Can You Help? Friends seek community's help for cancer victim

Lewiston resident Michelle Hosie recently reached out to Niagara Frontier Publications, requesting assistance from the community to help out a resident who is now battling cancer.

“I know a young man very much in need of help. Brandon Jones is not even 30 years old and has a 6-month-old son,” Hosie said. “He has completely lost feeling in his legs due to metastatic cancer tumors on his spine. He has not been able to work; he can barely walk with assistance. I don't know if he ever will work again. He has an extremely difficult road ahead of him.

“This is a young family who were barely making ends meet even before this tragic diagnosis. They are trying to remain positive. Brandon has an incredible sense of humor and is taking on this battle with amazing grace. But I'm not as optimistic. The prognosis seems devastating. 

“I'm trying to solicit any assistance I can find for these kids.”

According to Aiden Hosie, who created a GoFundMe account on the man’s behalf, “Brandon and his family received terrible news when he was rushed to the hospital just days after Christmas. Due to some severe back pain and numbness in his extremities, he was admitted into the hospital for further testing. It was determined that he had a mass growing near his spine that was compressing his spinal cord and causing the problems. After the emergency surgery to remove the tumor, the doctors were able to determine that it was the result of metastatic cancer. Brandon is facing additional surgeries, recovery, physical therapy and cancer treatments in the coming weeks and months.”

Following a second round of surgery in January, Aiden Hosie said the news Jones received was not good, and the family continues to struggle.

“Since the last update, Brandon's doctors have discovered another tumor near his bowel and have determined that the tumor that was originally compressing his spine has returned. With these discoveries, the doctors decided to promptly begin chemotherapy.”

“Today, Brandon has begun his second of five rounds of chemo,” Aiden wrote in mid-February. “He has also already decided to shave his hair and beard due to the beginning of his hair loss. Luckily, mother nature has made it a little warmer for him today. He still does not have any feelings in his legs, and is receiving regular physical therapy to maintain his ability to walk while assisted.”

As of Feb. 23, a total $3,950 has been raised in the GoFundMe account, with a goal of $7,500 sought to assist the family.

“Our desire is to help him focus on healing, so we created this fundraiser to help with his mounting medical and household bills. Please consider donating to and sharing this campaign,” Aiden Hosie said.

For more information or to help out, visit https://gofund.me/75f424f6.