Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Lorna Brunelle

LORNA Brunelle: will be honored at the Massachusetts
General Hospital's The 2012 One Hundred Gala Event.  

MIDDLEBORO MASS — Middleboro native Lorna Brunelle was nominated and selected for The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center's fifth annual the one hundred event. Planned for Thursday, June 7 at the Boston Westin Waterfront at 7 p.m., the one hundred gala will honor 100 individuals and groups from across the country whose diligence and discoveries, philanthropy and passion and messages of hope have helped advance the fight against cancer.

Funds raised at the gala support research, patient care, education and community outreach programs. Since 2008 the one hundred has raised nearly $3 million to support the Cancer Center's innovative research, comprehensive suport care prorams, and community outreach initiatives. Academy Award winner Matt Damon will be returning to the event this year as a special guest.

Lorna Brunelle was diagnosed with thyroid cancer seven years ago at the age of 33. During her recovery, she became a thyroid cancer patient advocate. Upon invitation of her thryoid surgeon Dr. Gregory Randolph, she has spoken several times at The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, was featured in a national Nerve Monitoring PSA to educate thyroid cancer patients, was featured in several of the M.E.E.I. documentaries, can be seen in a testimonial in the M.E.E.I. website, has sung at M.E.E.I. benefits and has shared her story in several Massachusetts Eye and Ear CONTACT magazine articles.

Lorna has raised over $35,000 for The Chernobyl Children Project USA (a Boston based group that helps children with cancer and other medical problems) and served as a community coordinator and member of the management team.

For three years Lorna helped place children from the contaminated Chernobyl region in the care of host families in Massachusetts while they received free treatments and surgery in Boston. She has raised and donated money to the Dana Farber arts enrichment program to provide theatrical performances for the children undergoing treatments in the Boston hospital.

As a consultant/coach in the Miss America Organization, Ms. Brunelle has volunteered to help raise thousands of dollars for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. She has participated in the Making Strides Walk and co-produces the Designer Couture For A Cure fashion show twice a year to raise money for Team Chuckel of the Pan Mass Challenge, The Make- A -Wish Foundation and The Gregory Randolph Thyroid Cancer Research Fund.

Through her website www.dirtybombshell.net, Ms. Brunelle has fostered relationships with cancer patients from all over the globe. In 2011 she released her book "Dirty Bombshell - From Thyroid Cancer Back to Fabulous." As a volunteer, Ms. Brunelle speaks at colleges, hospitals and women's groups on the topic thyroid cancer and patient care. Last June, she was the key note speaker at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton and was part of the Healing Garden ceremony.

For the past six years she has opened the Relay for Life ceremony in Bridgewater by singing The National Anthem. In December she was featured in South Shore Woman magazine. She is featured in the spring issue of Living with Cancer magazine. Lorna has been seen on FOX CT and heard on several local radio shows.

Tickets to the one hundred 2012 gala event are $500 per person. To purchase tickets or to make a donation to support Mass General's mission to eradicate cancer visit http://www.theonehundred.org or call Raquel Morales, assistant director, special events at the Mass General   617-724-2818.

Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Beth Munelly

Beth Munnelly, a breast and thyroid cancer survivor, who
will be running in Ridgefield's annual Run Like a Mother Race,
is photographed Wednesday, May 2, 2012. Photo: Carol Kaliff / CT

Ridgefield, CT- For her entire adult life, Ridgefield resident Beth Munnelly has been a runner. She ran in seven half marathons, three triathlons, and many smaller races. Yet, the race she is running May 13 -- the Run Like a Mother 5K in Ridgefield CT -- holds the most meaning for her. This 3.1 mile race, which is held every year on Mother's Day, symbolizes not only that she is a runner but also a mom. There was a time in her life when she wasn't so sure she would be one.

"Cancer runs in my family. My grandmother died at 50 from breast cancer. My aunt died of ovarian cancer at 66. My mother died from breast cancer at 48. I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 33 -- which was the same year my mother was diagnosed. 

