DFW Reporting » cancer

Cancer Sucks Party continues to grow [HD]

Kimber Westphall — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:10:22 +0000

Candice Meredith lost her father Yogi Casas to a battle with cancer. Saturday night marked the fifth anniversary of the annual Cancer Sucks Party in his honor. Beneficiaries of the event include Live Strong and the Cancer Foundation for Life. Meredith also participates in cycling events raising awareness for cancer. She attaches ribbons with names of individuals with cancer to the back of her jersey.

“I’m a cancer survivor,” said Eddie Vaughn. “I’m about nine and a half years out from non hodgkin’s lymphoma and I’ve been supporting this cause ever since they started.”

“My dad was diagnosed in 2005 with Stage 4 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,” said Candice Meredith. “It is emotional. I find that a lot of people when you go through cancer it’s tough. It is such a tough journey to live through and I think that so many people probably enjoy a break from it but I have never been able to do that. It’s just a drive in me.”

Meredith says she’s looking forward to the funds being put to use in her own community.

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Fifth diagnosis of brain cancer hasn’t stopped Stacey Keathley [HD]

Rachel Christianson — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 22:59:05 +0000

Stacey Keathley has survived four recurrences of brain cancer and is now undergoing treatment for her fifth brain tumor.

“They told me it was a grade four, which is the highest you can get of a brain tumor and that I would be going to heaven soon,” said Stacey Keathley. “I love every day. I wake up and say, what can I do today? It might be the last day, so we do what we can to make everything positive.”

Keathley has a passion for life and a passion for dance.

“I started when I was 3 years old and it’s all I ever wanted to do,” said Keathley.

About 15 years ago Keathley was in Los Angeles pursuing her dreams when she suffered a gran maul seizure. That was tumor number one. She continued dancing, but when tumor number two showed up, she decided to move home to Dallas to be with family.

“But I would have an MRI every month, and it wasn’t there,” said Keathley. “I was like oh my gosh I have another month. What can I do? So that’s kind of why I started the Move to Groove Ball. Let’s get something started for dancers.”

The Move to Groove Ball, which started in 2008, is a venue for dancers to showcase their talents.

“I think dance it is very important,” said Groove Dolls dancer Lacey Reeves. “I think that a lot of people grow up dancing and they have that passion in them and then at the age of 18 it kind of just stops. I think that something like this brings us all back together no matter what our age is, and we’re able to dance and do what we love most.”

“We’ve got so much talent here in Dallas,” said Groove Dolls dancer Shannon Telles. “It’s just the perfect excuse for us to have a show here, and not only in Los Angeles and New York, but we have something in the middle too.”

Move to Groove is held every 3 months and is open to anyone over the age of 18.

“I hope it will go on,” said Keathley. “I don’t know how long I will get to be here. Number 5 is already growing. I’m on chemo. I have a lot of friends that say Stacey we want to keep it going.”

After undergoing multiple operations, Keathley hasn’t lost any verbal or muscle function despite what her doctors told her.

“She is seriously an unstoppable force,” said MC for Move to Groove Ball Robert Anthony.

The next Move to Groove will be held October 9th at the Lakewood Theatre.

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Rachel’s Challenge [HD]

Ashley Roberts — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:54:24 +0000

On April 20th, 1999 two teenagers entered Columbine High School in Jefferson County in Colorado. Their goal was to kill as many people in the school as possible. This impacted millions of lives including the Scott family. Seventeen year old Rachel Scott reportedly was the first of twelve students killed at the high school that day but even in her short lived life she wrote something so touching that many say her spirit continues to live.

“About a month after Rachel died we found an essay under her bed that she had written for her fifth period class and it was called My Ethics, My Codes of Life,” said Rachel Scott’s father Darrell Scott. “In that essay she challenged her readers to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.”

What Rachel didn’t know was while she was writing her essay about spreading kindness her killers were making a home video about spreading death and violence.

“I saw that video at the police station and they used the same words that Rachel used,” said Darrell Scott. “Eric Harris her killer looks at the camera and he said we need to get a chain reaction going here.”

