Please click the link provided to donate to Hans's GoFundMe campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hans-poulsen

In the summer of 2018, Hans Poulsen, at just 18 years old, started experiencing extreme shortness of breath while riding his bicycle with his junior cycling team.  After several exams at various hospitals, nothing was found in the labs, pulmonary, or imaging tests. 

In 2020,  Hans began to have some left leg pain while at a computer working on his college courses at the Academy of Art and Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco.  Doctors diagnosed him with sciatica and he went nearly a year with misdiagnosed sciatica.  During that time, he lost nearly 30 pounds as the pain became unbearable. 

Finally in the summer of 2021, an ER doctor at John Muir in Walnut Creek, CA did a lower leg scan and detected a very dark area at the bottom of the scan.  Further scans revealed that there was a large mass the size of a softball inside the left abdominal area.  The doctor knew immediately that it was cancer.   There were also two very small markers on his lungs which were also later to be found as cancer, which explains the 2018 breathing difficulties. 

Unfortunately, Hans had to take a pause from his college courses and was unable to work due to this heavy diagnosis.  Hans began treatment at UCSF Children's Hospital in San Francisco and was diagnosed with an extremely rare and very aggressive children's cancer, Ewing's Sarcoma. 

It was discovered that a tumor was growing inside his pelvis and that this was a deep-seated bone growing cancer.  Within a week of this diagnosis, Hans was undergoing an aggressive form of chemotherapy.  After several rounds of treatment, the scans showed hope and that the cancer had shrunk.  Hans also endured radiation to his lungs and the softball sized tumor over a two week timeframe. 

In February 2022,  the next plan of attack was to remove the tumor embedded in his pelvis.  Before that could be done, a large prosthesis had to be made to replace the left side of his pelvis that had to be removed.  A painstaking, 18 hour surgery was performed which gave Hans a new pelvis on the left side, as well as a new hip.  He recuperated for 32 days in a hospital bed to heal from this grueling surgery.  The large team was able to remove all the cancer in the pelvis and hip area.  

On April 26th, 2022 (Hans's 22nd birthday), he left UCSF unable to walk on his own.  Once home, he struggled with pain from the 2 day surgery.  Determined to walk, he moved through the house using a walker and a leg brace.  Hans loved to be outside with his dog and eventually was able to get outside with a rolling walker.  Hans surprised his orthopedic oncologist with being able to graduate quickly to a cane in mere months!   While many of us take the ability to walk pain free for granted, Hans is still strapped with severe numbness to his leg and abdomen. 

In December of 2022, Hans was diagnosed with more tumors on his lungs.  Radiation was out of the question as he had already undergone radiation for the two prior lung tumors.  Hans began chemotherapy treatments at home and had to ingest these horrible chemicals orally when they are normally given intravenously.  He could barely drink these foul tasting drugs and would try to mix with juice to help mask the awful taste. 

In February of 2023, Hans was given the devastating news the oral chemotherapy did nothing and that the tumors had multiplied and grown.  Doctors at UCSF said they could do nothing more, as there is no cure for childhood Ewing's Sarcoma.  They stated there were several clinical trials at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, but they also knew he would be not eligible for them all. 

On March 7th, 2023, Hans received the news that he had been accepted into a clinical trial at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles. This trial offers an experimental chemotherapy drug that may extend his life for a few more months, but it's also the only option left for him.  We are not sure if modern medicine can save him, but we're certain that we can make his remaining time as meaningful and comfortable as possible with your help.

We're reaching out to you today to ask for your support in this difficult time. Any contribution you can make to help us cover the cost of Hans's medical expenses and create some lasting memories for him will be deeply appreciated. Your kindness and generosity will make a real difference in his final days and hours. Please donate to our fundraiser here and help us give Hans the best possible care and love.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/hans-poulsen