Reps for Ian: The Cure Starts Now

Hello! My name is Luke Campbell, former offensive lineman at Michigan State University. This year at the MSU NFL Pro Day I will participate in the 225lb bench press in honor of Ian Pomeroy. I will compete in the NFL Pro Day with no intentions of continuing my football career but to help raise money for The Cure Starts Now, an organization that supports research and families battling pediatric brain cancer just like Ian’s family. I am asking for donations to raise a goal of $15,000. Supporters can donate a personal amount or pledge for each bench press rep (my goal is 23-25 reps). All proceeds will be donated to The Cure Starts Now Foundation https://thecurestartsnow.org/w…

Ian was a bright, fun-loving, and energetic little boy. He was the bottle flipping champion of his family, and he loved doing random headstands wherever he went. He enjoyed playing cards and putting together puzzles with his papa. He spent countless hours outdoors, riding anything with a motor, especially jet skis, dirt bikes, and snowmobiles. Ian loved spending time with his family and playing with his friends. He was an avid MSU fan and refused to sit in any chair with a U of M emblem on it, even while receiving treatment in Ann Arbor. Ian stole the hearts of everyone that came in his path, including mine.

Ian had just started kindergarten when he was diagnosed with DIPG, a fast-growing and inoperable form of brain cancer. Prior to his diagnosis, Ian began suffering from painful headaches but it wasn’t until October 16, 2017, that his parents knew something was terribly wrong. Following a discussion about taking Ian to the doctor for his headaches, his parents received a horrifying phone call from Ian’s school that he had fallen while playing on the playground and was a little disoriented and not acting himself. Ian’s parents immediately picked him up from school and rushed him to the hospital, where he received a CT scan of his head that revealed bleeding on his brain. Ian was airlifted to Saginaw Hospital, and the next morning, he received an MRI that showed a massive tumor on his brain stem. He was then transferred to U of M Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI, where he was diagnosed with DIPG. Doctors informed Ian’s parents that there was nothing they could do; Ian was going to die. They suggested radiation to slow the progression of the tumor and told Ian’s parents to go make memories with Ian while they could because radiation only buys them a little bit of time; it isn’t a cure.

That day, their lives were forever changed. Ian’s diagnosis wasn’t at all easy for his family. They held onto hope that he would be the miracle child that would survive a DIPG diagnosis. Ian was the glue that held his family together. He knew he had a monster in his head that was affecting his ability to do things that were once so easy. After he lost the ability to walk, Ian’s determination kicked in; he was going to get around one way or another, even if it meant doing an army crawl or rolling on the ground. Ian eventually relearned to walk, which was a big accomplishment for him. During his battle, Ian found out that he was going to be a big brother. He was so excited and couldn’t wait to meet his baby brother, Ryder, who he had the pleasure of naming.

Ian battled courageously against his unrelenting cancer for 9 months before he passed away on July 10, 2018, at the age of 6. Although he missed his baby brother’s birth by three months, Ian will always be with him, spreading joy and unconditional love. Ian left behind a legacy of love and courage, even in the face of unbearable challenges. Ian is and will always be a Spartan Dawg.