Pleasant Grove man battling cancer for second time - KXLT - Fox 47 Rochester MN News, Weather and Sports

PLEASANT GROVE, Minn. (FOX 47) --  A Pleasant Grove man is fighting cancer for a second time, and his family and friends are doing their part to see to it that he wins the fight. They're hoping to raise money and support for Paul Sexton by holding a benefit for him on Saturday.

In 2010, Paul Sexton was experiencing major shoulder pain. After failed attempts at the chiropractor and a number of tests with doctors, the 31-year-old father of four was diagnosed with ewing's sarcoma stage four cancer.

With the support of his tight knit family and all those around him, Paul made it through bout after bout of chemotherapy and radiation. Just recently, Paul went into remission or so his family thought.

"Everything came back good and then he went for his check-up and that's when they found the acute Myeloid Leukemia," said Paul's sister Carmen Gartner.

Because of previous treatments Paul is very limited in what he can do to get rid of this aggressive cancer.

A stem cell donor is the only answer. On the last day that Paul would stay on the donor list, "They found a donor, a match. A 100 percent match that is a big, big thing for us," explained Carmen.

Paul's family said it's been a long journey and the road ahead is still winding.

"He has less than 15 percent chance with the donor," said Carmen.

But it was those same odds that  Paul overcame when he beat the first cancer and he is staying strong. His family describes him as their rock.

"When I found out, he hugged me and says 'don't worry kid we've got this one'," said Carmen.

Family members are using that encouraging phrase to bring hundreds together for their hero through a benefit and get together on Saturday.

The "We Got This One" Motorcycle Fun Run starts out at Strikers Corner in Stewartville with an Omelet Bar at 8:30 a.m. Ride Registration takes place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. with the ride leaving Strikers at 11 a.m.  Cost is $10 per rider.  There will be a silent auction, raffle, hog roast and entertainment at Wes Sexton Trucking Shop at 6:30 p.m. The address is 4607 Center St. SE in Stewartville.

An account has also been set up at F&M Bank. Checks can be made out to F&M Bank in care of Paul Sexton.