WARREN – To many Tyler County folks, Lindsey Hoke has been a friendly, funny and helpful face at McClure’s Furniture in Woodville.
The hard-working father of three has quietly been in the fight for his life, though, and through the support of his family, his work family and the community, he hopes to overcome his health struggles.
According to his wife, Bonney, he was unexpectedly diagnosed in August 2024, at 38 years of age, with Stage 4 colon cancer, and thus far, treatments have proven unsuccessful.
Last year, at that time, he went to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain, which signaled when “our whole lives changed,” Bonney said.
Lindsey was transferred and admitted to St. Luke’s in Houston with an intestinal blockage and six days later he underwent surgery, when it was discovered he had Stage 4 metastatic colon cancer that had spread to his abdominal wall.
After eight months of chemotherapy, the cancer has grown and spread past his colon and abdominal wall into several lymph nodes and his lungs.
Bonney said that currently M.D. Anderson will not offer more aggressive treatment options, just more chemo, or a clinical trial.
Bonney credited the community, especially Lindsey’s “amazing boss and co-workers,” who have helped in fundraising efforts to help offset medical and travel expenses. On Saturday, June 28, there is a benefit for him at Mc Clure’s, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Part of the festivities will include lunch plates for $12 and a bake sale, as well as a gun raffle that has been ongoing for two different guns: a Ruger American Predator 7 mm.-.08 and a Ruger 10/22 .22 long rifle. Those who purchase raffle tickets do not need to be present on Saturday to win, and the drawing will happen at 2 p.m.
The raffle tickets, which are $5 each, or five for $20, are available at both the furniture store and the Express Mart in Warren. Bonney also has a CashApp method for payment and donations on the Facebook page “Lindsey’s Fight.”
At present, Bonney said that Lindsey is “doing OK,” and hoping to start a clinical trial sometime this week. For the past eight months, he has been battling multiple infections, along with the spreading cancer. He was initially turned down for a clinical trial, and has several mutations on his cancerous legions that are not responding well to the chemo, Bonney said.
The infections, which included sepsis after his initial surgery, and a rejection of a chemo port, also delayed treatments.
Part of the reason for the fundraising efforts is to allow Lindsey to seek out second opinions, and more options for him in the Houston area. Ultimately, Bonney said, they hope to be able to see a doctor at Yale in New Haven, CT, one who is known for performing life-saving surgeries for colon cancer patients; surgeries that other doctors won’t attempt.
The sort of cancer that Lindsey is battling is clinically known as metastatic adenocarcinoma, with features that make it hard to treat, according to Bonney. The diagnostic protocol determines the relative ease with which that type of cancer is treated, such as if it originated on the left or right side, as the right side is traditionally harder to treat. This typically means it is discovered at a later stage, according to information Bonney shared.
