Kevin Update – We have a treatment plan!

This post will be brief, as I plan on posting complete details probably tomorrow or later today,but I didn’t want to keep anyone in suspense any longer now that we (finally!) have a plan.

Kevin is enrolled in a clinical trial at UCLA of a drug called Anti-PD1. The PD part actually stands for programmed death, how’s that for an impressive name for a cancer fighting drug! The treatment is extremely promising, and we found out that Kevin literally got the last spot in the trial, and there were only two places in the entire nation that had ANY open trials. We had no idea that this was the case when we presented ourselves for our consult with UCLA on Monday. It is amazing to us how God has yet again guided our path. We are completely stunned and amazed at His enormous power and presence.

Kevin will have a minor surgery today, called an ultrasound-guided biopsy to remove tissue from one of his tumors for the purposes of the study trial. He will have his first infusion of the drug tomorrow morning! Did you hear that? He starts tomorrow! We can hardly believe it and are in complete awe of how perfectly and quickly this plan has unfolded.

There should be NO side effects from the treatment, which is also amazing. Also, the doctors are seeing greater than 40 percent durable responses from the drug. Again, completely amazing when we’ve been looking at options with only 5 or 10 percent response rates.

After Kevin receives his first infusion, we will return home (still working on those travel plans, visit here to find out how you can help). Then Kevin will fly back to UCLA every 21 days for another infusion. This will continue indefinitely for now, and will only be stopped if the next set of scans (three months from start of treatment) show lack of response or some form of toxicity that forces him to stop.

We are overjoyed to know we have a plan and to have the even greater gift that this treatment will not make him sick, he will likely be able to continue working, we will be together as a family, and he’ll get to come out to LA to see friends once a month! Please continue to pray and PRAISE GOD for the ways that He has revealed Himself in this perfect plan.

21 thoughts on “Kevin Update – We have a treatment plan!

  1. Don and I are so overjoyed for u both…One more time God shows us that He is Good All the time He is good.Even when times seem so yucky~~He is always there holding us up.We will just keep praying,Trusting and Believing He’s got this one!!!!

  2. This post is just awesome! So amazing how God worked out the details of this and that Kevin is getting started tomorrow! Woo hoo! Even better that the treatment won’t make him sick! 🙂

  3. So happy to hear it! Praise God! I’m sure you are so relieved to be able to look into the future and know – at least for a while – what’s going on. So happy he shouldn’t be suffering through the treatment and you’ll all be together again xox

  4. Looks like you guys have gone full circle… “Lead Kindly Light” (John Henry Newman). Continued blessings on your journey!
    Love, Irene

  5. Rachel & Kevin, this is such awesome news. Andrew & i are in constant continue prayers for you daily. And i have our family praying for you & Kevin as well. I have always believed that kevin can beat this & i still believe he will. Hang in their & know that Andrew & i are are gonna continue to pray as we have been doing faithfully. If there is anything u need please let us know. We love you both very much. God Bless You!

  6. Kevin and Rachel- Praise the Lord!! We rejoice with you in hope and faith! Sorry we missed you on Sunday- I got a migraine and was sick to my stomach so we couldn’t stay. I don’t know how Kevin handles that on a regular basis. You and your family are the first on my daily prayer list. Hang in there. We love you . Deb and Bruce

  7. Praise God!!! Great news!!
    I am sad I wasn’t able to see you at Village this past wknd 🙁 but am thankful to hear yet another PRAISE to praise.
    As I am in the last book of the “left behind ” series I continue to weep in the reverent AWE of my/our Redeamer. How awesome is He. His word never comes back void.
    TYL
    Continued blessings from the many of us Villager’s

  8. Rachel & Kevin – I am thrilled to hear of such amazing news. God is so good. Keeping you in my prayers through this journey. Here’s the link for Angel Flight – it might be worth checking out to see if you qualify for their assistance.

    http://www.angelflight.org/

  9. much hope is to be found at UCLA…so incredibly thankful you found your way there. they are amazing people and they fight hard for you. thankful and praising the lord you found this treatment…praying it does it’s job! let me know if there is anything I can do…we are familiar with all ways UCLA. sending you lots of hugs, rejoicing they are moving quickly and that the lord is in all the details. fighting with you…hope.believe.fight.

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