Benefit to help mechanic with five-year cancer battle

June 24--A mechanic who has been battling cancer for five years said the experience has brought him closer to his family and to God.

"I was basically taking life for granted, by the seat of my pants and doing what I wanted," said Parrish Lusby Sr., 46, of Bismarck. "Now I look at what is more important about life. You take family for granted a lot of the time but they are there for you."

Originally from Jamestown, Lusby's family and friends are holding a benefit here to help with travel expenses for ongoing treatments of neuroendocrine tumors in Colorado. The tumors were spotted on his spine by scans of a work-related back injury in 2012, and have since spread to his liver, bones, pelvis, neck, ribs and pancreas, he said.

"It's been a tough road and I am glad that God gave me the five years so far fighting it," Lusby said.

Lusby is a master technician diesel mechanic who worked on heavy equipment, semitrailers and school buses for a living. Now that he is unable to work, Lusby has a Social Security disability rating and said this is difficult for someone who has been working since he was 14 years old.

"I still have some insurance but it only covers a portion," he said. "Anything I had saved and my 401K is gone from using it to cover medical bills."

Lusby and his wife, Jennifer, have six children. The oldest son, Parrish Jr., is 19 and no longer at home. The other children are Gabriel, 12, Winter, 11, Jacob, 9, Trinity, 6, and James, 5.

"The youngest was only 2 months old when Parrish was first diagnosed," said Sarah Ratts, who is Lusby's sister and an organizer of the benefit.

Lusby continues to be treated at Sanford Health in Bismarck but also visited the Mayo Clinic and now sees neuroendocrine tumor specialist Dr. Eric Liu at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center in Denver.

"It was a miracle to finally find him," Jennifer said of Liu.

In Denver Lusby has Gallium 68 scans that pinpoint tumors to treat in Bismarck. He also has radio embolization, radiation pellets that are injected directly into the liver to attack the tumors.

The tumors did shrink or disappear initially but have since returned, Lusby said.

Next is another new treatment from Dr. Kjell Öberg in Sweden. The U.S. trial phase is nearly complete and FDA approval could come this year, he said.

"It's kind of a hail Mary and it's supposed to target the specific cancer that I have," Lusby said. "It's up to the man upstairs what happens and I just put it in his hands."

Fighting cancer is like a rollercoaster ride with good days and bad days, he said. Every good day is spent with the kids in Bible study, fishing or at their activities, he said.

"The kids help out too and they have been great about it," he said.

Jennifer said she goes along on every appointment to provide updates on all the little things with his health and to keep a record of the tests and doctor's information. She relays all the information to the family to take stress off of Parrish, she said.

The ordeal has brought the immediate and extended families closer together, she said.

"We just value every moment more," she said. "You think you have all the time in the world and now we realize every moment and every day that the sun rises and (that) he is still here is a gift."

The Parrish Lusby Sr. Benefit fund has been set up at Gate City Bank in Jamestown.

tlaventure@jamestownsun.com

(701) 952-8455

IF YOU GO

What: Benefit for Parrish Lusby Sr. When: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 25 Where: Victory Lutheran Church, 510 9th Ave. SW, Jamestown Details: Taco bar, desserts, silent auction for cancer treatment expenses of Parrish Lusby Sr. Cost: Freewill donation Contact: Sarah Ratts, 489-3369, sarah. ratts3@gmail.com

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