Vegas Family Devastated by Cancer

  • by: Julie Patron
  • recipient: Sign to nominate for Home Makeover TV Show
A local Las Vegas family  have been nominated and are competing to be selected to participate in a Home Make over TV show. They are an amazing family that have faced many of life's difficulties and come out with a strong family support group. Filled with love and charity. They have faced Cancer and won and faced it again only to lose loved ones. They've faced many odds and have never given up hope or helping others. In a very short period of time Jo lost her dad to cancer. Then  had to deal with her son, a decorated Veteran, fighting cancer. If that wasn't stressful enough she then lost her husband to cancer. Shortly after she was diagnosed with a (brain Tumor). And currently her mother is on Hospice for (end stage Alzheimers and heart troubles)and is now bedridden. Jo and her mom are extremely sick and require 24 hr care. They are trying to make it work out but illness, lack of space for the family, Kids, Grand Kids, and Great Grand Kids and running/supporting 2 homes, and family members always in constant flux. One home sitting empty unless nieces and there kids stay and/or His girlfriend and her two little girls.They are cramped, separated, in need of ground floor rooms (handicap access) not suitable amenities for there medical and personal needs. We are trying to fix that and gather support for them.  This family has supported, volunteered, and enjoyed helping out many charities. From Exotic Animal Sanctuary's to improving Non-profits and businesses desires to help communities. In 1989 they started to help anyway that they could and would spend hours after work at home calling,researching and gather volunteer's for whatever project or program they're offering their time and help to. In 1999 the city told them they couldn't do charity work out of the home or any type of business without a business license. So Primal Protection was created as a business that in over 10 years has never made a penny and kept running supporting causes on their drive to help others anyway that they can. This is an amazing Family that needs our support and our charity to keep on going. I hope there is something within your heart that touches you about there current history of tragedy and loss and there need to stay together to survive. These reality TV and cable Make over programs have done little to no a projects or programs in NV. I ask that you join us in getting this family's story out to the public and help gather support and hopefully the power to get this family back into the game of life. I know with the right help and support from the public through your help and them being accepted, they would allow and want there old homes to go to other families in need. They are more than willing to almost what ever you ask, Help get sponsor's, etc. They hope you can find some way to make it for them. If they sold for a huge loss the could only afford land where the need and want to be, maybe something else could be worked out. The skies are open and endless with ways to make this work and WE let it in your hands to find a way. Those kinds of details can be arranged only with Public Knowledge of their plight and all of our supporting in getting them to be selected. Please help get this out to the public and let's help this family that is always trying to support people in charity issues facing many people today.

Primal Protection has been in Business in Las Vegas, NV for 10 years and has never made a dime profit. It's set-up to assist in gathering help and support for charitable issues facing people today.  Its original intent was a stepping stone with cancer issues, projects into programs that would later become a Non-Profit Charity to help all those with causes. Darin has championed many causes through volunteering, fundraising, grass roots efforts, worked for many charities, and has served on a few Non-profit boards. He has helped animals to the Earth itself. Cancer/health issues are always dear to his heart but he has shared his time and love to many issues facing everyone today.

To list a few:
Retirement homes, M.D.A., United-Way, Red Cross, V.A., Boy/Girl Scouts, Big Brother/Big Sisters, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Koman Foundation, Breast Cancer Awareness, Buddy Check 8, WWF, Keepers of the Wild, Habitat for Humanity, Doctors without boarders, One Foundation, Live Strong, Shade Tree, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Nevada Cancer Institute, and his own volunteer Business Primal Protection and many others not listed.

Primal Protection is looking for Builder's, Sponsors, and volunteers who are leaders in their community and understand how important it is to give back. All providers for any of Primal Protections Programs and/or Projects waive their fees, Work for free, and help gather trade Partners, Sponsors, Donations, Subcontractors, and volunteers to come together to complete the projects and gain the awesome feeling of helping people.

The volunteer staff is asking you to become a part of our program and project to Help anyway you can. The staff is currently working on Project Feller Family to help its founder and allow his good work to go on. All donations, gifts, sponsor support is 100% used in helping families, No one draws a paycheck or makes any Profit. 100% volunteer support.

