My name is Earl, and I am a cancer survivor. In 2011, my doctor at the VA Clinic in North Platte told me he was sure I had prostate cancer. I was terrified, my mother, brother, and two sisters had all passed from cancer, and I feared I might be next. That fear quickly turned to anger, but with the love and support of my wife and family, I faced it head-on. A visiting cancer doctor confirmed it was prostate cancer, caught early. I began radiation treatments, forty-five trips, seventy-one miles each way. It was a long road, but I made it through, and the cancer was gone.

About nine years ago, my wife and I moved to Central City to be closer to family. Life was good until December 2023, when I learned the cancer had returned as Multiple Myeloma. Hearing there was no cure was devastating. Still, when my oncologist said treatments were available if I was willing to fight, I said, “Let’s get going.” Fear and anxiety crept in again, but then came a blessing.

During an appointment, I filled out a form for the GRACE Cancer Foundation. I didn’t realize how important that connection would be. My doctors cared for my body, but GRACE Cancer Foundation cared for my heart and soul. Their compassion lifted my spirit, and the financial help eased our worries. Even more, their support relit the light inside me, helping me smile, laugh, and feel hope again.

To everyone who supports GRACE Cancer Foundation, thank you. Because of you, people like me can face cancer with courage, hope, and strength.