Jason Rowell

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Cancer. 
A disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue.  Not only can cancer destroy body tissue, but if you let it, it will destroy your hope, your faith, and your spirit.  
In 2013, Jason Rowell was diagnosed with Stage 4 Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the head and neck.  Since then, Jason and his wife Amy have been determined not to let cancer destroy their faith, hope and spirit.  
After chemo and a life time limit of radiation in 2013, Jason was in remission.  Life went back to normal for this guitar playing, family loving man.  After a scan in April 2014, Jason and Amy had to plan for a life altering, 12-hour surgery to remove the cancer that had returned in Jason’s throat and tongue.  This surgery involved removing half of his tongue which would be rebuilt using tissue from his forearm.   It was unknown at the time if Jason would be able to eat and drink through his mouth again.  The following year was very difficult.  Jason had to learn how to talk, smile, eat and drink all over again.  One of his favorite past times was singing.  Singing would be the only thing that never returned.  2014 and 2015 held many hospitalizations for aspiration pneumonia and a MRSA infection.  During this time, Jason and Amy started attending First United Methodist Church regularly.  After feeling God’s presence through this tough time, Jason decided to accept Christ as his Savior.  He was baptized in February 2015 with his youngest daughter, Ava.  
Jason spent many years as a police officer for Carrollton City Police.  In July 2015, he went back as a Reserve Officer.  He continued to heal and regain his speech and eating ability.  Exactly one year later, he was able to join the police force as a full-time School Resource Officer for Carrollton City Schools.  He knew from the start that this was exactly where he needed to be.  Jason will tell anyone that being a SRO is the most rewarding job anyone can ever have. 
After noticing a lump on the side of his neck, Jason went back to the doctor in April 2017.  Emory and MD Anderson told Jason and Amy that his cancer was back.  Not only did they tell him his cancer was back, but they didn’t give him much hope for remission.  After much debate, he opted out of the palliative chemo and decided to continue with his alternative treatments.  Many hours have been spent researching cancer and alternative options for treating cancer.  Up until recently, Jason was only doing alternative treatments.  However, the tumor grew into his airway and started paralyzing his vocal chords.   
Currently Jason is receiving Opdivo which is an immunotherapy.  He recently had surgery to place another PEG tube (feeding tube), a port-a-cath, and a trach.  The trach was a safety net to prevent an emergency trach since his airway was becoming obstructed.  After living with the trach for several weeks, Jason made the decision that he would do what he needed to do, but that he could not handle living with trach, so it was removed.  He continues his alternative treatments which include the hyperbaric chamber, the infrared sauna, vitamin C infusions, a very strict diet rich in supplements and the Ketogenic diet for cancer.  Luckily, he has a feeding tube that he and Amy use to push a lot of nutrient rich food that might otherwise not taste so good!   

Jason and Amy live in Bowdon, Georgia with three of their four kids… Abigail, Nathan and Ava.  Jason’s oldest son, Bray, lives in Alabama with his mother.  He is currently on leave from work but is always trying to find ways back to the school.  He misses it so much and longs for the day that he can be back working.  Amy is an emergency room nurse at Tanner Medical Center.   Jason continues to love to play with CrossWalk at CFUMC.   Jason’s hopes are that he can return to a Reserve Officer.  He spends most of his time now with his family, reading, focusing on his treatment and his relationship with our Heavenly Father.  

“Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb, but how well you bounce!”