In 2021, my husband James barely survived a massive stroke at the age of 50 leaving him partially paralyzed and unable to speak.  He fought to live and then spent the next year fighting to regain function and mobility.  Unable to work from disability, we closed our business, the sole source of our income, and I become his 24/7 caregiver, living off food stamps and credit cards when the generosity of friends and family understandably tapped out.  

In 2022, James got very sick within a matter of weeks and was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma or bile duct cancer, considered not only rare but aggressive, chemo resistant and incurable.  He underwent a horrible surgery called a Whipple procedure and was told they removed everything early,  he was cured.  

Two months later his CA19 started to creep up and a pet scan revealed the cancer had metastasized to his liver.  He was changed to stage 4 and offered palliative care or hospice as he was not a candidate for liver resection or transplant.  

We refused to give up or accept the 7 month survival prognosis he was given.  Two years later, he is still fighting.  From the onset of this diagnosis, we told oncology we would only accept a cure - our goal was to kill this monster.  

October 2023, the FDA approved use of histotripsy for liver lesions.  This remarkable procedure uses ultrasound to violently shake and obliterate cancer lesions.  The body then flushes the immediately killed tumor through the kidneys.  The liver is not damaged and the integrity of liver tissue is maintained, allowing it to regrow into the empty cavity.  The tumor is killed on contact so there's no risk of metastasis.  There is no limit to how many times you can do this procedure.  

This is the first treatment that has successfully killed cholangiocarcinoma tumors in the liver which is the ONLY place my husband has cancer residing in his body!  Cholangiocarcinoma is considered incurable because the shell of the cancer cell is impervious so the body's immune system cannot read the inner DNA and learn how to fight/kill it.  By shattering the tumor with histotripsy, the DNA is finally exposed and the body has a chance to develop immunity to it!  An actual chance for a cure!  

Few clinics offer this technology - our state has received its first and only machine two weeks ago.  This research hospital is still training its interventional radiology department to use it and has not even begun its first procedure.  They cannot even offer a timeline of when they will start scheduling patients.  In the consultation to be considered a candidate, we were informed that my husband's tumors are untreatable.  This is clinic terminology for "we don't want a bad outcome to affect our statics and impact future research funding".  

Not to be deterred, we found a hospital in California that has been doing these procedures for nearly 18 months now.  They have done over 300 in the past year alone!  They understand this is the last hope for many people and are compassionate, urgent and aggressive.   In 12 hours' time from requesting a consultation, we spoke to the oncology surgeon, the interventional radiologist and were offered a procedure date of May 4th (yes, these oncology angels work 7 days a week to save lives)  We must find a way to get to California from Virginia and pay for the entire procedure at a flat fee of $50,000 for the doctors, facility, imaging, everything.   

My husband's insurance is a state funded insurance and will only pay for medical care within the state of Virginia.  They will deny a single case agreement for out of state clinics if that medical care is offered within our state.  It is offered at the research hospital even though they refuse to offer it to us.  We are in an impossible situation and have no options or access for a cure.  

According to this hospital, only one patient has received insurance coverage through a single case agreement and it took more than six months to get that approval.  Unfortunately, time is not on our side.  The largest lesion is pressing the liver against the pancreas.  If it invades the pancreas tissue, it's game over as this device is only FDA approved to treat liver lesions at this time.  

We are pushing forward on our own to have this life saving, life altering, life giving treatment while it is still within the realm of a curative possibility.  

We are told they can treat the worst lesion and possibly 3 more in one procedure.  The kidneys can only filter a certain amount of toxins without shutting down and possibly causing death.  James has 12 lesions.  We are told after 2-3 months, he can return for more histotripsy and continue on this path until they are all killed.  

The hospital is offering a 40% discount on subsequent treatments to defray the enormous expense.  This is the first time I have ever seen oncologists, surgeons and a hospital care more about a patient's survival than profit, statistical reputation or clinical outcomes. 

 Dozens of patients treated by this doctor have reported on a group site that they achieved tumor free livers and their cancer has not returned.  We are desperate to have this opportunity for my husband.    

Can you help us to raise the first $50, 000 to get him on the procedure table this May 4th?  It only takes 50, 000 generous donors to give $1.  If not you, please share our situation with everyone you know.  Someone, somewhere is able to help.  We need you to connect us with those individuals.  Thank you for reading this far.  Thank you for caring and sharing.  Many blessings to all of you!  NEGU