Young Cancer Patient's Tenacity Inspires Family, Friends and Strangers

Jimmy E. is a remarkable man. Inspired by the doctors who helped him overcome a rare form of childhood cancer, he forged a career as a skilled surgical nurse in southern California, driven by an urge to serve others. But more than 30 years after beating cancer, Jimmy developed a persistent fever, pneumonia and fluid around his lungs. This time, the diagnosis was a more insidious disease — malignant pleural mesothelioma. Jimmy, who recently turned 38, is far too young for a disease that typically strikes the elderly. As he struggles to rise above each setback, now it's Jimmy inspiring others around him, including family, friends and strangers he never met, and never will. In the last three months, 122 people have contributed more than $12,200 to his “Please Help Jimmy!” campaign on GoFundMe.com. The goal is to reach $25,000 to cover medical costs. "I never knew, never guessed, that there were so many people who cared and would reach out to help," said Linda, his mother and primary caregiver. "There are people all over the world who are praying for him now. It's been amazing to see how people have responded. In a way, it's been inspiring to see." First Encounter with Cancer Cancer first struck Jimmy at age six. Doctors told his parents he had fibrosarcoma, a rare, soft-tissue cancer that originated around his jaw. They said there was a 70 percent chance he would die soon. Multiples surgeries, high-dose radiation and several rounds of chemotherapy interrupted his y...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Stories from Survivors Source Type: news