, says Jerry’s brother, Mike.
“We started the GoFundMe page three weeks ago and it’s coming along,” says Mike, “but we’re looking for $50,000.”
MDAnderson focuses on cancer treatments for rare and aggressive cancers by finding, “new and innovative therapies generally are available at MD Anderson several years before they become standard in the community.
“Our clinical trials incorporate state-of-the-art patient care, while evaluating the most recent developments in cancer medicine. They also offer treatment opportunities for difficult or aggressive tumors.”
Doctors have cleared him to travel with Jerry’s first trip to Houston and first meeting with the doctors coming on Jan. 9 with a three to five day exploratory trip to see how his cancer can be treated.
“They’re going to see him. They can do more testing with him there. The doctors will see what they can do with him if they can do anything at all.”
The medical treatment and tests alone for this first trip will cost over $26,000, not including airfare, hotel stays, and doctors fees, says Mike, but it is unclear as off Jan. 5 how many trips Jerry will have to make for treatments.
He is fighting it, says Mike, but he is worn down by drugs given to him by the cancer clinic in Saskatoon.
His current treatment before going to Houston is something to slow down the cancer but he has been placed in palliative care. However, his family has been taking over his care, say Mike.
Going to Houston is giving Jerry hope, he says.
With so many people asking how they could help Jerry through his treatment, the family decided to set up a GoFundMe page online for anyone who wants to help financially. The page is entitled Help Brother Jerr and will be available for one more week since the page can only remain up for one month. As well, the family has set up an account at Conexus Credit Union in Humboldt as another way people can donate.
