Dec. 25, 2024

Merry Christmas to you all and thank you for keeping this family on your hearts and in your prayers. As John and Kayla and the boys spend the holidays in what is remarkably warm weather compared to what they’re used to, we want to give you a few updates.

1. The procedure to provide John with a new treatment “port” went well. (The first port that was put in weeks before the flight to Arizona was determined to be unusable and therefore would have caused serious issues. Thankfully, there appears to be no harm in leaving it alone for now, and the center is planning to remove both it and the new one when John’s treatment is complete.)

2. IV treatments began late last week, as well as a blood ozone treatment. Chemotherapy is to begin this week Friday. Please pray that John’s body will respond well in two ways: one, by treating the drugs as a partner to his immune system in the battle against the cancer; and two, by avoiding the most challenging of the possible side effects. And, of course, please pray that his immune system will rally to his defense at every step along the way and that he will get the rest that he needs each night.

3. The family’s doctor in Michigan consistently goes above and beyond in reaching out and assisting in every way she can, even from two thousand miles away. Truly an incredible person. Please keep her in your prayers as well, for continued strength and blessings on her.

4. Results from one of John’s recent tests came back this week and, although the reading was on “the high end of normal” (based on the medical center’s appraisal of cancer patients), it showed a welcome similarity with results from two months ago back in Michigan. That is an indication that his condition has in some sense held steady during that time. Going forward, retests are planned every four weeks, with the expectation of improving numbers.

5. Navigating the financial side of all of this is an ongoing and complicated challenge. Please pray for clarity and wisdom for the family in that.

Again, thank you for every way in which you show your care for John and Kayla and the boys. It is continually encouraging to see the love that surrounds this family, and we’re thankful for the part that each of you play in that.

Some have asked about John’s week-by-week bill for treatment and about a means of helping more directly. The cancer center’s billing department does accept funds to be applied to a particular patient’s bill by check or card or wire transfer. Here is the contact information for that:

Envita Medical Center, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone: (866) 994-5473 or (602) 569-4144

Website: www.envita.com (For a mailing address, please call the center's billing dept.)

Target patient: Jonathan Pike

Reference number: C01754 (with the "0" being a zero)

If there are questions that we can help with, please don't hesitate to contact John's older brother Andy at (228) 304-3570 or email him at arpike.umt@gmail.com

Dec. 17, 2024

(The attached photo is from a short driving tour of local Arizona Christmas lights...without a hint of any real snow! Probably a first for John and Kayla and the boys.)

John had his first in-person consultation at the cancer treatment center yesterday (Monday the 16th) and blood and urine samples were taken today to help pinpoint the DNA of the tumor, the progression, and multiple other physical factors that will help decide the type of chemotherapy needed and also the substances needed to rebuild his immune system to help fight the cancer. Some of those test results are expected in the next few days and others in the coming couple of weeks, though pre-chemo IV treatments are to begin on Friday.

A new concern that is weighing heavily on the family is the financial aspect of this type of treatment. The medical center relies on and requires advance payment week-by-week, and though John and Kayla are members of a medical cost-sharing group, those funds are only available month by month. So the weekly amount needed up-front for John's care is daunting! Also, the center is planning to do PET scans in order to identify the hot spots in the rectal tumor, and there is the option of targeted injections of cancer-killing medicine directly into those most-active cancer cells. However, those injections come at a steep cost as well.

For those who are able to help the family with those costs, this donation site may be a convenient avenue. Some, however, might prefer for a variety of reasons to send medical payment help in a more direct way. So, we made a call and learned that the cancer center allows funds to be sent directly to its billing department to be applied to a particular patient's bill. Checks and wire transfers can be sent and debit/credit cards can be used over the phone.

Envita Medical Center, Scottsdale, AZ 85260  Phone: (866) 994-5473  or (602) 569-4144

Website: www.envita.com    (For a specific mailing address, please call the center's billing department.)

