Help Brian Murphy Beat Cancer

We are overwhelmed by the generosity of people! Brian was speechless when I told him that we started a campaign for him. He is not on Facebook so I will be posting updates. He just finished his first week of chemo which he tolerated pretty well.

And today we are celebrating his 42nd birthday! !!
Happy birthday "Meaty"! We love you!
XOShaunna ( biggie sis )Me, Brian & Tracy (a very long time ago)

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Brian Murphy is a loving father, husband, son and the best younger brother anyone could ask for. Brian is a father to two beautiful children, Adam (2 years old) & Ayla (3 years old), and a wonderful husband to his wife, Carey. Brian was the sole provider for their home of 4 but, after a visit to the doctor on May 6th, his family’s life was turned upside down.

On Friday, May 6th Brian decided to get what he thought was a swollen muscle, looked at by a doctor in the ER. After tests and scans were done they were able to rule out swollen muscles or a blood clot. Unfortunately, that meant one last option - a mass/tumor that was the size of a potato. The doctor sent Brian home and scheduled an MRI for May 9th.

Immediately following the MRI, the radiologist confirmed that there was a 99% chance that the potato sized mass in Brian’s thigh was cancerous. He met with a surgeon the next day to hear his treatment options moving forward. The surgeon suggested to have surgery immediately to remove the tumor from his thigh, followed by chemo and physical therapy – meaning that there would be a possibility Brian would lose his leg. Devastated by this diagnosis, he decided to get a second opinion.

The second doctor took 6 biopsies and was able to determine that Brian had an undifferentiated aggressive sarcoma. This type of soft tissue cancer can start in your muscles, fat, blood vessels, nerves and so on. A PET scan was done after and luckily it showed that the cancer had not spread to the bones! Brian continued to meet with specialists who then explained a treatment that would not only shrink the cancerous tumor but would also let him keep his leg!! His doctor explained the treatment and what to expect: Chemo sessions off and on for 9 weeks in the hope of shrinking the tumor before surgically removing it. After recovering from surgery, Brian will continue chemo for months to come, physical therapy and possibly radiation.

This option was great news but reality was finally sinking in for our entire family and everything became very real. By this time the tumor had grown from the size of a potato to a grapefruit!

Brian was admitted to the ICU last weekend due to a blood clot that had traveled to his heart. The doctors performed an emergency procedure to prevent any more clots and they put the chemo port in at the same time. He was discharged from the hospital on Sunday and started chemo Monday.

Brian’s attitude and outlook on his diagnosis and future treatment has been truly incredible and inspiring. He is determined to beat this cancer and go back to his normal life. Anyone that knows or meets Brian, knows what a genuine, caring person he is. He has such a zest for life and always tries to live life to the fullest. He is one of the kindest people I have ever met. He would give you the shirt off his back- That's just who he is!

With such significant treatments and the long road ahead , it will be months, most likely a year before Brian is able to return to work. His wife is a stay at home mom and is now focused on Brian’s battle with cancer and keeping their children in good spirits.

We are asking for any donations you are able to give to help cover medical, household and any other unexpected expenses he and his family may encounter.
No donation is too small. We understand that donations are not always an option. We welcome all prayers, positive thoughts or good vibes you send to his family!

With this campaign, we hope to lessen the financial burden faced by Brian and his family. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your donations, prayers and thoughts!

Sincerely,

Shaunna Murphy Timiney & Tracy Murphy (Brian’s sisters)