Here is their story;

I'm writing to you to nominate Jo-An Feller and her family for the Extreme Home Makeover.  I've had the pleasure of knowing Jo-An and her family for over 20 years.  My brother and her son, Darin, joined the Army and trained for the Special Forces together.  And have been best buddies ever since, over 20 years now.  I haven't come across any family more deserving than them.


Cancer has devastated their lives; the results are overwhelming to say the least.


It all started when Jo-An's father was diagnosed with Lung Cancer, more than 50% of people newly diagnosed with Lung Cancer already show signs of cancer elsewhere in the body.  He started chemotherapy and then was on radiation treatments, but to no avail.  He lost his battle within a few months.  Jo-An and the whole family were devastated.


They got through the grieving process and started to get their lives back together.  Everything seemed to be going well.  Until Jo-An's husband, Ron, was in a accident that left him permanently disabled.  The family pulled together again.  Shortly after that Ron had a Heart Attack from Coronary Heart Disease.  And ended up having to have double bypass surgery, where they remove a length of blood vessels from elsewhere in the body and attach one end to the Aorta and the other end to the Coronary Artery downstream of the blockage.  Things were going better, then unfortunately he had yet another Heart Attack.  And this time he had to have Triple Bypass surgery.


Their son, Darin was already in the Army.  Shortly after he was honorably discharged from the Army, he felt a lump by his ear.  So he went to get it checked out only to find out that he had Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  A type of cancer that arises in the Lymphatic System (body tissues that fight infection and perform several other vital functions in the body).  According to the American Cancer Society in 2005 more than 56,000 people in the US developed Lymphoma and 19,200 loss their battle.  Needless to say his family and friends were in total disbelief and shocked.  He was started on Chemotherapy and then Radiation Therapy.  I really think his positive attitude attributed to his survival.  He is still cancer free right now.  But the treatment did take a toll on his body.  He is still on multiple medications. 


Again they tried to get their lives back together and were doing a pretty good job of it when they were forced to face more devastating news.  Ron was having trouble swallowing and was immediately taken to see his doctor.  After running several test they found out that Ron had Throat Cancer on December 22, 2006.  A cancer that forms in the tissues of the pharynx (the hollow tube inside the neck that starts behind the nose and ends at the top of the windpipe and esophagus). The prognosis was dismal.  He started Chemotherapy and then Radiation treatments.  Jo-An's son, Darin was there to help out...he had been through it and knew what to expect.  Unfortunately he lost his battle in April 2007. 



The family was again devastated.... He was diagnosed and just less than 4 months later he was gone!  Jo-An was married to Ron for over 40 years and he did everything for her.  Darin was so busy staying strong for his mom that he didn't have enough time to grieve. 


To top it off while all of this was going on Jo-An's mom, Elizabeth was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which is a progressive and fatal brain disease.  It destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior, severe enough to affect work, life long hobbies and social life.  It gets worse over time and is fatal. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States.  She is now @ stage 4 of the disease and along with it she has edema and heart failure.  She is now bedridden and is on Hospice, but they only come out 4 days a week and about an hour each time.  And it is really taking a toll on their family and they could use some more help, but unfortunately they cannot afford it.


Jo-An has multiple health problems of her own to deal with, which include thyroid problems, a brain tumor, seizures, migraines and high blood pressure.  Which also makes it hard for her to care for her mother (Elizabeth) all alone.  And that is where Darin comes in.  He is there 24/7 to care for both of them.  In order to make sure they are well taken care of Darin put his life and plans for the future on hold. 


Update:  Darin's grandma has died.  So now they need your help more than ever. 


Thank you so much for your time,



Julie Patron

77 Hollywood Ave

San Jose, CA 95112






http://us.f816.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=briar1@live.com

We the undersigned would like to nominate the Feller Family to be on the Extreme Home Makeover Program.

Cancer and other health problems have devastated their lives.

They have always been and still are givers.  Helping people in need and giving them support in whatever way they can.  They also did volunteer work helping to rescue exotic animals for years.


Now they are the ones in need of your help.

So please help me help them. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read their story.

I really appreciate it.





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