Meet Carter

Carter is a full-time student at University of California, Santa Cruz. This past summer, Carter’s mother took him to urgent care with a horrible headache. After a month in the hospital, getting multiple brain biopsies, the doctor found germ cell turmors in the pineal region of his brain. These types of cells are very rare (3-5% of cancer patients) for someone at such a young age. While he was in the hospital, he had a stroke that had some lasting impact on his body. Carter has gone through 3 surgeries to remove the Germ cell tumors and is showing positives signs to recovery.

Carter moved back home with his mother because he needed full-time medical care. His mother is very familiar with the daily appointments of chemotherapy and radiation because she too has cancer and has been dealing with the similiar medical treatments. In fact Carter’s mother, Cherie, was a recipient at Human Connexus Foundation in 2013-14. Now, the two of them are balancing their schedules to make sure they are getting the needed medical care. Both Carter and Cherie are not working due to the multiple appointments throughout the week. Both receive monthly disability but working due to the multiple appointments throughout the week. Both receive monthly disability but that is not enough to cover their basic living needs. Carter is also fighting the hospital and his insurance company regarding a medical bill that is over $600K that is in dispute. An area where he does not want to spend his energy.

Carter is hoping to return to UCSC to finish his bachelor’s degree by next year. He wants to get his college life back and help his family get back on the path to financial stability.