by Joyce Tremel
I've blogged a lot about police officers and law enforcement in general. Yesterday, in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review I read an article about a police officer in dire need of assistance and thought I'd pass it on.
Forty one year old PA State Police Sgt. Tom O'Connor has an aggressive form of cancer that has already claimed his eyesight and spread throughout his body. He is taking experimental chemotherapy at the moment and would like to return to the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind when he's able. The blindness has been the most difficult and not being able to see the faces of his wife and children is devastating to him.
He has used up all his sick leave and is looking into a disability pension. His wife can only work part time as she is taking care of Tom and their young children and they could use some financial assistance. Thankfully there are many people who have taken interest in O'Connor's plight and some have organized fundraisers to help the family.
For more information and to see what you can do for Sgt. O'Connor see the article in the Trib. There is information in the sidebar on how you can help.
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Courage Remembered
by Joyce Tremel
I was going to write about the 85 year old woman who held a 17 year old burglar at gunpoint until the police showed up, but something else happened that I just have to write about.
On Tuesday, 18 year old John Challis of Freedom, PA lost his hard-fought battle with cancer. While there are many other young people who suffer from the same disease, none of them touched as many people as John. His outlook on life and his ability to cope with a deadly disease with a smile made him special.
Shortly after that, John's story was playing on every local station, and soon other cities. John got to hang out with Mario Lemieux and the Penguins, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and even the New York Yankees. He was featured on ESPN, and received letters from all over the country written by people who had been touched by his story.
He might have become a celebrity, but John's mission was to help other people. One of his goals, which he met, was to start the Courage for Life Foundation to help other teenagers with cancer.
John's motto was Courage + Believe = Life.
We should all be so profound.
I was going to write about the 85 year old woman who held a 17 year old burglar at gunpoint until the police showed up, but something else happened that I just have to write about.
On Tuesday, 18 year old John Challis of Freedom, PA lost his hard-fought battle with cancer. While there are many other young people who suffer from the same disease, none of them touched as many people as John. His outlook on life and his ability to cope with a deadly disease with a smile made him special.
Pittsburghers first became aware of John back in April. He'd already been suffering from cancer for two years, but Freedom baseball coach Steve Wetzel gave him the opportunity to pinch hit in a game. John got a hit on the first pitch and scored a run. 
(Photo by Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Shortly after that, John's story was playing on every local station, and soon other cities. John got to hang out with Mario Lemieux and the Penguins, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and even the New York Yankees. He was featured on ESPN, and received letters from all over the country written by people who had been touched by his story.
He might have become a celebrity, but John's mission was to help other people. One of his goals, which he met, was to start the Courage for Life Foundation to help other teenagers with cancer.
John's motto was Courage + Believe = Life.
We should all be so profound.
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