Cure for his tumor

My name is Vanessa and I am asking you to help save my brother’s life. Dave is battling a massive, life-threatening, partially malignant, astrocytoma brain tumor.

I’m reaching out to ask for your help. Please consider a donation of any size to help Dave cover basic living expenses and his portion of current and future medical costs. Your donation will go to The David Carlson Special Needs Trust that was created specifically for Dave’s medical care.

Dave is studying to be a neurologist or a neuropsychiatrist at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. He’s halfway through his 3rd of 4 years of med school. Last Thanksgiving Dave told us he’d scheduled an eye exam because of his recurring headaches and vision problems. The exam showed swollen optic nerves. Dave was sent directly to the Emergency Department.

Everything changed for Dave and our family when an MRI revealed the huge tumor. Deep and dangerously close to Dave’s brainstem, it had shifted the midline of his brain, infiltrated critical areas and damaged others. Immediately, Dave was hospitalized for surgery.

The surgical risks included incapacitating brain damage, paralysis, and complete vision loss. Fortunately, most of the tumor was safely removed. However, Dave has some permanent visual field loss. He can’t drive and may never be able to again.