Target patient: Jonathan Pike

Reference number: C01754 (with the "0" being a zero)

If there are questions that we can help with, please don't hesitate to contact John's older brother Andy at (228) 304-3570 or email him at arpike.umt@gmail.com

Dec. 13, 2024

John and Kayla and the boys made it safely to the hotel in Grand Rapids Wednesday evening and then to the airport and onto the plane the next morning and finally to Phoenix. While it was not a completely uneventful trip, several people along the way made it smoother than it would have been otherwise. An airport concierge for John, an efficient and understanding TSA team, gate officials, a mystery person who made possible a change of seats that put everyone close together on the plane, flight attendants, and even the baggage handlers outdoors who playfully threw snowballs at the window the boys were watching them from! ...We are grateful for all of them. In Phoenix, family members were on-hand to welcome them and to get them and their luggage to the home they'll be borrowing for the next while.

Please pray that they will settle into their new surroundings quickly and that the climate will be a boost for all of them. John's first in-person with the cancer center's team is scheduled for Monday (Dec. 16), so pray that it will be an encouraging start. Pray for unrelenting wisdom for the treatment team and for a steady recovery of energy and health for John. Also, pray that the welcome the family receives from the broader community there will make them feel surrounded by people who truly care about them, including the boys' need for new friends their own age.

Thank you again for your care for this family!

Dec. 10th

Thursday morning is flight time out of Grand Rapids, en route to Phoenix and John's Monday appointment at the cancer center. Please keep the family in your prayers for safety all along the way (with the threat of a snowstorm looming over the Michigan end of the trip), a relatively smooth airport process, a flight that offers as little discomfort as possible for John, and overwhelming peace and confidence as the Arizona side of the family welcomes them in and helps them get settled.

Dec. 1, 2024

The update on Nov. 24th shared news of John’s acceptance into a specialized cancer treatment program near Phoenix, Arizona. Due to scheduling constraints at the cancer center, the initial start date was Dec. 19th with instructions to continue a pre-treatment program of care in the meantime. This past week, the team in Phoenix moved up John’s start date by a few days, so it is now Dec. 16th. Direct-flight plane tickets have been reserved for several days prior to that from the Grand Rapids airport so that John and Kayla and the boys can arrive in Arizona and get settled in somewhat before John’s first appointment.

So, between now and then, please pray that John will be able to get the rest that he desperately needs each day. Pray that the pre-treatment care he is getting will “make it through” to provide the nutrients and energy that his body requires. Pray that he and Kayla and the boys will be continually encouraged by the support they’re receiving from every side and that they will see the love of God through us all. Finally, please keep praying that “the doctors’ hands will be God’s hands.”

Thank you again for being part of John’s team in whatever way you are able.

November 24th update:

The previous status update (November 15th) was the confirmation from John’s medical team that the cancer had spread to his abdominal area and to the lower half of his lungs. This week brought an open door that, while good news, means that we’re going to miss John and Kayla and their boys during the end-of-the-year holidays and over the next few months.

A medical center near Phoenix, Arizona has accepted John into their treatment program. That cancer center specializes in combinations of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, etc. Treatment is to be five days a week, and our hope is that the steady drumbeat of micro-targeted care will result in a less taxing toll on John’s energy level in the short-term as well as a successful long-term prognosis.

One of John’s older sisters and brothers-in-law spend their winters in the Phoenix area, and their oldest son and his family live and work there year-round, just half an hour from the cancer treatment center. Through them and their connections, housing has already been secured for the duration and, of course, there will be no snowstorms to fight on the way to John’s daily care.

So, we will be keeping an eye on John and Kayla’s home here in northern Michigan and working to keep their bills paid in their months-long absence as well as to help them cover their expenses in Arizona. Then, sometime next year, they and the boys can return to catch the tail end of our blustery winter.

Thank you for your concern and for your prayers so far. As always, we need “the doctors’ hands to be God’s hands.” Thank you, too, for your generosity in this fundraising campaign. John and Kayla are being continually reminded of how much people love them, and we truly appreciate your part in that.

We can't thank you all enough for your prayers for John and his family and for your generosity in wanting to be a part of this effort. We have no way of knowing what the total need will be in the long run, so we are deeply grateful for every donation.

Last week's CT scan of John's chest showed spots in the lower half of his lungs, and yesterday's MRI in Grand Rapids showed evidence of trouble in the abdomen as well. So the treatment team has suggested a cancer management plan, and one of the greatest needs in the coming days and weeks will be for wisdom in choosing the best way forward and for peace and confidence in the love of God through it all.

(The first portion of processed donations has been received and transferred to John and Kayla's account. Thank you again, to each and every one, for showing your care for John in this way.)