Ron Duguay's Family Appeals for Help as Former Ranger Battles Stage 4 Cancer
ron duguay, the former New York Rangers forward, is battling aggressive stage 4 colon cancer and his family has launched a public fundraising appeal as he pursues additional and costly treatments. The effort and the medical timeline matter now because his cancer markers have recently begun to rise again, prompting exploration of therapies both inside and outside the United States.
GoFundMe Campaign and Fundraising Totals
Duguay's family created a GoFundMe campaign to cover mounting costs tied to his care, travel and supplemental therapies. One figure in the fundraising updates lists more than $31, 000 raised as of Wednesday morning; a separate update lists over $66, 000 raised as of Wednesday. The daughters' campaign statement stresses that their father has never been one to ask for help and that the fundraiser was launched after family conversations revealed the physical and financial weight of his illness.
Medical Timeline: Colon Cancer, Surgeries and Rising Numbers
He was diagnosed with colon cancer more than a year ago. Treatment has included major surgeries and procedures: he has lost his appendix and gallbladder, and he has undergone major surgery on both his liver and his colon. Family posts and public comments note that his cancer “numbers”—clinical markers used to track the disease—have started to rise again, which is driving a search for new options.
Ron Duguay's Biweekly Travel Between Florida and Orange County
Earlier care in Florida “nearly cost him his life, ” the family writes, so Duguay was moved to Orange County to be closer to his daughters. That decision led to a demanding travel schedule: he is flying from Florida to Orange County every two weeks for ongoing treatment. The constant travel, along with medical care, supplements and holistic therapies, has created substantial financial pressure on the family.
Blend of Western Medicine and Holistic Therapies
Duguay is continuing City of Hope’s chemo protocol while also pursuing a broad array of complementary approaches. His daughter Shay outlined those efforts on social media, listing Living Antioxidant Water, blood ozone therapy, IV vitamin drips, ivermectin, methylene blue and “countless holistic approaches. ” Duguay himself has said he plans to combine alternative treatments with Western medicine, adding that what he learns may be shared with others.
Personal Statements and Family Appeals
At 68, Duguay has spoken candidly about the toll and cost of his illness. “I find it extremely hard asking for funds for all these costs I’m going through, ” he said, adding that cancer “sucks the life out of you” and is “so freaking costly. ” His daughters emphasized that he has always tried to handle matters independently and that the fundraiser responds to the overwhelming financial and physical strain. One daughter noted on Instagram that he is “doing everything he possibly can” and that, through it all, his faith has not wavered.
Because earlier treatment in Florida nearly endangered his life, the family moved him to Orange County, where his daughters live, to ensure closer supervision and care, and that relocation has so far helped, the family says. The worsening markers, however, have led them to explore additional treatment options outside the United States in hopes of improving his chances—an exploration the family describes as expensive and urgent.
What makes this notable is the intersection of a high-profile athletic past with the stark realities of modern cancer care: a former professional athlete is navigating an expensive, multi-faceted treatment path that combines institutional chemotherapy with experimental and holistic therapies while family members shoulder logistics and fundraising.
Career Notes and Public Profile
Ron Duguay was a widely recognized figure in Rangers history: he was selected with the No. 13 pick in the 1977 NHL Draft and helped the team reach the 1979 Stanley Cup Final. He later worked as an analyst for MSG Network, a role that contributed to his public profile and the attention now focused on his health battle.
The family appeal, the medical timeline and the detailed list of therapies and surgeries form the immediate picture: a prolonged fight against colon cancer that has included major operations, regular cross-country travel every two weeks and an expanding search for treatments as clinical indicators worsen. The fundraising updates and family statements underscore both the personal and financial stakes as they pursue every available option.
