My name is Derek and this campaign is for my brother, Evan, who happens to have special needs. As one can imagine, Evan has faced his share of difficulties throughout school and throughout his life. And yet the one thing that he has never had difficulty with is loving people. He is a social butterfly, always wanting to engage with people, asking how people are doing. And as an individual of routine, he is always interested in other people’s daily schedules and lives. Even in the times when he has encountered others that don’t understand him, Evan remains cheerful and doesn’t hold resentment unto others. He bears a perpetual child-like innocence, and it fosters in me a great sense of responsibility to protect him. And while he has his difficulties with comprehending complex ideas, or completing certain tasks independently, and he experiences his frustrations…his heart is pure gold. He doesn’t have ill-will towards others and never expresses bitterness or harm towards others. Most importantly, Evan loves Jesus and his Bible and church, and he has no problem sharing Jesus with other people, including complete strangers.

“ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it:‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ - Matthew 22:36 – 39 NKJV

Evan was diagnosed in 2024 with cancer, Hodgkin's Lymphoma. We were initially told that this is a slow growing form of lymphoma and that Evan was going to be just fine, and the doctor appeared confident with a ‘watching it and monitoring it protocol’ following his surgery. Through this time, we incorporated what we could - more exercise, more sunlight, removal of ultra-processed foods and seed oils, removal of refined sugars (as sugar feeds cancer), and focused on nutrient-dense foods. Then, the cancer clinic we were going to dropped Evan’s insurance in late 2024. This led to an exhaustive search for a new oncologist and much waiting for new scheduling, consultations, and follow-up checks. 

After a PET scan in 2025, we received the news no one wants to hear - that the cancer is spreading. I know that the trajectory of cancer after diagnosis can be unpredictable, but what was previously met with assurance, surgery, and monitoring, appears to have progressed at a more aggressive rate. The new oncologist wanted to start Evan on multiple rounds of chemotherapy, with no confidence of outcome, and no other options offered nor considered. It’s no secret that chemo indiscriminately damages healthy cells in the process, which sickens and weakens the body. And we didn’t want to put Evan through chemo, nor the toll on the immune system that comes with it. 

There’s a place called Nature Works Best (NWB) in Tempe, AZ that has been around since 2006 and has published an 80% success rate since 2014 at getting cancer into confirmed or assumed remission (without using any chemo). NWB primarily treats cancer using metabolic concentrated IV drip therapies (Vitamin C, glutathione, alkalizing sodium bicarbonate, etc.). As NWB explained, cancer uses multiple routes to attack the body, thus, NWB uses multiple routes to attack the cancer. As such, NWB utilizes concentrated heat diathermy therapies, Rx prescriptions, tinctures, comprehensive supplement protocols, dietary recommendations, and several other treatments are offered at the clinic. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach here. Each treatment is tailored specific to the individual. 

This prospect was quite an endeavor, knowing that this not only entails an immense commitment to an out-of-state clinic, but also proposing scheduling of the clinic and of my employers to make this happen, as well as figuring out lodging when needed. Each step we prayed that if this was the route to take, for God to open the path, to make the way, and God opened door after door. 

Beginning mid-November, my wife and I began the journey. 

Day 1: The long day. We prepare and drive my brother out to AZ, get his treatment at the clinic, and drive back to Las Vegas, NV, unpack and prepare for work the next morning. 

Day 2: Return to work. After work we meal prep, supply prep, inventory, and pack the car again. 

Day 3: Help Evan get ready, drive to AZ, get Evan’s treatment, have a nutrient-dense dinner, lug everything into the hotel and stay the night.

 Day 4: Get ready, check out of the hotel, have a healthy breakfast, get to the clinic, drive back to Las Vegas, and unpack. Then my wife and I get groceries and meal prep for our work week. 

Days 5 – 7: Back to work, then meal prep, supply prep, inventory and pack the car again. 

And repeat the process every week.

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Galatians 6:9 NKJV

We’re putting well over 1,300 additional miles on the vehicles per week, and praying the cars hold up. We’re putting in easily 40 hours of work each week (whole-food meal prepping/driving/clinic visits/hotel/ special needs assistance/caretaker work/everything in between), in addition to our full-time jobs in Vegas… and praying that that WE hold up. And my parents, despite being in their senior years, and balancing their own health needs, are still dutifully taking care of Evan at home, as they have their entire lives. We have our work cut out for us.

Not long after beginning treatments in AZ an MRI was conducted to establish a baseline with NWB. The doctor went over the results, showing the images that the primary mass is a rather concerning size, with additional masses. Additionally, the MRI confirmed that the lymphoma has affected nearby bone. So, here we are, Stage 4 cancer including the bone. It was so much to process. I can’t describe the concerns and “what if’s” that came to mind. The encouraging part was that we weren’t given a “shelf-life” with these results. The doctor acknowledged the situation, but shed some optimism in that they have seen reduction in masses with these treatments. As they told us in the beginning, the way we tell progress is time and imaging.

““Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 NKJV

Sometimes easier said than done. And yet, this is where we are. We’re taking it one day at a time. I understand that reversing a large cancer machine in the body doesn’t happen quickly. And at the time of the MRI Evan hadn’t received enough treatments to truly evaluate how it slowed or reversed what the cancer was in progress of doing. It felt like a crushing blow, but we couldn’t give up. We had only just started. We believed that we had to be making progress. 

The apostle Paul writes that we experience distress and confusion in life’s difficulties and extreme trials (2 Corinthians 4:8-9), but we are sustained by God to endure through the adversity. We are to get back up and find hope through the difficulties, as God is not finished.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NKJV.

Paul goes on to tell us that spiritual growth and renewal outweighs any and all physical deterioration, enabling us to persevere. And while it does not feel light nor momentary when we’re going through it, the afflictions we face here on earth actually are light and momentary when compared to the backdrop of eternity (Romans 8:18). The trials are also not meaningless; even when it doesn’t make sense from our vantage point, the seasons of afflictions are growing our dependency on God, producing something in us, and preparing a testimony. Through faith in Christ's death and resurrection, we are forgiven and will spend eternity with God (Romans 10:9). This is the hope of the believer- to not lose heart in our suffering, because the hope and glory that awaits us in Christ, our true inheritance and everlasting portion, is greater. And so even when I can’t see beyond the horizon of today, I know that God is working in this. I may not be able to see God’s plan, but I know He has one (Jeremiah 29:11). God is in control and working towards a purposeful outcome.

Financially it has not been easy, as NWB is an out-of-pocket expense, which we can only accrue so much before we hit a limit. While my wife and I contribute what we can, my parents have lovingly given their life’s savings to fund this mission. We have spent an exorbitant amount on the collective of: meal prep for whole-food nutrition on the road trips, meals in town, gas, vehicle maintenance/repairs, hotel stays, supplements, supplies, etc. However, in trying to come up with a figure for the campaign, we looked at providing the primary clinic expense. As a baseline, for three (3) Level 4 IVs and heat therapy we spend $2,235 per week. Any and all proceeds will go to what has already been given, to replenish financial security to keep this mission going. 

It has been a tremendous amount of work and sacrifice, but it is entirely worth it, as it is our personal testimony that after these last four (4) months of comprehensive care, we are seeing firsthand the tremendous benefits and healing that Evan is experiencing, despite the difficult circumstances. And as long as the Lord wills it, we have to press on. We need prayers for full healing for Evan. We need prayer for safe travels. We need prayer to keep the fight in our hearts and for strength to run with endurance the race that is set before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2). We are praying for miracles that will glorify God as a witness unto others through all of this (Acts 4:30-31).