When I first heard the diagnosis, I thought it meant I would die like my mother had. I felt sad that I might not have the chance to be married and be a mom," said Munnelly, who is now 50. Munnelly had a bilateral mastectomy.

Two years later, when she got married and was planning a family, her surgeon and oncologist were reluctant for her to become pregnant because there was an increased likelihood the cancer could return. So, she and her husband, Kevin Munnelly, adopted two boys -- Brendan, who is now 13, and Conor, who is now 11.

"When I held both of my sons for the first time, I truly felt that I was meant to be their mom. It was an incredible feeling and a dream come true," said Munnelly, who works as a public relations account executive.

In 2010, Munnelly was faced with yet another health scare when she learned she had thyroid cancer. She had her thyroid removed, and now takes a synthetic thyroid hormone every day.

Turning 50 was a milestone for her because neither of her parents lived to be that age. Her father died unexpectedly of a heart attack at 47.

"The week before I turned 50, my Sunday morning running friends threw a surprise 50th party for me -- at 6:30 a.m.! On a cold, dark February morning, they managed to surprise me with balloons, party favors and a plan to run an 8-mile training run from Ridgefield to Bedford, N.Y., where they had a beautiful brunch to celebrate my birthday at the Bedford Post (a restaurant). 

They created signs and placed them every half-mile along our run. The signs featured photos of me from my childhood, marriage, motherhood, and with friends. It was such an important part of celebrating this milestone birthday.

"I'm always thankful for my life and my boys. Whenever I run a race, they are my motivation. To me, the RLAM race is a celebration of life, motherhood, turning 50, and 17 years of being a survivor."

Munnelly is one of about 1,700 women expected to run today's RLAM race, which is an annual women's-only race held every year on Mother's Day since 2008. The race was founded by Ridgefield resident Megan Searfoss. Its mission, according to Searfoss, "is to fuel a woman's journey toward health and wellness." Each woman who is participating in it has her own story, and each story is special.

Article by Sandra Diamond Fox a freelance writer in Connecticut. 

She can be reached at Sandraifox@aol.com.

About Run Like a Mother:

Run Like a Mother The RLAM race is now held in ten cities across the United States. There is also a virtual race, where women who don't live near a race location can still sign up and run on their own. The RLAM in Ridgefield is May 13 at 8:30 a.m. beginning at 90 Prospect St. There is a kids' one-mile race at 8 a.m. There are women running in the race who live as far away as Canada, Arizona, California, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Proceeds from the Ridgefield RLAM race are going to Family & Children's Aid in Danbury. 

RLAM founder Megan Searfoss, 47, has run in 14 straight marathons and six Ironman competitions, as well as many triathlons and smaller races. She lives in Ridgefield with her husband Chon, 50, and their three daughters, ages 12, 15 and 19. She has run more than 20,000 miles throughout the country. "I developed Run Like a Mother because I wanted women to experience the same feeling I get when I cross any finish line. That invincible, 'I did it myself' feeling, that feeds the brain and fills the soul. I think as women and mothers we often lose sight of this. To accomplish a goal like a race gives you the strength to push when the going gets tough. It gives you the bit of mental edge to dig deep, whether it is a death or cancer or other obstacle," Searfoss said. Mother's Day 2012 

This year, Mother's Day is not only a celebration of moms, but also the kickoff to National Women's Health Week. The event is designed to encourage women to start getting serious about their health. According to a recent survey, although moms are overworked and stressed, they just really want to spend the day with their family. Mom will feel great when lacing up those tennis shoes, not only because it's healthy for her, but also for the entire family. Parents are role models for their kids when it comes to health, and kids are more likely to participate in activities when they know it's important to their family. Finn Partners, part of the Ruder Finn Group, an international public relations firm.

For More Information visit www.runlikeamotherrace.com 

Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Kelsey Waters

Brad McClenny/ Staff photographer

Kelsey Waters with her family -from right Dad Jerry,

Mom Donna and brother Weslee in Keystone Heights

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS — When she first heard the words from the doctor, that she had thyroid cancer, Keystone Heights center fielder Kelsey Waters didn't cry or scream. She turned to her mom and said, “I don't really know why this happened, but God has a reason.”

