Philip Carlson Family Care Fund

In August, Phil had a routine surgery to remove some nodules on his thyroid. During the surgery, the doctor found an unusual tumor that was difficult to remove. It turned out to be a rare form of cancer. There are only 43 documented cases and almost all of them are in teenage boys. Phil is the oldest known person to have this kind of cancer. 

In November, he received 30 radiation treatments within 6 weeks, all while continuing to work full-time (amazing!) In December, he began to have difficulty eating and drinking, then became progressively more fatigued over the next couple of weeks. He was brought to Huntington Memorial Hospital on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, we found out the cancer had rapidly metastasized to his lungs. He spent a few days in the ICU in critical condition. 

He was determined to go home and we worked hard as a family to make that happen for him. He was so happy to rest in his own bed and passed away peacefully early in the morning on December 28th.

This is such a tragic and sudden loss for our family, but we’ve seen God at work in beautiful ways through this painful time. Please be praying for comfort and peace for our family - Carole, Jonathan, Caitlin, Brendan, and Ciara. He was a truly an incredible husband and father and will be missed every single day. He modeled Christ's love and grace so well and profoundly impacted his family, friends, patients, and those he had the privilege of pastoring.

Our family would cherish the opportunity to hear your stories about how Phil has impacted your lives. We have set up a PO box where you can send letters: The Carlson Family at PO Box 1264 Sierra Madre, CA 91025.

At this time we do have needs and many of you have been wanting to help. This page lists some of our immediate and on-going needs. We are so grateful for all of your prayers, kindness, and support.