An 11-year-old Yelm boy was recently diagnosed with a terminal and aggressive form of cancer, and his family is now seeking support from the community to assist with medical costs, missed wages and the cost of gasoline while traveling for treatment.
Bonnie and Jordan Burt's 11-year-old son, Nathan, has been diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a rare form of cancer that currently has no cure.
Nathan will require aggressive cancer treatment that will take place Monday through Friday, meaning his parents will need to take time off from work and Nathan will miss some school.
A GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign has been launched at https://tinyurl.com/3tzap5bz to assist the family.
The campaign was launched by Karissa Anderson, Nathan’s aunt. As of Tuesday afternoon, the effort had raised $18,680 toward a goal of $35,000.
“Our family is facing the heartbreak of knowing that Bonnie and Jordan now have to focus on getting Nathan the care he needs while also trying to hold together the everyday responsibilities of home and work,” Anderson wrote.
She said Nathan lives with his parents and his little brother, Daxsyn. They live an hour from the hospital where Nathan is being treated, so they are facing daily travel costs for hospital visits and future radiation appointments that will be conducted daily, Monday through Friday.
“On top of that, Bonnie and Jordan will need to take time off work, which means lost wages at the same time their regular monthly bills keep coming due,” Anderson wrote. “If you're lucky enough to know Nathan, you know how positive, loving and innocent he is. Nathan is so deeply loved by all who know him. He has two chickens back home that are his girls, and he adores them. He enjoys reading with them on his trampoline and sharing their eggs with those in need. He also has neighborhood dogs that he walks and helps care for. Nathan is always thinking about others first, and now it's our turn to put him first. Right now, what matters most is making the most of the time Nathan has left and allowing Bonnie, Jordan, and Dax to spend as much time with him as possible.”
Anderson said donations will help cover lost wages, their house payment, meals while they are at the hospital and during radiation, travel-related costs and other ongoing bills.
“Support will also help give the family the ability to take Nathan on adventures and continue making memories with him in the time ahead,” she wrote. “Because these needs will continue over time, recurring donations would make a meaningful difference by helping Bonnie and Jordan keep up with monthly expenses as they travel for Nathan's care and spend time together as a family. One-time donations are also deeply appreciated and will help ease the burden right away. If you are able to give or share this fundraiser, it would mean so much. Your support will help ease some of the financial pressure on Bonnie and Jordan so they can focus on Nathan and making every day count.”
A Facebook page has also been launched to provide updates on Nathan. To follow the page, “Nate The Great- Big Heart. Big Dreams. Greatness Beyond DIPG,” visit https://tinyurl.com/ykysj7js.
In addition, an Amazon Wish List has been created for Nathan. See the list at https://tinyurl.com/u3ehc3ma.
