Tell Us Your Stories

Your Stories ...

• In the past 11 years that I’ve worked in dialysis, there have been many patients that have ended up on dialysis due to chemotherapy. Some of the lives ended early and some lives have continued on. It’s exciting to see once the people are cancer free for a year they can go on the transplant list and finally get off of dialysis. One particular patient that sticks in my mind was diagnosed with synovial cancer. She was in her early 30’s, mother of 3 young children and had a wonderful family. I remember when I met her, it was a little under a year ago and I brought her back up to her hospital room. I had no idea how sick she was. She got out of the wheelchair and I wished her well. When I got back to my department, my co-workers were talking about her illness and I had never heard of that type of cancer and was shocked. She was a beautiful little thing. She passed away right before Christmas. It was heartbreaking.

  On a personal note, my great grandmother passed from ovarian cancer. My grandfather had metastatic esophageal cancer. During surgery, they took out about 1/3 of his stomach, he survived for another 10 years. He had his ups and downs, but we still had Oopie (his nickname), around! I have a cousin, who is younger than me, fight leukemia as a child. She is now a healthy mother of 1! And Karen, my hairdresser, is married to a one time cancer surivor and he is in the process of battling another type of cancer and doing well, he is only in his fourties. And I can’t forget Zak Woods, whom I never met, but I am thrilled for him and his family that they beat cancer.

  I feel very priviledged to be a part of this group that is helping those in need that are suffering from this horrible invader. Too many people have suffered and too many lives have been cut short. God bless all of them! I also want to thank all of the oncology doctors, oncology nurses, and researchers that help people along the way as they are a very important part of this process.

  Comment by Robin Hivon — November 4, 2009 @ 3:18 pm

• My step-son Zak Woods,a 15 year old High Schooler was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on July 27th, 2009.

  In December of 2008 Zak was diagnosed with Mono. After several weeks, there was still a swollen lymph node that remained on the right side of his neck. We were then referred to an ENT, who did a needle biopsy. Those results came back benign and we were all relieved. After consulting with the doctor, we decided to have the lymph node removed. After all, it didn’t belong there, it was no longer functioning properly and was very visible. Zak had the mass removed July 22nd, 2009 and it was five days before we would find out that he was diagnosed officially with the disease.

  The treatments took a total of 9 weeks, with 6 sessions of chemotherapy and 3 sessions of blood work. Zak is truly a fighter, and has proved it as he is CANCER FREE as of October 29, 2009!

  If any positive came out of this, it is that we have been blessed by an incredible amount of support from family, friends, community and beyond. It is horrifying for someone to go through this – much less a 15 year old boy – but it is truly amazing how much support is rallied within a community for a person. The Walla-pa-looza organization for one has been a tremendous support for our family. Here is a group of 30/40-something’s that stepped up and said “It’s our turn” and did something to try to fight back against cancer.

  Zak is also very athletic and is on the High School football team as well as Baseball. The football team really came through for him from the minute the news was released. Within days, there were two banners in our front yard signed by the team, friends, and neighbors in show of their support. There was also a head shaving and lift-a-thon in Zak’s honor organized by the football team as well.

  Knock on wood, Zak will remain cancer-free for the rest of his days. He has shown the courage of a soldier in battle though all of this and deserves nothing less than a great life. It is through organizations like Walla-Pa-Looza that people like Zak can use as a platform to share their experience and raise awareness of this horrible disease. If just one person heard that a big factor we had on our side was that we caught it early, and they are now more in tune with their bodies because of it then anything that organization is truly worthwhile.

  Please take a look at our blog site for a chronicling of events at http://www.idontheartcancer.com. And please pass the word on about this site as well, education is the greatest weapon we have against this disease.

  You can’t do this alone.

  Comment by Nick — November 4, 2009 @ 3:30 pm

• As many of you know my mom was dignosed with lung cancer in mid-August of this year. It was by chance they discovered it . She went to urgent care because she had not been feeling well for several days. She thought it was the flu. They did a C.A.T scan to check for pneumonia and found the tumor on her right lung. They did a biopsy and it was cancer. But what was making her not feel well was blood infection that was cuased by a urinary tract infection. So that was a blessing in disguise.

  When I heard the word cancer I just broke down and my dad did as well. I can’t remember the last time I saw my father cry . He was truly terrified.

  In early September my sister and I went up to Minnesota to support our parents. We got there only to find out the surgery would be delayed a few days. It was nice in a way because we could spend some time with them before, but also torture had to wait.

  When they did the surgery they performed an upper lobectomy on her right lung. The surgeon was sure he removed all the cancer. As of today it appears he did. She goes in for another C.A.T scan in December and hopefully it will be clear.

  If it were not for my family and great friends such as Craig and his “Walla-Army” it would have been so hard to cope with. What Craig has started is truly a blessing. I was at Walla-Pa-Looza and thought it was a great cause while I was there and didn’t think Iwould be affected by cancer so soon. So I want to thank Craig and all his volunteers for the great work they are doing.