Seven months ago, Waters took on cancer and won. In three days, on Mother's Day, the junior will play the biggest softball game of her career when Keystone Heights (19-7) takes on Tallahassee Florida High (21-6) in the Class 4A state semifinals in Clermont.

The Indians are on quite a roll, winners of 10 straight and 18 of their last 19 games. And Waters has been the inspirational leader throughout, an exceptional outfielder with incredible range (no errors) and a consistent hitter (.549, 9 triples, 5 homers, 28 RBIs) whose power is pretty much back.

“The cancer is completely gone because it was removed in surgery,” she said. “So right now, I'm doing great, just focusing on softball and school. It couldn't be better.”

A first-team all-area player since she was a freshman, Waters has played her summer ball with Florida Select. It was last summer, after a tournament, when she started not to feel well and was looking pale, she said. Within a few days, she had severe throat pain and her lymph nodes were severely swollen. She thought it was strep throat because she normally gets it once a year.

But a strep test at a local doctor's office came up negative. Eventually, an ultrasound on the thyroid was done and a small bump was discovered. Waters then went to see Dr. Sujata Wagh, an endocrinologist in Gainesville. Another ultrasound was administered and two nodules were discovered in her thyroid.

“We had another choice, like my original doctor, wait six months or do a needle biopsy,” Waters said. “Now that freaked me out because I do not like needles. They (her parents, Donna and Jerry) did go with the needle biopsy. The doctor took a three-inch needle and inserted into my thyroid, into one of the nodules twice to get cell samples. They said they would call us within a week with the results.”

When Donna Waters, a fourth-grade teacher at Keystone Heights Elementary, got the voice mail message at home a week later (Sept. 21, 2011), she knew it wasn't good news.

“Jerry was at work, so I had to call him,” she said. “They wouldn't tell us anything over the phone. I just remember sitting there at the table and started crying because I knew. We didn't tell Kelsey anything. We let the doctors tell her just in case we were wrong and worried her unnecessarily. I am always going to remember that date.”

Kelsey Waters, 16 at the time, had surgery a few weeks later on Oct. 7, 2011. She said she will never forget the car ride to the hospital before surgery. She found divine strength on the trip.

“I have a lot of trust in a lot of things,” she said. “I have trust in my family and my friends. But the biggest thing I trust in is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I never realized how merciful he was until he gave me that. And I felt that I wasn't scared because he was going to bring me through it. On the way to the hospital was the first time I actually was starting 

to freak out, ‘Oh my gosh, I am going to have surgery for cancer.'

“I had my Bible with me. And I flipped it open just to a random page and my eyes came to Psalms 103, Verse 3. And it says, ‘He will heal all your iniquities and cure you of your diseases.' I actually smiled and started laughing, and my mom gave me a funny look. I shook my head because I knew that God made me flip to that page for a reason. With the support of my friends and family, and the strength that I got from God, that's what kept me through it. I knew I was going to be OK. I wasn't scared.”

Kelsey received support from all three of her families (home, softball, school) who visited her at North Florida Regional Medical Center. That support, she said, is something she will never forget.

“There was so much family, and so many friends, I probably won't know exactly how much support I had, but it was definitely enough to make me see how many people love me,” she said.

It wasn't long after surgery that she returned to school, determined not to let people think what she went through bothered her. She instead had a message she wanted to share — of faith, belief and the power of the strength within.

“She handled it better than any family member did,” said her father, Jerry, an assistant chief at the City of Starke Fire and Rescue. “It was extremely hard for me. Because of my profession, I'm used to dealing with problems immediately when they arise. This is something that I had to rely on other people in the system. That made it incredibly hard for me to deal with.

