Hi, my name is Joey. You may also know me as Zane Myers, a singer/songwriter based out of Orange County. As many of you know, in August of 2024, I was diagnosed with a cancer called B-Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. What I first thought were rare Covid symptoms turned out to be more sinister. I had chest pains and immense pressure in my neck and head, which turned out to be caused by tumor growth around my esophagus, by my heart and lungs. This diagnosis caused me to be hospitalized for 3 weeks at Providence St. Joseph in Orange, CA, having to go through multiple tests and procedures to determine the exact type of cancer I had. Once they found out what it was, they put me on an aggressive chemotherapy plan for the next 5 months. This impacted my ability to work and left me to rely on disability, savings, and help from family to pay for rent, utilities, food, medical expenses, etc. The treatment plan consisted of 6 individual treatments, where I would get a continuous IV drip of chemotherapy liquid for 5 consecutive days. This was a very long and difficult experience for me and for my family, who stuck by me and helped me the entire time. The experience brought many mental and physical battles that I never knew I would have to experience. I lost all of my hair, lost weight, had little to no immune system, was sick most of the time, and had so many more physical symptoms, it’s hard to list. It also took a toll on my mental state, leaving me feeling very emotional, isolated, anxious, depressed, and so much more.
When I completed my 6 rounds of chemotherapy in early January of 2025, I thought I was in remission. However, that was only for a few months. I had just started to get back to normal and feel better when one day in April I started having chest pains and couldn’t inhale all the way without pressure and pain. When I went into the hospital, the doctors found my tumor had grown again, and I had to go through another month of getting multiple tests and procedures to find what it could be. In May, I was re-diagnosed with the same type of cancer. I was referred to a doctor at City of Hope in Duarte, CA, to discuss doing another type of treatment called Car-T. Before I can begin that treatment, I will have to complete 3 treatments of chemotherapy along with some other tests and procedures. As of this month (June), I have completed 1 of the 3 chemotherapy treatments. I am now awaiting more tests and 2 more chemotherapy treatments before getting the Car-T treatment in July 2025.
I still don’t know exactly when I’ll be back to normal or be able to work again. Not knowing exactly what is in store for me in the future, I try to make the most of every day. I do this by going to the beach and attending live concerts as much as possible, trying to stay as happy and optimistic as I can. I’ve been so blessed to be in the place that I am in life, and I know that this is just a large obstacle to overcome, but I will get through it.
I hate to ask anybody for anything, and I’ve tried to go as long as I could without doing so, but I now know that I’ll need some help from the community that I love and that loves me in return. If you have anything to spare, please consider donating to my fundraiser. Or even just giving a share on your social media would mean a lot. The money would help so much throughout this time while I’ll be out of work and going through treatments to fight this thing off.
