Hamel VFW
19020 Hamel Rd
Plymouth, MN, 55446
“CLICK HERE TO ADD TO YOUR CALENDAR”
************************************************************************************************************************
2023 Beneficiaries:
KEN GARMAN
I was diagnosed with Kidney cancer on August 6th of 2021. A large tumor was found inside my left Kidney. On August 17th, 2021, my Dr.’s performed a Radical Nephrectomy to remove my left kidney. A biopsy determined the tumor to be Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (Grade 2). After the Surgery I had follow-up CT scans and lab work performed every 3 months as a precaution to watch for any additional cancer. A CT scan on October 24th, 2022, showed a growing nodule on my right Adrenal gland. On December 6th, 2022, my Dr.’s performed a biopsy and a Cryoablation procedure to freeze the mass on my right adrenal gland. The biopsy again determined the tumor to be Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. (Grade 2) On March 6th, 2023, a CT scan determined the ablation was successful.
Going forward I will continue to have CT scans and lab work performed every 3 months to watch for any changes.
IAN OSBORNE
Starting in 2020, I began suffering from joint pain, bone pain, frequent headaches, extreme fatigue, and irritability. More irritability than a normal ginger anyway. These “bouts” became more intense and more frequent until they just became every day with very few breaks.
I was diagnosed by the VA medical center with Systemic Mastocytosis that later moved to advance as significant anemia and cytopenia and some organs are now in play. ASM is a form of cancer that is very rare and unique in that instead of creating tumors, it creates mutated clonal copies of individual mast cells which then can overtake the entire body (hence systemic). The amount when viewed in a bone marrow biopsy is called “Mast Cell Burden”. My mast cell burden progressed from 5 to 25% in the last 6 months. Normal round shaped Mast cells are responsible for fighting viruses, bacteria and parasites but also inappropriately respond to foreign substances in the form of allergies for some people. Mutated spindle shaped mast cells overreact to things they shouldn’t at all and can rapidly change in what they are sensitive to. At present, fragrances, some foods, and alcohol cause a reaction. This reaction is often anaphylactic and is a primary threat to staying alive. The other is as it continues to progress it is attacking my own body.
I’m in a clinical trial for a new targeted chemotherapy drug and am excited to kick this things ass in.