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In my lifetime, I have raised thousands of dollars for causes that I believe in, written hundreds of emails and donation letters, and created websites asking friends and strangers alike for support. I have volunteered and chaired events for schools, adults & children, disease research, animal rights, nonprofits; you name it. Never has a cause meant more to me than this one. Never. Maybe the reason is because Kyle is my big brother. It’s possible that it is because he has spent his entire life a humanitarian, a firefighter/chief/leader, helping others and his community. Perhaps it’s because cancer has affected 9 of our family members and taken 4 of their lives in the past ten years. It may even be the fact that in 2013, just prior to being diagnosed himself, Kyle and his wife Julia depleted the bulk of their personal savings supporting Julia’s sister through her battle with lung cancer. Whatever the reason, I feel the need to share his story with everyone, so thank you for visiting today.
Everybody has a story…some happy, some sad. I think you would
agree that some of the best stories are those that involve hard work,
struggle and sacrifice, but end victorious and happy. This is Kyle’s
story. He’s covered the hard work, struggle and even the sacrifice.
With your love and support, we can help write his victorious and happy
ending, together.
Kyle's infectious smile, contagious laugh, and uncanny ability
to make people feel comfortable are all ingredients synonymous with
home. Five minutes after meeting him you suddenly feel like family,
and family is everything to Kyle. As many of you know, he comes from a
very large, close family. Born in Florida and raised in Anaheim,
California, he is the second eldest of seven children and has eight
siblings total. As a young adult, Kyle married his first wife,
Valerie. They had two children, Jesse and Summer. Shortly after Summer
was born they moved to Oregon to raise their family. Years later, with
a divorce behind him, the then single dad met his life partner, his
love, Julia. Kyle and Julia were married in 1991 and Jesse and Summer
welcomed their sister Mandy and eventually, their youngest brother
Kyler to the family. Kyle is a dedicated husband, father, and now
grandpa to 5 beautiful grand babies whom all reside in Oregon.
Not only is Kyle a family man, but a humanitarian and a leader.
Loved by all who know him, he has dedicated his life to serving others
on a daily basis through his career as a firefighter. A true leader,
Kyle began his career in 1980 as a volunteer fireman. Once he knew
firefighting was his calling, he made it his career and quickly moved
up to the rank of Battalion Chief. Kyle has served his community and
fellow firefighters in the role of Battalion Chief and Fire Chief ever
since. For the past five years Kyle has served as the Fire Chief at
Crescent RFPD in Crescent, Oregon.
On November 1, 2013, I received a call while driving home from work. Kyle had gone to the doctor a few days prior for a routine MRI, due to recurring pain in his shoulder caused from an injury…or so he thought. Aches and pains are nothing new to firemen, so he wasn’t overly concerned. I wish I could say the same for his doctor. The MRI revealed abnormal masses in Kyle’s body, so further tests were required. A few days later, Kyle was back at the hospital having biopsies and a PET scan performed. All we could do was hurry up and wait. So we did.
How many stories have you heard of where someone goes to the doctor for one thing and leaves with a completely different diagnosis? Too many, right? Well, you can add one more to that list.
What seemed like a month came soon enough. In early November, 2013, the test results were in. Diagnosis: Multiple Myeloma. Cancer. That awful word that we keep hearing over and over again. That global, rising epidemic that we can’t seem to cure. That dreaded disease that prematurely takes the lives of people we love. Not this time! Not if we can help it, anyway.
November, 2013 marks a turning point in Kyle’s life that we’d all rather forget, but is his daily reality now. Kyle has multiple myeloma bone cancer. Results revealed tumors growing in the bone on his rib, hip, right shoulder, left scapula and skull. His cancer has been classified as “moderate” on the low/moderate/high scale. “Incurable”, the doctor said, "but treatable. It may take multiple treatments over several years." I have never asked Kyle how he felt when he heard those words, all I can tell you is that I felt like someone was mopping up the floor with my heart after I did.
His treatments began immediately, just before Christmas. Despite Kyle’s positive attitude and strong will, the treatments have really started taking their toll on him, both physically and financially. He is midway through his third round of four rounds of treatment (1 round is four weeks) or on his 10th week of 16 weeks of treatments. Confused yet? Just wait. This round of treatments consists of oral steroids and a weekly injection of chemo. This 16 week treatment is targeted to reduce the lesion on his rib, as well as reduce the percentage of cancer cells attached to his plasma. After he completes this first therapy, they will perform another marrow biopsy to get those numbers. This is just the first of two separate treatments. The next treatment is very aggressive. It will take Kyle’s immune system completely away (back to an infant). They will remove stem cells from his blood and save them. He will be admitted to OHSU for over a month and remain in a sterile environment, receiving blood transfusions while his body rebuilds the red and white blood cells. Kyle will turn 60 during his hospital stay at OHSU.
On a day to day basis Kyle suffers from cluster (aka: “suicide”) headaches triggered by the chemotherapy, sometimes having up to eight per day. He is on an O2 regimen, lithium, and a trial drug to try to help reduce the onset of these headaches and receives Imitrex injections to subside them. The oxygen is not covered by insurance, which costs approximately $90 per day, nor are the Imitrex injections at approximately $300 each. Julia drives the 90 mile trip to take Kyle to his doctor multiple times per week.
Kyle’s medical expenses that have not been covered by insurance are
in excess of $6,000 to date and continue to increase by the day, as he
continues to need medical care and medication. The need for help and
support couldn’t be greater than at this moment. Every prayer,
donation, gesture helps tremendously and makes a difference. If there
is any way that you have the opportunity at this point in your world
to make a difference in his, we would all be forever grateful. If you
are not able to do anything by means of offering a donation, sharing
his story with others is equally important to us and appreciated more
than you know. Please visit and "like" his Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/kylescanceraid. The
more people we can share his story with, the better the opportunity we
have to make a difference!
Thank you and God bless,
Shayne and all of Kyle's beloved family
February 2014
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