“Fortunately the family we have, including the softball family and the school family and friends, made everything tolerable during an intolerable time.” Keystone Heights coach Belinda Phillips said Kelsey has been an inspiration to her teammates. “She has been a leader on this team,” Phillips said. “I think a lot of things have impacted this team, and that was one of them. It has definitely made her stronger. She is able to share that, and the girls do respond to it.”

“I look at her and I see strength,” Donna Waters said. “Spiritually, physically, emotionally, maturity beyond her young years, without a doubt. She always said something good is going to come out of this.” As to Kelsey's prognosis, she said her doctor said the odds of the cancer returning are “as close to zero percent as there can be.” Kelsey still has routine health check-ups. She is scheduled to have another ultrasound later this month.

This group of Keystone Heights teammates have played a lot of softball games together, and on Sunday can give their moms a wonderful Mother's Day gift — advancement to Monday's Class 4A state championship. “If we put our minds to it, and if we make the routine plays along with some awesome plays, and hit like we have been hitting, we can do this,” Waters said. “We are strong enough mentally and we are definitely strong enough physically and have enough natural talent to pull this out. We are confident we can do this.”

Article by  Larry Savage. He can be reached  at  larry.savage@gvillesun.com.

Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Linda Fox

NORFOLK CT -- When Linda Fox was told by doctors that she would heal better from her cancer treatments if she was in better shape, she set a lofty goal.  She decided to run 1,000 races. The thyroid cancer survivor will run race number 258 this Saturday when she does the Walk On The Wild Side 5k put on by Lee's Friends at the Virginia Zoo.

"And I used to run, but I didn't run nearly as much. And now I feel like Forest Gump Jr. 'Run Forest run'" laughed Fox.    

Always mindful of community spirit. Linda spent 12 years as NJROTC instructor at Maury High School.  That was after her 21 years in the Navy.   And for 32 years she's been married to Bill Fox. He, too, is a retired master chief. A master chief married to a master chief?

"That's kind of hard. That's kind of hard, you know.  It's kind of one or the other way or the hard way, "said Bill Fox.   

Bill's a skin cancer survivor and appreciates what Linda has to go through in battling thyroid cancer. Run number 258 will be for Lee's Friends at the zoo Saturday.  Lee's friends knows a lot of courageous survivors.

"There are. Lee's Friends likes to remind people that our tag line is 'helping people live with cancer' and I think that our friend Linda Fox defines that," concluded Carol Olsen, Executive Director of Lee's Friends. 

The race starts at 8:00 a.m. Saturday May 12^th at The Virginia Zoo.  Registration starts at 7:00 AM   For more information, visit the website of Lee's Friends.

Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Reggie Deal

Thyroid Cancer Survivor Reggie Deal is Blind

From his seat in an upper-reserved section of Rangers Ballpark on Sunday night, Reggie Deal couldn't see the ballgame the Rangers and Rays were playing.  But he could hear it, he could smell it, he could sense it. For Deal, baseball provides a pull that goes beyond the boundaries of the blindness he's been inflicted with virtually all of his 39 years. Baseball is his passion, if not his outright obsession.

"There are a lot of things you're able to experience," he said, "when your faculties take over and supplement what's not there."  Simply being there -- in the stands, with the game playing out in front of him, his fellow fans beside him and the sounds of the sport surrounding him -- is an experience that means a lot to Deal.And that's why Sunday was the start of something special.

In the span of 30 days, Deal is going to visit each of the Major Leagues' 30 ballparks. He'll traverse the country, mostly on his own, via bus and plane, taxi and train, all with an end goal of fulfilling a lifelong dream while simultaneously showing others his is a life without all the perceived limits.

Crazy? Sure, it's a little crazy.

But having survived a thyroid-cancer scare a few years back, having married a woman who's a big believer in scratching items off life's "bucket list" and having spent weeks poring over team schedules and laboring over the logistics, Deal, an Afton, Wyo., resident, realized this little dream of his was just crazy enough to come true.

"I want people to have a different visual of what blindness entails," he said. "People get caught up in the negative, but there are ways to work around it."