  Keep it up and i know this has been said before but it is worth repeating.You can’t do this alone and you don’t have to.

  Monty McLean

  Comment by Monty Mclean — November 11, 2009 @ 1:05 pm

• My name is Donna Grabow and I am writing to tell you about a little boy that has forever changed my life.

  Three years ago we were blessed with a wonderful little baby that we named Jackson. From the very beginning Jackson had the ability to change people. He had this amazing gift to soften hard hearts, put a sparkle back in someone’s eyes and the most notable, to make everyone smile. Jackson was a lover as well. Always hugging, kissing, and making sure you knew that he loved you. He was enjoying the life of a happy two year old.

  The month of December 2008 was extremely trying for our family. I had just suffered a miscarriage and we noticed that our Jackson was not his usual self. It was our hope that everyone was healthy for the Christmas holiday. During this time Jackson started having difficulty keeping his balance and was unable to keep anything down. We thought he was just coming down with something. After trips to the doctor’s office and urgent care we decided to take him to the ER of our local hospital on December 31st. That day will forever be etched in my brain. That is the day my world came to a screeching halt. After an initial exam it was decided that a CT scan was in order. Moments later we received the news that no parent should ever hear. Jackson had a golf ball sized tumor on the bottom area of his brain. My initial reaction was to scream and cry out. Instead I automatically put myself in the role of holding everything and everyone together. I cuddled with my Jackson and let him know just how much he was loved by everyone.

  Hours later we were taken by ambulance to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee (we live in the NW suburbs of IL.) Upon arrival we were completely overwhelmed with questions of family history and what this brain tumor meant for Jackson. It was totally surreal and intimidating trying to make sense of all this new information they were spewing at us. Scared out of my mind we spent our New Years snuggling in a hospital bed closely monitored by the doctors and nurses in the PICU. The following day Jackson had an EVD put in his head to relieve all the fluid and pressure that was causing his symptoms. The day after that my brave little boy went into 6 hour surgery to remove the tumor from his brain. It was a success. The pathology report showed that Jackson would need more than surgery to make sure the tumor would not return. This cancer was serious and needed to be treated with chemotherapy. The full name is called Medulloblastoma. It is rare and hard to treat. Before chemotherapy could start Jackson had another surgery to place a central line. Again, something no parent and child should be exposed to.

  From January to March we spent many days and nights in the hospital receiving chemo treatments and staying in for sick visits. Jackson didn’t even seem to mind when he lost his hair. He took everything in stride. Always inviting his nurses and doctors into his room on 8East to watch a movie, play with play-doh, or just to giggle. Rarely would you see Jackson unhappy. We were very hopeful up until the end of March when during a unusually long sick visit doctors discovered that cancer cells were found in his spinal fluid. At that moment I prayed the hardest prayer I have ever had to pray. “Lord heal my son or take him home to be with you.” I prayed that prayer every night.

  A week and a half later we were back at the hospital for what I thought was going to be another sick visit. This was the first time I saw my Jackson truly unhappy. His words to me were, “mum I wanna go ni ni.” Looking back now I know what he really meant. Less then 24 hours later his dad and I had to make the hardest decision of our lives. Due to unforeseen complications our Jackson was not going to come back to us. We agreed to let our precious baby pass in the loving arms of his mom and dad and surrounding family and 8 East nurses. It was the most bittersweet moment I have ever had in my life. Even towards the end of his battle he always made sure to get a smile and laugh out of you.

  As his mom I can tell you first hand that this special little boy has taught me way more than I could have ever taught him. He has taught me that we should all follow our hearts. We all deserve what we want out of life no matter what anyone says, every single person matters, and the best lesson, to love one another unconditionally. Even though his father and I miss him dearly, he is still helping us find happiness in everyday. Looking back now I can see that Jackson was our angel here on earth. And now he is our beautiful angel up in heaven watching over us. I am so proud of the impact Jackson has had on all the lives he has touched. He brought a community together and he made us all take a step back and remember what life is all about and how we should live it. It has been 7 months since Jackson’s passing and his legacy is in full bloom.

  To our excitement the city we reside in dedicated a street to him properly named Honorary Jackson Grabow Way. It doesn’t stop there. McHenry High School West Campus had a maple tree planted in honor of Jackson (He was their Honor Child for St. Baldrick’s Day. The students raised money for us as well as St. Baldrick’s.) Next to the tree is a large rock etched with his name and a fitting description,” A short life that inspired many.” I am so proud to be called his mom.

  The reason for this letter is simply this. I want to share Jackson’s story. I want to let other families know that they are not alone. I want to share how important cancer research is. It is sorely underfunded. There are far too many families that have been affected by this awful disease. We all know what an ugly word cancer is, especially when you add children to the mix. Fundraising is the way to get closer to a cure. It is my prayer that one day parents can put the fear of cancer behind them.

