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Howland family hopes to fulfill man’s final wish
Special to the Vindicator
Photo
Cody Betts of Howland, diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2008, is in California after receiving medical care. He is shown here with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children, Kylie, 4, and Cooper, 2.
HOWLAND
Cody Betts of Howland has a simple wish. He wants to come home to spend his final days with his family and friends.
Betts, diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor in 2008, is in California, far from his Trumbull County home.
Since early January, the 37-year-old had been receiving experimental chemotherapy treatments at a hospital near Los Angeles called City of Hope.
The treatments, however, were too intense and painful, and Betts’ family opted to discontinue them.
“He couldn’t handle the treatments, which were a last attempt at curing him after traditional chemo treatments had failed,” explained Betts’ cousin Traci Timko Rose, a family spokesperson. “Right now, we are looking to get him home and looking for comfort care.”
The problem is that Betts cannot fly on a regular airplane; the hospital will not allow him to fly on a private plane — it must be medical flight.
“He flew out on a regular plane, but he can no longer walk or sit up,” Timko Rose said. “He needs to be able to lie down for the entire flight, and he needs to be lying down when he boards the plane.”
Betts’ family investigated the possibility of a medical flight and found the cost is roughly $25,000.
“None of us have that kind of money,” said Timko Rose. “A registered nurse must also be present during the flight because Cody must be administered regular intravenous pain medication.”
Timko Rose said the flight on a small plane would be about 10 hours long, and the plane would have to stop at least twice to refuel.
Keeping Betts at the hospital in California also has been quite costly, as have the hotel bills for his family.
“The hotel bills are adding up,” Timko Rose said. “Cody’s parents, twin sister, older brother and wife and children have all taken turns flying out there to be with him. Cody’s condition requires two people near him at all times. One person needs to massage his muscles, which are very rigid, and the other needs to dry the sweat from his brow.”
The family is asking for financial assistance, and so far the community has been very compassionate and responsive.
“We have had some local people who have put forth generous donations,” Timko Rose said. “Cody has been really moved by the community’s incredible support.”
A Cody Betts fund has been established at Huntington Bank, and donations can be made at any local office.
Since being diagnosed in 2008, Timko Rose said her cousin has been very private about his struggle and has hesitated to ask for assistance.
When he heard about the recent wave of local support, however, Betts broke down and cried.
“He said, ‘I can’t believe how many people care,’” Timko Rose said. “I think he thought he was just sitting out there in a hospital bed in California and people had forgotten about him.”
After his initial diagnosis, Betts endured surgery and traditional chemotherapy treatments, but the tumor kept growing.
The City of Hope treatments were, in layman’s terms, “designed to direct the chemo directly to the tumor. Cody’s body was fighting the chemo before it could get to the tumor,” Timko Rose said, adding, “Since being diagnosed, Cody has suffered seizures, paralysis and vision problems, and in fall of 2010, doctors told him nothing more could be done and hospice should be called in.”
Betts’ wife, Jennifer, said her husband continued to work as a basketball coach and teacher at Joseph Badger Schools until October 2010.
“Up until then, he went to work every day without complaining,” Jennifer said.
Jennifer, 35, who also is a teacher at Joseph Badger schools, flew to California in January but is back home now taking care of the couple’s two children, Kylie, 4, and Cooper, 2.
Cody and Jennifer have been married for nine years and began dating in 1994.
Cody’s parents, Tom and Sherry Betts, live in Kinsman, as does his twin sister, Carrie Betts. His older brother, Josh Betts, lives in Columbus.
Timko Rose said her cousin’s health was excellent prior to his diagnosis.
“He was a very fit, positive person with a passion for life,” Timko Rose said. “The diagnosis came as a huge shock to everyone.”