Justin was from North Carolina and was married to his wife, Kristy since 2003. Together they had a precious son.  Justin was thirty years old when he passed away on November 24, 2010. To read a more in-depth story about Justin's journey over the past two years, and to hear his wife tell the story to 1,000 teens at a high school in western NC, please visit the "Justin's Story" section of this website.

On Justin's 28th birthday in April 2008, Justin quit smoking cold turkey after picking up his first cigarette at age 14.  It was a deep regret of Justin's that he ever started smoking as a very young teen, and he made a decision to change his life for the better.  He threw away his pack of cigarettes and never looked back. But it was too late...

** 9/5/08: Results were received that a malignency is present. Justin was diagnosed with Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (large cell) that has spread to the bones and liver.

** 8/11/09: After two treatment attempts failed to stop the rapid tumor growth (four cycles of the chemotherapy combination, Alimta/Cisplatin, and two months of the targeted treatment, Tarceva), Justin was introduced to the potent chemotherapy and targeted treatment combination of Taxol/Carboplatin/Avastin. The tri-combination is intravenous-fed and administered every three weeks along with zoledronic acid (Zometa) which aids in strengthening Justin’s bones from metastasis disease. Six weeks and two treatment sessions after starting the new regiment, Justin’s chest CT scan on May 12, 2009 showed phenomenal results. The primary lung mass shrunk by 90%, all other lung nodules and tumors vanished with the remaining ones showing only signs of necrosis (dead cells), plus the liver tumor shrunk 75%. Justin's doctor described the extraordinary scan results as, “beyond unusual”. In addition to chemotherapy, Justin has endured a total of 25 radiation treatments (10 on his neck and shoulder, and 15 on his spine)... these radiation sessions produced grueling side effects that affected Justin’s ability to eat solid food for a large number of days. Thankfully the radiation has succeeded in destroying the bone metastasis. Justin's PET scan showed no sign of active disease!  Justin will continue on a maintenance treatment of Avastin & Zometa.

 

Justin & Dr. Jeffrey Crawford at Duke on 5/12/09 - we just found out that Justin is responding BEAUTIFULLY to the treatmemt!

          
  CT scan after Tarceva - tumors are circled...                       CT scan after six weeks on Taxol/Carbo/Avastin - a miracle!

** 10/3/09 - CT chest scans look great - liver still clean, bones all stable, and the primary mass which is just a big glob of dead cells and scar tissue has even shrunk another 25%.  JUSTIN IS DOING FANTASTIC!!! 

** 1/26/10 - Justin had a very small reoccurance with new spots showing in his lungs and liver.  He is currently back on the same chemo cocktail (Taxol/Carboplatin/Avastin) with the next scan scheduled for 4/6/10.  We are very, very encouraged and confident that the treatment is working just as well if not better than the first time. 

** 4/6/10 - scans look soooo good!  The reoccurance back in January was only a few nodules that had appeared in his lungs... today they are either gone or have shrunk up to almost nothing.  Also in January, new spots were seen on the liver (which at that time looked significant in size), these spots have disappeared to almost nothing... just a speck now.  Apparently the primary mass that was so large in early 2009 has continued to shrivel up and much of the scar tissue has also disappeared - today the mass is basically completely gone with only a tiny bit of scar tissue remaining.  

** 6/8/10 - CT chest scan after concluding Taxol/Carbo/Avastin cocktail.  Scans show that the disease is stable and does not appear to be active.  There were still a few tiny spots in the lungs (size of a pebble), but those spots could just be scar tissue.  His liver looks great and all the spots on his bones have healed nicely (these "spots" have been stable now for well over a year).   Justin will remain on a maintenance treatment of Taxol & Avastin (and Zometa).  After 4 rounds he will receive another chest CT scan in late August. 

** 8/31/10 - CT chest scan after three months on Taxol/Avastin as maintenance.  This beast is on the move again.  After 18 months on the same treatment, the time has come to switch things up.  Justin has a brain and PET scan scheduled for 9/7/10 because he hasn't had either in a year, and it will help Dr. Crawford make the next treatment decision (might be a clinical trial). 

** 9/7/10 - Bad news. Brain CT/MRI revealed several spots on Justin's brain.  They are super tiny and not causing him a bit of problem.  He starts whole brain radiation on 9/9/10.  PET revealed he has spots in his lungs, bones, and liver is once again involved.  Justin will also receive radiation treatment on his right hip which is causing him pain. We are believers - we'll conquer this too, we always do.

** 11/24/10 - Justin passed away due to complications from lung cancer. His left lung had collapsed, and we discovered the brain radiation was unsuccessful.  He also had a swollen lymph node completey obstruct his bile duct.  A stent was placed but his gallbladder became infected during the process.  The gallbladder infection was too wide spread through his body and lungs affecting his ability to breathe.  Justin was intubated for four days while we tried to figure things out.  His heart stopped after he developed a blot clot in his brain and near his heart. 

Rest peacefully our beloved Justin... you are deeply loved and greatly missed!