Raytown firefighter, paramedic student faces high medical bills after beating cancer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A Raytown man discovered he had a fast-growing, aggressive type of melanoma in March of 2023.
Since then, he’s endured surgery and immunotherapy transfusions, all without complaint. On top of this? He serves his community as a firefighter.
Tyler Loehr is a Raytown, Mo., firefighter and paramedic student who beat cancer. Earlier this month during routine scans, doctors found a spot on his lung. After a biopsy surgery, the spot was found to be benign and not cancerous. However, his treatment plan still continues to monitor his current state and to ensure that the melanoma doesn’t reoccur.
Rhonda Loehr, Tyler’s mom, sat down with KCTV5 to talk about his journey, fundraising efforts, and the importance of melanoma screening.
Loehr said that after learning the good news about the biopsy on Tyler’s lung, the medical bills became overwhelming over the course of his continued treatment.
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While Tyler has insurance, it only goes so far. The high cost of medical bills spurred his mom to begin a GoFundMe for others to help her son with out-of-pocket costs.
KU Cancer Center, where Tyler received treatment, broke ground on a new patient care and cancer research building on the afternoon of May 23.
“The treatment he’s gotten there has just been top notch,” said Loehr.
According to KU Cancer Center, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.
The month of May is Melanoma Awareness Month. Loehr touched on the importance of screenings and annual dermatology appointments.
“It’s important to go, schedule an appointment with your dermatologist, once a year, so that you can stay on top of that,” said Loehr.
The work isn’t over. Tyler still has thousands of dollars left to reach his fundraising goal. Community can help Tyler achieve this through a dedicated GoFundMe.
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