The Landmark community is initiating a massive fundraising effort, beginning with a Facebook online auction, to raise funds for Paul Giesbrecht who has been diagnosed with stage 4 terminal gall bladder cancer. The auction, scheduled for Dec. 11-12, is to help fund a new treatment which involves sending Giesbrecht and a caregiver to Germany.
The idea to host an online auction comes as many in the community rally behind the Giesbrechts’ desire to pursue a new treatment that offers Giesbrecht what he feels could be his last chance at life. Giesbrecht has endured his cancer journey for over two years and after both chemotherapy and radiation, the cancer still remains.
“Our medical team has shifted their focus from a plan of action to one of simply managing his symptoms and offering pain relief as best they can,” says Giesbrecht’s wife, Samantha. “We refuse to give up until Paul is either cured or until he is no longer with us. That being said, we have begun looking outside of Canada for any hope of curing Paul’s disease.”
The community of Landmark has already been a huge support for the Giesbrecht family and previous fundraisers have been held to help the family’s current financial situation, as well as help plan for their financial future.
The Giesbrechts found Infusio by researching online. After their online research, the Giesbrechts believe the German clinic is their best hope to not only treat Paul’s symptoms, but to cure his cancer and treat the other damage/ailments that have been caused by the past treatments.
After extensively reviewing his case, the doctors are very confident they can offer him hope of a complete cure.
“The Infusio Concept is especially designed for the treatment of chronic degenerative diseases and cancer. Infusio utilizes medical, biological, and bio-energetic modalities designed to rebuild the immune system and target the root cause of the disease,” states the clinic’s website, en.infusio.org.
While the Infusio Clinic will take care of all of Paul’s accommodations and his treatments once he is there, many of the expenses will need to be met through the Giesbrecht family’s own resources. Needless to say, the family’s financial situation is not equipped to cover treatment.
One month of treatment costs approximately $37,400 CDN. This covers accommodations for his stay and approximately four to five hours per day, five days a week, of treatment. Transportation costs for Paul and a caregiver have already been pledged as taken care of by a sponsor.
The family and their supporters know that a robust fundraising effort is needed. More fundraising initiatives toward the costly treatment are being planned for the beginning of January, and the family hopes to send Giesbrecht to start treatment starting on Jan. 25, 2016.
The online fundraiser is from Dec. 11 at 8am to Dec. 12 at 8pm. To participate, go to Facebook and search “Help Paul get to Germany for cancer treatments”. With over 100 items and service packages to bid on, the community is already showing amazing support.
“The online auction is the first main fundraiser the family and the community are initiating,” says Jessica Martens, wife of Paul Martens, Pastor of Landmark Christian Fellowship, and one of the organizers for the online auction. “We are also planning a dessert fundraiser for mid-January, where we will have a silent auction. This family is treasured in our community and as we stand behind them in prayer, as well as financial and physical support, we are able to express our care for them.”
Family friend Sara Dacombe is using her communications skills to help promote the fundraising efforts. “Asking for charity on behalf of one family, of one man, is a simple, yet complex thing. Yes, there are others in our communities who have needs just as urgent, just as deserving. This is just one family. Those who can help, can. And we’re very grateful. And those who can’t help, give in other places, and that’s just as necessary and wonderful,” says Dacombe.
“I will admit, at first, it was nothing less than daunting to think of the overwhelming task of getting things in place to allow our family this amazing ray of hope,” says Samantha. “But, in my heart, I feel I have no choice but to do as we’ve done for the past two years, and that is to fight for Paul’s life with everything we have and to trust that those who love us and have fought alongside us will continue to do so.”
