What It's All About

In May of this year, Jim learned that he had multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells. Since then, he has been undergoing chemotherapy, and has seen some improvement. Still, without further treatment, he has a very poor prognosis. This means that the next step for Jim is stem cell therapy at the University of Washington in Seattle. This therapy often has excellent results, increasing Jim's life expectancy from a few miserable years as the disease progresses to a near-normal life expectancy. This will also make it possible for him to profit by more innovative treatments that may be discovered in the future. Jim has had a consultation with the physicians at UW, and has been accepted for treatment. Unfortunately, this therapy takes several months. After a variety of outpatient procedures, he will mostly likely require some time in the hospital. Following this, he must remain nearby as an outpatient until his immune system has recovered sufficiently for him to return home.

Although insurance will cover much of this very expensive treatment, he is facing considerably upwards of $20,000 in medical debts, and more are sure to follow. In addition, he must cover several months of outpatient housing near the medical center, as well as meals, transportation, and other non-covered expenses. During this time, Jim's household bills will be accumulating, since he won't be able to work. Helping to alleviate the financial burden of his medical expenses will help diminish his stress and allow him to focus on getting better. We, his friends and family, can support him by giving what we can—one less worry and a lot of encouragement in his fight! You can check this site for updates on Jim's progress. Please leave your comments—Jim would love to hear from you. To help with Jim's medical fund, click the arrow in the Pledgie box on the right. This will take you to PayPal. You do not need to be a member of PayPal to use the service. The money donated goes directly into a safe account, and 100% of the funds will be used for Jim's medical expenses. Mail also works. Send to Janet Evert, PO Box 400, Inchelium, WA 99138. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Janet at 509-722-3728 or ydjanet@yahoo.com.

This blog is being administered by Jim's sister, Janet Andrews Evert.