Stories for Share Your V Story
Story 1 for Share Your V Story
By:Travis
From:Killeen, TX (Fort Hood, TX)
Posted: July 21, 2009
Travis Kelley
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Me and my Mother-Bev
I am a 31 year old male who has served in the US ARMY for 13 years. After returning from my second deployment from Iraq I was diagnosed with testicular cancer after losing my team leader and 17 other members of my Squadron in Iraq. I was totally devastated. Being a high school all state basketball player in high school I had known Jimmy Valvano's story. I continued to look up to him, Lance Armstrong, and Nene of the Denver Nuggets who had been diagnosed with cancer as well. And most of all, my MOTHER, who survived cancer 20 years prior. I aspired to get healthy and return to the United States ARMY in full health. I had a dream to be a US ARMY Officer and I wanted very badly to achieve my goal. On May of 2009, after being in remission for one year I was selected to be a US ARMY Officer. Jimmy Valvano and many others have always given me hope and strength. As I was watching the 2009 ESPY Awards, I saw the Jimmy V award recipient of 2009 and it brought me to tears. Another amazing man who spoke great words and shared an inspiring story. I am very appreciative of all the Jimmy V foundation has done. I recently won the Fort Hood Hero Award in the US ARMY for my achievement. It is those before me who have inspired me to fight and pray. Continue to fight, continue to pray, and NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!!
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Story 2 for Share Your V Story
By:triedandtrue
From:san francisco, ca
Posted: July 23, 2010
My Dad and Jimmy V
I heard about Jimmy V for the first time when I was 5 or 6 years old. Saturday CBS game, bad reception, Vern on the play-by-play, and my dad telling me that in the ACC, son, basketball was better. Different. Smoother. More pure.
This is Wyoming, 1985. Snow falling and coal mining are the only things I hear about during the week. But on the weekend, it's basketball. It's NC State and Jimmy fresh off the defeat of Phi-Slamma-Jamma and running all over the court, hugging anyone he can grab ahold of long enough to hug. ... And now, Jimmy and the Pack are getting hammered. Down 18 at the half. Down 25 midway through the second. And Dad says, "them's the breaks." And the Pack rally, try to make it a close game against Maryland, UNC, Duke, or whomever they were playing, but they lose by double digits. And Jimmy says after the game "I love my guys. They missed today, and they didn't do everything we wanted right, but they tried their guts out. They knew they might lose, and they tried that hard anyways."
My dad looked at me, and said "you know, that's a good coach." Eight years and thousands of sportscenter highlights, dad-to-son talks and lessons and moments later, my dad (age 54 then) and I (age 13 then) sat and watched the first ESPYs. We watched as Dickie V. carried Jimmy up. We sat, rapt, and listened to every syllable Jimmy had to say. We both welled up, and we both broke down and cried when he was done. I gave my dad a birthday present years after, a framed still from Jimmy's speech that night, with a simple transcription: "Don't give up, don't ever give up."
On February 14, yup, Valentine's Day 2008, my father was diagnosed with cancer. A strong-headed bear of a man, he fought, and he lost, and his cancer spread like wildfire. I was next to him, and I was holding his hand, and I heard his last breath. In those final days, when my dad couldn't speak, I thought plenty about what Jimmy V had said. My dad, that ACC hoops lover before it was cool, that careful and attentive father, that cancer patient, did just what Jimmy said. He didn't give up. He gave us all we needed to laugh, to think, and to cry and every day.
God bless anybody who may come across this.
Story 3 for Share Your V Story
By:syfyguy89
From:indiana
Posted: July 14, 2010
just found out
my name is joe. im a single father raising my daughter, and i found out today that i have brain cancer. as i start my fight to live,i had one thought and that was how do i tell my daughter, then i sat down turned on espn just like i do every night and the espy's are on. i couldnt help but remember the speech by Jimmy Valvano and pulled it online. i plan to watch the video everyday of my fight be it one day or 50 years, he made me laugh at the start of his speech, he made me think in the middle, and i cried at the end. im not sure what lays ahead but i know that i shall live each day to its fullest. i pray for each person not only fighting this but all illiness. i also pray for our men and women in the armed forces. may god continue to bless us all and may god glory continue to bless the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Story 4 for Share Your V Story
By:Brandenburg & Friends
From:Greensboro, NC
Posted: July 12, 2010
Brandenburg and Friends Slam Dunk Against Cancer
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The committe and volunteers!
Paul Brandenburg played for NCSU from 1951-1953. Paul loved basketball, and he loved STATE! Paul died in 1995 from lung cancer. His 7 children started raising money for cancer research with a backyard party over 13 years ago.
This year the family and friends chose The V Foundation in the effort to raise money for cancer research. Paul's wife Jean was diagnosed with breast cancer in December of 2009. The family was all together to discuss mom's plan, when Jeannie Brandenburg Hager overheard the TV...it was Jimmy Valvano week on ESPN. Jeannie knew then, that our efforts this year needed to go to the V Foundation, where 100% of the money is directly given to cancer research. Jean battled chemo, surgery and radiation for 6 months. Sadly, Jean lost her battle a week before the event.
