It’s been nearly five years since Greg Bortner was faced with one of the hardest decisions of his life. After doctors found a cancerous tumor on his trachea, the tube commonly known as the windpipe, he was presented with options for treatment.
His doctors told him he could pursue a surgery that would only remove part of his trachea, leaving intact the larynx, which holds the vocal cords. But that option left a greater possibility that cancer could still be present after the surgery. Recognizing that reality, Greg chose a more invasive operation that has made it very difficult for him to speak.
“I chose to give up the larynx and get as much of the cancer as possible,” Greg said in a recent email that he sent to Vickie’s Angel Foundation. “I was given the choice of going home for Christmas and coming back later to have surgery. I chose to have surgery on December 23, 2015. Quite obviously, my life would never be the same again.”
In addition to that difficult decision, Greg’s diagnosis has created many financial challenges for his family. Because of these hardships, Vickie’s Angel Foundation has stepped in to help Greg and his wife, Jan, with the mortgage payments for their home in Jacobus, York County.
Greg and Jan both said the assistance from Vickie’s Angel Foundation has helped them greatly as the costs of Greg’s treatment have continued to mount. He recalled that a single radioactive iodine pill that he was prescribed cost approximately $18,000.
“We drained all of our IRA — every penny. But we wanted to sleep at night, so we paid our debt,” said Jan Bortner. “Vickie’s Angel Foundation has been a godsend to us. I thought it wasn’t real at first. They have helped us with our mortgage payment when we really needed it.”
Greg’s treatment over the last several years has included rounds of radiation and chemotherapy. At times, it has been very difficult for him to eat. As a result, he said at one point his weight dropped from 260 to 180 pounds.
His cancer has since spread to his lungs, but he is continuing his fight against the disease. Since February 2020, Greg has been visiting Johns Hopkins for immunotherapy treatments while he receives a milder dose of chemotherapy.
His wife says that he has not lost his upbeat disposition.
“His spirits are everything,” Jan Bortner said. “He’s always been a jokester and that’s what keeps him going.”
“I don't know what the future holds for me,” Greg said. “[But] I do know my wife and I will be ever grateful for the help we received from [Vickie’s Angel Foundation].”
About Us: Vickie's Angel Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission of helping families fighting cancer who cannot pay their bills because of going through cancer treatment. The foundation’s goal is to take away the financial worry from the family, providing a temporary bridge that allows them to focus entirely on beating this disease. Since 2003, Vickie’s Angel Foundation has raised over $3.2 million and helped more than 2,000 families. Importantly, 100% of all online donations, and monies received at our walk; along with 100% of net proceeds from sponsored events, go directly to those in need.