Today Scott’s parents travel the country sharing their daughter’s vision urging others to take Rachel’s challenge. Just recently the Rockwall Independent School District in Rockwall, Texas held an event called Rachel’s Rally. Students worked tirelessly to break a world record of packaging meals.

“We made a million meals for the people in Haiti and I know it’s going to help so many people there,” said student Megan Hasenyager.

“We have so much in this community and there’s the disaster in Haiti so we really feel for them and we have empathy for them so it’s good to give back,” said student Hillary Kinsey.

Even a dislocated hip didn’t stop student Lauren Segura from spreading kindness.

“It feels really good to help people and know I’m making a difference,” said student Lauren Segura.

Students also created a million chain links of kind and compassion messages.

“How do you explain something that’s just amazing,” said Rachel Scott’s stepmother Sandy Scott. “To have Rockwall come together for an act of kindness. There’s no concert coming. There’s no football game and to think people came out to celebrate acts of kindness. That’s amazing to me.”

And it all started with one compassionate, young heart from Rachel Scott.

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Fighting breast cancer one step at a time [HD]

Lynnsey Ross — Tue, 11 May 2010 21:20:45 +0000

Men and women woke up early to participate in the 18th Annual Susan G. Komen Tarrant County Race for the Cure starting at Sundance Square in Fort Worth.

“It’s exhilarating,” said supporter Richard Ware. “It’s neat to come down and see so many people supporting this disease and wanting to get a cure for it.”

“The least you can do is getting up early because they fought this battle so hard and many people have passed away from it,” said supporter Lauren Wheelock. “Just getting up early is not that bad.”

With more than 1.3 million men and women expected to be diagnosed around the world with breast cancer this year – 200 thousand right here in the U.S. – this is a fight being fought on multiple fronts with many starting right at home.

“Breast Cancer is a very important charity to me and our department,” said Arlington Fire Chief Don Crowson. “We have many members who have family members who suffered from breast cancer so we are here to support Susan G. Komen. In fact I lost my wife to breast cancer about ten years ago so it’s an important critical mission.”

Crowson with the Arlington Fire Department isn’t the only one running in honor of someone he lost. Friends and family members wore shirts and held signs honoring those already taken by this disease or in celebration of those who have won their battle.

Barbara’s Bunch, a race team from First Presbyterian Church in Grapevine, came to honor their friend and parishioner Barbara Fawcett, who died this past year after a five and a half years courageous battle with the disease.

“If I were to describe Barbara in a few words it would be just absolute hope and spirit filled person who never let something like cancer bring her down, said Barbara’s Bunch member Roger Burks. “She always had a smile on her face and always was caring about others. I know Barb is with each one of us right now and she had been a big supporter of this and would be very proud to know we have continued on in her name and in her honor.”

“The memories for everyone who is walking for someone else is to honor their memories and of course to pray that this will not happen to another loved one,” said Barbara’s Bunch member Alison Wheelock.

Mrs. Texas, Kayla Wharton cheered on with her mother, a two-time breast cancer survivor.

“I just got really emotional because my mom is my mentor and I’m so happy for her to be here today and experience this,” said Mrs. Texas Kayla Wharton. Even though we’re not walking we’re being apart of this together and actually seeing all of these other survivors that are actually able to walk and that have beat this deadly disease.”

This day reminds cancer survivors Sue Szendry and Rubina Premjee, how essential early detection and family and friend support is to making it through.

“It was tough but the family support, friend support help,” said Rubina Premjee. “The day I was diagnosed I thought that’s the end and there’s no tomorrow but we made it.”

“It makes you realize that one in eight women will get breast cancer, said member of Barbara’s Bunch Sue Szendry. “I have no breast cancer in my family heritage so it’s very, very important for women to be very aware of their bodies, take care of their bodies, get your mammograms, check yourself on a monthly basis and to donate to Komen because that’s really how we’re going to find the cure is more research.”

With over 15,000 people cheering on and participating in this year’s race for the cure, 75 percent of that money stays here in Tarrant County.

“We’re going to hope that some of that money helps find a cure and hopefully I’ll have to never go through finding out another loved one gets breast cancer,” said Lauren Wheelock.

