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Below are stories sent in by
friends and family members of cancer fighters, survivors and Angels.
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| Jimmy & Susan Neuhoff |
Have you ever wondered
how you would handle adversity? I’m not talking about how to creatively arrange a tight schedule. Or how to cook to
please ALL children of one household. No, I mean the kind that puts the brakes on all of that. The life or death kind. Maybe
you’ve already had to answer that question. I’ve thought a lot about that question since marrying my husband a
year ago. See, my husband, Jimmy, and his family have been answering that question for 20 years. Jimmy’s father, Jim
Neuhoff, has been battling-AND WINNING-against cancer for that long. For me, I could only think, “Could I do
what Jim has done?” And my answer was “NO. I’m not that strong”. But a few months
after my husband joined the team for Beau’s Buddies, I was presented with ‘the question’…I
was diagnosed with Stage II, Grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma. Breast cancer.
I am still learning how I will “do” with the question of facing such adversity. Some days
I am superwoman. Some days I am not. But there are things that I have learned for sure already. For example:
I know there are millions of people from all walks of life
that are fighting this same fight every single day. They give me strength and determination and they remind me that this is
a UNITED fight, not an individual one.
I
also know that there are millions of people out there who are fighting BESIDE those of us fighting this fight. Those who love
us and care for us, who want to carry a part of our burden for us. Those who give us heart.
I also see those who are working to help our families continue to live their lives to the fullest
while our families are helping us to live.
For
me, this is the meaning of Beau’s Buddies and how we seek to honor Beau Stanley’s life. By uniting in this fight
both for those fighting and those affected by the fight, we can make a difference in the lives of the patients and families
affected by cancer in Eastern North Carolina and beyond. Written by: Susan Neuhoff
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| Beverly Sparrow celebrating her 62nd birthday on April 19th |
Beverly is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed
in April, 2007. She went through chemo and radiation and is now doing very well. She continues to receive
check-ups every three months. She has such a fabulous, positive attitude. She actually kept our spirits
up with her sense of humor and funny comments during her most trying times. Although she was going through a
very difficult time, she never failed to share her love, care, support and steadfast prayers for Beau and all of his
family. We salute dear Beverly and continue to pray that God will touch her
and grant her a life filled with happiness and blessings.
Written by: Lois Hodges
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| Drake Hardee riding his 4-wheeler |
Drake Hardee is the son
of Michael and Dana Hardee. Drake is 3 years old and has 2 older brothers and 1 younger brother. On
October 26th, 2007 Drake was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. A tumor was found on his right adrenal gland, spots
on hips and in his bone marrow. Drake had surgery on October 30th, 2007 to removed the tumor and started chemotherapy
in November 2007. Drake is still currently receiving chemotherapy and will have radiation and a bone marrow transplant
in the future. Drake has been a real trooper throughout his treatment and continues to be an inspiration to
many people. For more information on Drake and for updates on how he is doing go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/drakehardee
| David Carl Jennings |
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| January 5th, 1947 - September 29th, 2006 |
Daddy was always a very active man,
always on the go, and always willing to lend a helping hand, especially to his three daughters. Everything
was perfect, it was the night before Thanksgiving and he was at his house preparing to have his annual dinner with his daughters
when he started to feel very weak and confused. He was taken to Pitt County Memorial Hospital Emergency
Department where he had a seizure and the doctors discovered a brain mass on the CT scan. This is a man
who was perfectly healthy until November 22, 2004 and this was the day that his journey to heaven began. He
was taken to surgery that Monday after Thanksgiving for a tumor resection, which was successful. The biopsy
came back as Stage III Anaplastic Astrocytoma Brain Cancer. In January 2005, he began intensive chemotherapy
and radiation therapy. One year of rotating two different types of chemotherapy, he was able to be put
in remission and see the birth of his first granddaughter on March 03, 2006. On March 04, 2006 there was
some unusual behavior noticed and changes with him, so his routine follow up MRI was pushed up to the following week and showed
that not only had his tumor returned but it was now Stage IV Glioblastoma. Surgery was not an option or
radiation therapy. The only option available at this time was chemotherapy. Daddy did
a lot of soul searching and made his decision. He wanted to do enough chemotherapy so he could be around
to see the birth of his second granddaughter. So another battle of different types and rounds of chemotherapy
began. Initially the treatment helped shrink the tumor, but over time the cancer became immune to it.
So then it was time to switch drugs again. Daddy fought the courageous battle for five months.
It started off him getting weaker and then loosing the ability to walk, and every week becoming more and more confused.
The last time that we were able to get him out of the house was August 04, 2006, two days after the birth of his second granddaughter.
While holding his granddaughter I remember him looking up at me, smiling and telling me that “he had met his
goal”. I knew then that Daddy’s journey here on earth was almost complete. Daddy
progressively got worse over the next 6 weeks and on September 29, 2006 he lost the courageous battle with cancer. I tell you this story not sadden you,
but to make you aware that you never know what is in store for you or someone you love. I can only hope
and pray that one day there will be a cure for the horrible disease called cancer and that no one will have to experience
what my father or his friends and family had to go through.
Written by his Daughter:
Kendall Jennings Commodore
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