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Three years ago, Randy Barany fought his way through a life-altering diagnosis that would test his endurance, patience and resolve.
After being diagnosed with early-stage colon cancer, the Lindenhurst father underwent major surgery to remove his large intestine, colon and rectum, followed by the creation of a j-pouch.
The recovery, his family said, was long and painful. But Barany, 47, pushed through it, determined to reclaim a normal — and as active a life as possible.
Today, the cancer — and his fight against it — has returned with new urgency.
Barany, the father of a 3-year-old daughter, has been diagnosed with stage three cancer, with a tumor on the j-pouch that once symbolized survival, his sister Nicole Barany said on a GoFundMe page she established to raise funds for her brother’s treatments.
Barany’s latest diagnosis has sent his family scrambling for options that might preserve not just his life, but the quality of it.
Traditional treatment would leave Barany with a permanent ileostomy bag. That outcome that would dramatically reshape daily life for someone known for being hands-on and constantly on the move.
After extensive research, Barany explored metabolic treatments that have shown promising improvements. The treatments are expensive — between $10,000 and $15,000 per month — and are not covered by insurance.
Faced with mounting bills and limited time, the Barany family made a difficult decision: to ask for help on GoFundMe.
The response was immediate.
In its first three days, the fundraiser raised nearly $21,000, a surge of support that family members said reflects the compassion of the many people moved by his story.
“If you know Randy, you know he is the last person who would ever ask for help,” Nicole Barany wrote. “So we, his family, are putting aside our pride and asking on his behalf.
“We want him to be able to focus on healing — not on the stress of how he’s going to afford it,” she added.
Top: Randy Barany and his daughter (GoFundMe)
