An online fundraiser is underway to help provide medical treatment in the U.S. for an Abbotsford Police officer who is battling terminal brain cancer.
Ryan Masales – whose nickname is “Chopper” – was diagnosed with an aggressive stage 4 brain tumour in September 2016, and has now exhausted all conventional treatments in Canada, his wife Estelize writes on a GoFundMe page organized to raise $200,000.
Ryan’s last MRI showed that his cancer is growing, she states.
His form of cancer – glioblastoma multiforme – is the same one that took the lives of Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie and U.S. senator John McCain.
Estelize says Ryan’s tumour is of the type that qualifies for a study being performed at the Ivy Brain Tumor Centre in Phoenix, Arizona.
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“This means that the treatment there could possibly be extremely effective in treating his deadly condition,” she writes.
The treatment involves brain surgery, an MRI and several blood labs that are not covered by Canada’s medical services plan and which will cost approximately $200,000 in Canadian funds.
Estelize said she is determined to raise the money to help save her husband. The couple are parents to a seven-year-old boy, Ryder.
“Ryan spent his career keeping the community safe, putting his life the line on many occasions to save that of others. Now that he is fighting for his own life, I feel that he deserves the help.”
Ryan’s policing career includes working for the Abbotsford Police Department, the Vancouver Police Department, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit and the BC Undercover Program.
The online campaign can be found by searching “Fight Chopper” at gofundme.com. Money transfers can also be sent to estelize@gmail.com.
In addition, a fundraiser titled Chopperfest 2019 is planned for Friday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Legacy Sports Centre, 3270 Trethewey St. The evening includes music, drinks and a silent auction, and is for adults only.
Tickets are $50 and are available at eventbrite.ca/e/chopperfest-2019-tickets-77592249507. (The password is “chopper2019.”)
A website – fightchopper.wordpress.com – is chronicling Ryan’s battle, as well as other fundraising endeavours, including T-shirt and coin sales.
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Vikki Hopes | Reporter
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