Ex-Red Sox pitcher's home burned down. Then came a terminal cancer diagnosis
The former MLB pitcher lost his home in the Pallisades fire that devastated parts of Los Angeles. Later that month, he was diagnosed with a form of stage 4 stomach cancer.
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The Athletic described Jenks' condition as "a terminal illness for which there is only treatment, not a cure."
Jenks, who pitched for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox, has been living in Portugal since October to be closer to his wife's family.
Since his cancer diagnosis, Jenks has been participating in memorabilia events to help pay his medical bills, including an event with PastPros last month. The White Sox have also organized a charity event to support Jenks in his cancer battle.
Those events include Jenks writing his signature on others' memorabilia. The former All-Star doesn't have much of his own since his home was lost to the L.A. wildfires earlier this year.
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'I've got one suitcase left to my name,' Jenks said to the LA Times. 'It's all gone. Everything else I've ever done. ... All those things are irreplaceable.'
The Athletic reports that Jenks is undergoing a grueling treatment schedule that includes a doctor's visit on Mondays, immunotherapy on Wednesdays and then multiple days of chemotherapy at home.
His current plan is to return to Chicago this summer to take part on the White Sox's 20-year anniversary of their last World Series win in 2005.
Jenks was a two-time All-Star who spent seven seasons in the majors. As a rookie, he was a key part of Chicago's World Series run. Jenks recorded four saves during the 2005 playoffs, including the World Series-clinching win in Game 4.
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Jenks landed with the Red Sox in 2011, his final season in the majors. He appeared in 19 games, posting a 6.32 ERA.
A back injury ended Jenks' 2011 season. He's gone on to claim that the resulting surgery ended his career.
Jenks never pitched in the majors again and later sued Massachusetts General Hospital for malpractice, accusing the doctor of botching the surgery while overseeing multiple procedures. Jenks eventually received $5.1 million in a settlement deal.
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