Deal has had to work around it essentially from the beginning. He was born prematurely in 1973, and doctors told his parents his odds of survival were one in four. He was placed in an incubator that helped his lung tissues develop and heal, but the environment was 90 percent pure oxygen, or roughly 4 1/2 times the typical atmospheric setting. The prolonged exposure caused Reggie's retinas to hemorrhage and detach from his eyes, permanently blinding him.

"They're much more watchful for signs of issues now than they were back then," Deal said. "While it's still a threat for kids born that early, it's something they can mitigate now, more than 35-40 years ago."

He's never felt cheated, never felt wronged. His blindness is all that he's known, and it certainly didn't stop him from earning his bachelor's degree in journalism at Texas A&M or his master's in education counseling from Texas State University-San Marcos. Yet it wasn't until the cancer diagnosis four years ago when Deal truly gained perspective on life's fickle and fleeting nature. And that only further fueled his desire to do the 30-in-30 tour.

"I had planned to meet a friend in California, and we were going to go to a Padres game and then an Angels game," he said. "But I had to cancel that at the last minute because I had not been feeling well. Only a couple weeks after that, the doctors noticed I had an enlargement on the thyroid. They said, 'This has got to come out.'"

The cancer diagnosis came in late June of 2008, and the surgery was performed on July 14. One week post-op, Deal met with his doctor and was given a green light to start traveling again. He went straight from the doctor's office to the airport, hopped on a flight to Philadelphia and took a train to New York to see consecutive games at Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium.

Yep, it's an obsession, all right.

"With everything that went on that summer, baseball was the one distraction that I had," he says. "It kept me halfway sane." And so when Deal, now cancer-free, met his wife, Lorna, through an online dating service in 2010, she quickly caught on that baseball is part of the package. "He picks up on so many aspects of the game," she said. "He can explain to you everything that's happening, and he just has an intense passion."

The passion to experience every park became a little more realistic when Deal left his job in student affairs at a Texas community college to move to Wyoming to be with Lorna, a teacher. He'll be looking for a new job in the fall, but in the meantime, he's taking full advantage of the time off. And when he inherited some money after his father passed away last year, he had funding to apply to the trip.

So Reggie plotted his Major League map as soon as the 2012 schedules came out. His travels will involve some tight turnarounds, late nights and early flights. And though he'll be meeting up with several friends along the way, he'll largely be flying solo.

"It makes me a little bit nervous," said Heather Compton, a friend of Reggie's who accompanied him to the Rangers game, "because it's so easy for somebody to take advantage of him. But he's pretty aware. He's learned how to handle himself, and he's one of those people that it only takes a few minutes to become friends with him. You can be perfect strangers one minute and friends the next."

Deal plans to make many new friends on this trip. At each game, he'll have the local radio broadcast playing in one ear -- loud enough to follow the action but quiet enough to interact with those around him. He'll be recapping his experiences on his MLBlog and on his Facebook page, and he'll also be wearing a wristband and shirt promoting ThyCa (the Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association) -- a cause that's obviously grown near and dear to his heart.

Why would a blind man go to such great lengths to experience and document something he'll never see? Easy.  Because he can, and because he wants you to know he can. "People ask me, 'How can you enjoy the game without seeing it?'" he said. "I say, 'You don't realize how much of the game you can pick up on until you close your eyes.'"

Article by Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and his blog, CastroTurf, and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

WHEre IS REGGIE? 30 PARKS, 30 DAYS

A blind fan's journey through the Major Leagues

Date/Stadium
April 29: Rangers Ballpark, Arlington
April 30: Minute Maid Park, Houston
May 1: Turner Field, Atlanta
May 2: Busch Stadium, St. Louis
May 3: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
May 4: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
May 5: Citi Field, New York
May 6: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
May 7: Oriole Park, Baltimore
May 8: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
May 9: Yankee Stadium, New York
May 10: Fenway Park, Boston
May 11: Target Field, Minneapolis
May 12: Chase Field, Phoenix
May 13: The Coliseum, Oakland
May 14: AT&T Park, San Francisco
May 15: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
May 16: Petco Park, San Diego
May 17: Angel Stadium, Anaheim
May 18: Rogers Centre, Toronto
May 19: Comerica Park, Detroit
May 20: Coors Field, Denver
May 21: Safeco Field, Seattle
May 22: Miller Park, Milwaukee
May 23: Progressive Field, Cleveland
May 24: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
May 25: PNC Park, Pittsburgh
May 26: Marlins Park, Miami
May 27: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago
May 28: Wrigley Field, Chicago

Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Patricia Stephens Due

Civil rights legend Patricia Stephens Due

Civil rights legend Patricia Stephens Due has died, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

The 72-year-old, whom they called the Joan of Arc of the civil rights movement in Tallahassee, Fla., succumbed on Tuesday after a long fight with thyroid cancer. She died in Atlanta, where she had moved to to be closer to her three daughters.

During the civil rights era's peak in the 1960s, Due led demonstrations at segregated theaters and pools and conducted voter-registration drives. Her landmark moment was a "jail-in" at Florida A&M when she and eight other black students tried to integrate a Tallahassee lunch counter. When faced with paying a fine or going to jail, she chose the latter. Her courage attracted the attention of Martin Luther King Jr., who sent her a letter in jail. Her activism garnered her an FBI file that ran more than 400 pages.

A member of several civil rights organizations, Due went on to become the local field secretary for the Congress of Racial Equality.

"Patricia Stephens Due was the heart of the civil rights movement in Tallahassee,'” said author Glenda Rabby, whose book, The Pain and the Promise, details the Tallahassee civil rights movement. "Her bravery and lifetime commitment to the advancement of racial justice and equality is legendary in this community and in the annals of civil rights history."

Florida officials honored her contributions last year by naming May 11 Patricia Stephens Due Day in the state.

Throughout her life, Due wore dark glasses because her eyes became sensitive to light after a policeman threw a teargas bomb at her face in 1960. But despite her hampered vision, she kept fighting and saw the light at the end of the tunnel clearly. 

The same fight she gave cancer in her final two years is the same energy and strength she gave to the civil rights movement. She may never have received the media attention of Malcolm X, Rosa Parks or King, but one thing we can be assured of is that her legacy and her spirit will endure. May she rest in peace.

Read more at CNN.com.

Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Stefanie Raab

MAINEVILLE, Ohio - A distinctly planted row of American flags waved in unison under the bright sunlight as nine soldiers from the 943rd Engineer Detachment rolled in from Afghanistan. 

"You know this country is the greatest country on Earth. And why is that? Because of soldiers like you!" could be heard throughout the hall at the Kings Mills U.S. Army Reserve Center Sunday afternoon. 

The front gate decorated with “Welcome Home” signs started to open, sliding past the gravel path. Two vans, full of soldiers, made their way passed the chain link fence-type gate. 

They unloaded from the full-sized white vans and walk passed Veterans who thanked them for their service, shaking their hands. But it’s inside the Reserve Center that these soldiers are anxious to get to. That’s where their families wait. 

"The Army makes our nation strong. Soldiers make our Army strong. Families make our soldiers strong,” said an uniformed man inside. 

The nine soldiers walked in. They are greeted with loud whistles, clapping and cheering—as well as some tears, and a lot of hugs and kisses. 

"Welcome home! Welcome home 943rd! Welcome home!" 

Cpl. Peter Raab was deployed for 10 months. Walking in was overwhelming for the husband and father. 

"It was a relief to actually be able to see my wife, my son, my family." 

His 3-year-old son William has been waiting to tell his daddy something that he learned just for his return. 

Securely within his father’s arms, he moved his tiny hand over his heart, "...for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." 

Army wife, Stefanie Raab played the role of both parents for nearly a year, she said. 

"It's definitely hard. You miss him a lot." 

Even harder when, while her husband was in Afghanistan, Stefanie was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. It was something no one was expecting, especially her husband who was an ocean away from his wife. 