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Former Chief Meteorologist starts new venture [HD]

Lindsey Miller Crouch — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:16:56 +0000

“I feel invigorated by being an entrepreneur,” said author Kristine Kahanek. ” I love being my own boss. I love the freedom it gives me to be with my kids when I want to be with my kids and then focus on the business when I need to focus on the business.”

Kristine Kahanek spent 20 years between Austin and Dallas as a television meteorologist until her heart told her it was time to tune into something new.

“There was something inside me saying you need to find another path that will fulfill you because that one had stopped fulfilling me,” said Kahanek. “It was just becoming too much and did not really work with my life like I wanted it to.”

Visiting schools as a guest speaker, having two adolescent children of her own and still mourning the loss of her daughter Katherine made becoming a children’s author and building the main character around her own family’s guardian angel a very appropriate and meaningful transition.

“Sometimes when I’m out walking or out and have some alone time I think about Katherine. I say this is for you” said Kahanek.

Her book, Katie and the Magic Umbrella, teaches children about the weather.

“There are so many kids that don’t understand that thunderstorms are a part of nature and they’re always going to happen,” said Kahanek. “I think when children understand the weather better they’re not so afraid of it. If we didn’t have storms we wouldn’t have green yards, flowers and trees. We need those storms. They have a purpose.”

And just like how storms have a purpose Kahanek says she is seeing how her books do too.

“The parents are e-mailing me saying thank you so much for writing this book,” said Kahanek. “That’s exactly why I wrote the books. It’s been incredible and very satisfying because I feel like the books are serving their purpose.”

Kahanek’s first book has sold about ten thousand copies and has also given her a tangible way to honor the daughter she lost.

Kristine Kahanek’s official website:
http://www.kristinekahanek.com

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Dirk Nowitzki among celebrities offering needed help [HD]

Cheri Garcia — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:09:25 +0000

Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has teamed up for the first annual Celebrity Purple Ping Pong event at Southern Methodist University in Dallas raising awareness and funding to find a cure pancreatic cancer.

“You find out a lot of people are connected with this cause because they lost a loved one to this disease,” said Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle.

And many did connect today including most of Carlisle’s basketball team.

“I like ping and it’s a good day off to come out here and have fun,” said Dallas Mavericks Guard J.J. Barea.

“If I can help it’s no problem and I really like to play ping pong,” said Dallas Mavericks Guard Rodrique Beaubois. “I’m really happy to be here.”

“It’s great to give back when people are struggling,” said Dallas Mavericks Guard DeShawn Stevenson.

Dallas Maverick Dirk Nowitzki came out too. While he struggles to get the ping pong ball over the net he knows its nothing compared to what victims of pancreatic cancer go through.

“It’s always a tragedy for families but if you stay together, stay strong and keep believing you can beat anything,” said Dallas Mavericks Forward Dirk Nowitzki.

Carlisle not only managed to get most of his team to support the cause he also reached out to other celebrities.

“It’s such a great cause and its local,” said 2008 Olympic individual all-around gold medalist Nastia Liukin. “I’m a huge fan of the Mavs and I always have been.”

Olympic gymnast Carly Patterson also said yes but she asked for some help with Carlisle in return.

“Rick was helping me with my back serve and front serve or whatever you call it,” said 2004 Olympic gold medalist Carly Patterson. “He was helping me get a little warmed up.”

This charity is near and dear to Rick Carlisle’s heart because his friend and mentor Charles Jerome “Chuck” Daly also known as one of the greatest NBA coaches passed away from pancreatic cancer.

“When he found out he had it it was about two and a half months and he was gone,” said Carlisle.

“Chuck is missed all the time,” said former Dallas Maverick Derek Harper. “I think it’s a great gesture for Rick to do something like this honoring a guy like Chuck Daly.”

According to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network this disease is one of the least funded and publicized.

“Our ultimate goal is to really find a cure obviously for pancreatic cancer, find an effective treatment for pancreatic cancer and just make sure that people are aware that there are resources available for them when they receive a diagnosis,” said Media Coordinator Pamela Bethel-Leduff.

“Hopefully we’ll do not only this event but many, many more to come,” said Dallas Mavericks Forward Eduardo Najera.