  I believe my father (John Rupp) spoke at your first event. If you need anything please let me know where I can help! Also if you could PLEASE spread the word I have joined forces with Just For Fun Roller rink in town for a fundraiser on Saturday Dec. 19th from 6:30-9PM. They are donating HALF on the nights proceeds to Pediatric Cancer Research. It would love to see the place packed. I have attached my flyer for they event.

  Any help you can do with spreading the word would be greatly appreciated!

  Comment by Donna Grabow — November 11, 2009 @ 8:56 pm

• Please use the money raised at these cancer events to directly help the people who need it- the patients! The amount of stress piled on a family torn by cancer is staggering! They are the ones who would benefit the most from a financial gift.

  We all know the Big Pharma has too much to lo$e with offering a cure to the public.

  God has provided the medicines we need. Please take a moment to research outside the box.
  Keep your eyes and ears open… “seek and you will find”

  Comment by Kimberly — November 15, 2009 @ 9:34 pm

• After reading all of these touching stories, it just confirms my strong committment to helping with this cause. Throughout my life I have been unfortunately touched many times by cancer. My Great-Aunt, Grandmother, Aunt and Mother all died from cancer. My youngest son was born with pre-cancerous moles on his back that had to be removed at 10 months. I had a pre-cancerous scare as well this year that fortunately has turned out fine.

  Cancer turned one of the happiest times of my life to also one of the worst. In the fall of 2000, my Mother was losing a lot of weight, wasn’t feeling good and not eating. She pretty much kept to herself about her health. She was a very stubborn woman who somehow knew she was going to die of cancer but never went to the doctor because she didn’t want to ever know. That same fall, we found out we were pregnant with our first son.

  By the time January came around, my Mom could hardly breath, so she finally agreed to go to the hospital. She said she wanted to wait until after Christmas. She had a collapsed lung, and was only breathing at about 10%. She was in the hospital for a while enduring many tests.

  At the same time, I had some issues with my pregnancy. I had an issue with my imbillical cord that only happens to 4% of pregnant women. Everything eventually turned out fine, but at the time was a huge scare. During this time we found out that my Mom had stage 4 lung cancer, but it was in the lining of her lung, and was the secondary source. That meant it didn’t originate there and in order to help her, they had to find the primary source. My Mom unfortunately wasn’t a fighter, and decided that she didn’t want to fight. This was one of the hardest times of my life. Each day that my baby was growing inside of me and was one day closer to being born, was also one day closer to the end of my Mother’s life. I felt guilty looking forward to the birth of my son, because I wasn’t sure if my Mom would still be alive. My Mom died March 12th, exactly one week before my 33rd birthday. She never did get to see my sons and I feel such a tremendous loss because of that.

  I feel like I have lived 2 lives. One as a child with a Mother, and one with children as a Mother. I have felt robbed. But, that is cancer. It affects all. Hopefully, our efforts will prove to be benificial in the lives of many.

  Comment by Joanne Wallace — December 27, 2009 @ 1:12 am

• I’ve been very blessed in my life with Grandparents. Right after I graduated high school actually was when my last GREAT grandma passed away. So for most of my life I had my grandparents around – 8 to be exact.

  Now, I know you aren’t suppose to pick favorites, but I certainly had mine. My mom’s father, aka: Oopie…he was my favorite. We always sat and sang songs and talked on his reel to reel tape recorder, swam, played with “our” dog Monty, slept on his screened in porch, he followed me around with a camera and we watched the reels on the screen. He and I spent alot of alone time with me until Robin was born. My love of cars, pool and well the thought of playing a good golf game are from him.

  He was a 6 ft. 225lb strong man. Known as Storm’n Norman for his quarterback abilities, he was also was a navigator is WWII – and navigated during the Bridge of the River Kwai. But he was my teddy bear.

  Then it hit. Robin and I were pretty young and so was he, if I remember correctly he was only about 59. But he was sick to his stomach, losing weight and found out that he had stomach cancer. They operated on him and took out 90% of his stomach. Oddly enough it was explained that his stomach was now the size of a golf ball – ironically his favorite game. But, he was alive.

  He was an amazing man. Still could hit his dam ball farther than most, he was tired alot and his body and mind were years apart. He was an incredibly smart man and everyone loved him. Just wish his body was as strong as his mind.

  When he passed away he was only 69 and probably about 100 lbs. I often wonder if the cancer would have crept in later, and the resources were different if he would still be here today. My daughter Emily often hears stories about him, and I wish he could have met her, they would have been pretty amazing together. Considering the rest of his brothers and sisters lived/are living well into their 90’s, I just consider the cancer a thief. We did get those 10 years after his surgery, so we were blessed, but I miss him dearly.

  Love ya Oopie xoxo Amy

  Comment by Amy Hivon — February 22, 2010 @ 11:51 pm