"It was a shocker. You know, definitely being away from my wife and my two kids in an environment where anything can happen—and all of a sudden you get that news that the person you love the most just got cancer," said Peter. 

He was able to take a two-week leave to be there for her surgery in May. And since that surgery, she has been cancer-free. 

The two, who are so close now, didn't start out even liking each other. 

"We worked in the pediatric department together, and he drove me absolutely insane," said Stefanie, holding her husband’s hand. 

"One day, my dad brought my oldest child [Laney] up to have lunch with me, and she saw him and she liked him. She said, 'You should go on a date with him.'" 

That fifth-grade matchmaker could not be at the reunion at the Reserve Center in Maineville because she had a basketball game to win in Northern Kentucky—plus the 11-year-old thought her dad is due to return from Afghanistan next month. 

All the way on the other side of the Tri-State in Edgewood, Ky., the Beechwood Tigers got ready to take the floor battling St. Pius X. 

No. 53, Laney Raab, dribbled her way to the 2-point line, took her shot… nothing but net. It was drills and she was gearing up for her last game of the season. 

As the game was about to start, both teams gather by the scoreboard. Laney’s coach took the microphone and announced a special guest… returning from Afghanistan. 

Laney’s face lit up, eyes wide—confused, however, because Peter has yet to walk through the gym doors. She looked all around her, then he walked in, pink roses in hand. 

She immediately pounded the hardwood floor to get to his arms as fast as she could. 

They embraced, Laney sobbing in his camouflaged chest. 

“I’m here, I’m back… I’m not going anywhere,” the father assured his young daughter. “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” she told him. 

The crowd cheered, many with tears in their eyes for the second reunion of the day. 

As the game commenced, Beechwood grabbed the ball from the start. It was evident that an emotional start gave Laney the upper hand—scoring the first points of the game, leaving the crowd standing and cheering.

Article by Jessica Knolls of Kypost.com 

Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Julie Nance

Thyroid cancer survivor Julie Nance shares the story of her treatment at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of UHealth -- University of Miami Health System. Carla was treated by David Arnold, M.D., associate professor at the Miller School of Medicine.

Demonstration of Radioactivity from Thyroid Cancer Treatment

Q: What do you do when you are 1) a nerd, 2) just received a high dose of a radioactive substance in your body, and 3) have nothing else to do because you can hardly concentrate?

A: You make a teaching video illustrating radiation.

The really interesting thing is that the dose of Iodine was actually 1.2 micrograms which equates to 5.5 billion radiation particles per second. A teaspoon of table salt contains this much non-radioactive Iodine!

Supporting a Loved One with Advanced Medullary Thyroid Cancer

The Voices of Advanced Medullary Thyroid Cancer: Perspectives on supporting a loved one with advanced MTC

Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Lucy Advanced Medullary Thyroid Cancer

Stevie JoEllie's Cancer Care Fund is seeking guest bloggers and videographers that would like to participate in our Faces of Thyroid Cancer Series. Share your story and help us raise thyroid cancer awareness, dyspel myths and save lives. You dont have to have a professional video or be a professional author just a willingness to share your story honestly and help raise thyroid cancer awareness in our global cybercommunity.

For more information on this project email info@sjccfthynet.org

Support Our Programs and Services 

Donate $10 USD today: THANK YOU!

Faces of Thyroid Cancer: Jean Advanced Medullary Thyroid Cancer

Faces of Thyroid Cancer Series: Voices of Advanced Medullary Thyroid Cancer -Jean's Story

Stevie JoEllie's Cancer Care Fund is seeking guest bloggers and videographers that would  like to participate in our Faces of Thyroid Cancer Series.  Share your story and help us raise thyroid cancer awareness, dyspel myths and save lives. You dont have to have a professional video or be a professional author just a willingness to share your story honestly and help raise thyroid cancer awareness in our global cybercommunity.

For more information on this project email info@sjccfthynet.org

Support Our Programs and Services 

Donate $10 USD today: THANK YOU!