Cancer strikes local family -- twice
Jon and Kristie Brandt have a busy life. He is a medical pilot, and they have four children at home with a variety of interests. Jon and Kristie have also been diagnosed with cancer.
By News Channel NebraskaSIDNEY -- Being the parents of five children is challenging. Parenting while also battling cancer is a challenge on a different level.
"Our family is without income and has been since December when I had 3 stents put in. Then that’s when I found out my cancer has returned," said Kristie Brandt.
A cancer diagnosis still brings fear and concern of one's mortality. For Jon and Kristie Brandt, the concern is multiplied with both of them facing their own cancer, and the household income in jeopardy because of the diagnosis.
"I was recently diagnosed in March 2021 with stage 3c Cervical Cancer and it’s spread to the lymph nodes in my pelvis," Brandt said.
She has had 30 radiation treatments, six chemotherapy treatments, and four brachytherapy.
"Brachytherapy I had to do in Rapid City, SD.," she said.
In June 2021, she had completed all the treatments. In December 2022, she went in for a routine pet scan and her cancer was back. She started chemo in January of this year with treatments every three weeks. Doctors have her scheduled for immunotherapy this month. She says her cancer is shrinking. The challenge now is the maintaining a family while battling personal health issues.
"Since this round of cancer I now have neuropathy. It’s really hard for me to walk, keep my balance, and do things with my kids," she said.
Her husband Jon was diagnosed in November 2022, and hasn't worked since. He had worked with MARC Air and recently for Air Methods out of North Platte.
"Jon was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma. And now it’s in his bones. We are trying to get a clear scan so he can have a bone marrow transplant done," she said.
With neither adult working in the home, stress is high. Normal home expenses continue while now there is the added expenses of medical bills. A gofundme account has been set up for the Brandt family at https://www.gofundme.com/f/rhyzfu-cancer-for-two.
Doctors hope to schedule Jon for a bone marrow transplant. He first needs a clear pet scan. His last scan showed previous cancer gone, but a new spot has surfaced, Kristie said. A bone marrow transplant will require him to be in the Denver area for an estimated five weeks.