Uga Chi Psi Brotherhood creates gofundme for members diagnosed with cancer | Campus News

When Clay Vaughan, member of the chapter of the Chi Psi Brotherhood of the University of Georgia, was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer in January 2025, his brotherhood sat down to support him. So far, the Gofundme, who created CHI PSI President Cameron Hewatt, a junior politicism major, Vaughan, has collected over 25,000 US dollars.

Clay’s story

Vaughan, a second degree in electrical engineering at UGA, was hospitalized on December 24, 2024 with severe migraines. He received a brain scan that found a mass in the middle of his brain. He had a hydrocephalus, a fluid cultivation in the brain that can cause seizures and other cognitive problems.

Vaughan was immediately placed in a helicopter and sent to Atlanta on the morning of Christmas Eve. On January 1, he received his second operation to bring a stent into the back of the head. After the operation, he spent Christmas and New Year in the hospital.

“I’ve always been a really positive type,” said Vaughan. “I was only afraid of the first hour that I heard about it, and then they said they put me on a helicopter. And I said, “Do you know what? I will probably get really good care. You don’t throw anyone on a helicopter. ‘”

The pension visit came back with the test results of a brain tumor. Vaughan has Germinoma, a kind of brain tumor, on the gland of the brain. This is a rare form of cancer that, according to Vaughans Gofundme, only occurs at the age of 10 to 21, only about 100 cases per year. The American brain tumor association reports that around 3% of the brain tumors in childhood and less than 1% of the brain tumors occur in the Zurbler region.

The members of Chi Psi visited Vaughan in the hospital and soon founded the gofundme and sent them to an alumnus of the brotherhood. The alumnus sent the gofundme to other alumni overnight.

“I wake up in the morning and he had sent it to a few other alumni, and there were already $ 5,000 there,” said Hewatt. “We have a brother in need, and that’s why they are more than ready to give that.”

Vaughan started chemo at the end of January and will receive four laps by April. He will then start with the laser radiation. It is expected to return a complete recovery and back to Uga in autumn 2025.

On April 9, Chi PSI organizes a philanthropy event “Clay Day” to support Vaughan and his family to collect money.