Our Story

In December 2018, Jon Gerretsen received news that would change everything. What began as a routine follow-up for stage one bladder cancer had become a stage four diagnosis with metastasis to his lymph nodes. The prognosis was devastating: two to nine months, with nine months being the best-case scenario.

But Jon and Jill refused to accept that timeline as inevitable. Their search for answers led them to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where they discovered clinical trials and treatment options unavailable in their local community. That decision didn’t just extend Jon’s life—it transformed it.

During Jon’s intense treatment and challenging recovery, the Gerretsen children graduated from college and began their professional careers. Watching them reach these milestones while navigating their father’s illness brought a profound realization: not every family facing cancer has the financial resources to support their children through these critical years.

The Jon William Gerretsen Foundation was created to serve as a source of financial assistance and guidance—to help bridge that gap for families and to ensure that the right information reaches those who need it most.

MD Anderson: A World-Class Facility

MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, is one of the world’s most respected cancer treatment and research centers. What sets facilities like MD Anderson apart isn’t just their state-of-the-art technology—it’s their comprehensive approach to cancer care and access to cutting-edge clinical trials that simply aren’t available in most communities.

Jon’s treatment at MD Anderson involved an immunotherapy clinical trial that wasn’t available locally. Over two years, he traveled to Houston every three weeks for treatment—and the results defied his initial prognosis.