Friends and family gathered for a grassroots backyard party, including live local musicians, kids carnival activities, a killer silent auction, and a super yummy cookout! Volunteers all helped with getting almost everything donated, from tables and tents, food and silent auction items. Not to mention the countless hours of meetings, set up and clean up.
It's amazing how many people in the community of Greensboro, and all the friends of the Brandenburg's pulled together for one of the best parties of the year. Brandenburg and Friends Slam Dunk against cancer raised $15,000.00 nearly doubling the amount they raised last year.
Next year's event is planned to be on Jean Brandenburgs birthday April 9, 2011. We start early in January. We plan to do another "pub crawl" where we sell basketballs at local pubs. People write on the paper basketball the name of a loved one who has been affected by cancer. This fun little outing raised over $400.00 in just 3 hours. Not to mention the hundreds of dollars that local pubs sold during the ACC tourney.
We are proud to share our story, and encourage everyone to get involved ! Thanks Jimmy Valvano for your inspiration and your courage. We will never give up! God Bless!
Elesa Brandenburg Dillon, and the entire team of volunteers of the Brandenburg and Friends Salm Dunk against Cancer Event.
Story 5 for Share Your V Story
By:Dave Young
From:Conyers, GA
Posted: April 2, 2010
The reason I support the Jimmy V foundation
I met Coach Valvano during the summer of 1992. I was travelling and had a layover in Chicago (O’Hare). Walking through the terminal I saw Coach V quickly walking down the hallway. Being an ACC basketball fan, Coach V was sort of a celebrity. I approached him and he graciously stopped to talk for a few minutes. I did not think much more about that day until the next year. Flipping through the TV channels I saw him giving a speech. Ordinarily I would not have stopped but because of the airport, I listened. The speech was the ESPY awards in which he announced the creation on the Jimmy V foundation. The speech really touched me, in fact I choke up every tine I think of it. I am truly grateful for the work of the Jimmy V foundation and hope that through donations, we will be able to cure cancer and put hope back into the lives of people everywhere.
Story 6 for Share Your V Story
By:WBR1956
From:Morrisville, NC
Posted: March 16, 2010
She thought it would be a smooth ride.
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PEC 2007
This story is about my late wife, Peggy Elaine Chestnutt. Peggy was diagnosed with brain cancer on June 4, 2008 and died June 14, 2009 in Knoxville, MD. She was born July 22, 1948 in Wallace, NC.
I'll never forget the words coming out of the neurosurgeon's mouth just after surgery on June 12, 2008 - "She has a Stage 3, maybe stage 4 malignant tumor. We'll have to wait for the biopsy." I stood there in stunned silence, the words bouncing around inside my brain. I was not used to this, had never needed to know about this. Just one month before, we had both gasped when the news came on CNN about Ted Kennedy and his struggle with the exact same condition - glioblastoma multiforme. I learned quickly all that I could about this horrible disease. I found that there is no cure, only treatment. Life expectancy was a mere 1-3 years. The following months of radiation and chemotherapy flew by and she seemed to get better. She was able to get back into her organic garden which was her life. I sometimes jokingly told her she needed another gardener to take over for her so she could rest. One fiery look from her hauntingly beautiful green eyes put me back into my place. She wouldn't have any of that! As the disease ravaged her body, the effects of the steroids, meant to help keep the swelling in her brain at bay, began to also have some insidiousness. She was slowly fading away from the combination of the two causing her to lose her independence. This was a final insult for her. She always went where she wanted, when she wanted, for as long as she wanted. Now that was a thing of the past. Our 24th wedding anniversary and her 60th birthday party were muted affairs. She was just too exhausted from the radiation and chemo. Over the course of the year from the original diagnosis, she would have 5 seizures and 2 more tumors. But she never gave up. One of the last things she said to me was "I thought it was going to be a smooth ride."
She passed away in my arms, at home, surrounded by her family and friends at 7:10 PM on Sunday, June 14, 2009.
We had almost 28 beautiful years together. She was a friend to the earth and it repaid her in kind. She won many awards for her miniature plants, and her organic tomatoes were stuff of legend. She was a prolific contributor on many GardenWeb forums, which was her favorite website, as AKA_Peggy.
She will be missed, but never forgotten.
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Story 7 for Share Your V Story
By:Basketball Fan
From:Sturgis, SD
Posted: February 23, 2010
Me and Jimmy V
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Coach Nore and Dalyn
When I was a 10 year old boy I remember watching North Carolina State and Houston play for the National Championship Game. Everyone knew that the Akeem Olojuwan and Clyde Drexler led Houston Cougars were big favorites to blow North Carolina State out. What Houston didn’t realize, however, was that NC State was led by a great man with a big heart. The Wolfpack were not going to be denied on this night. Watching Jim Valvano react after winning that game made me realize that I wanted to be a coach one day. Little did I know that night, this would not be the last time that Jim Valvano would inspire me. I am a 36 year old basketball lifer. From the age of 19 until this past year I have been on a basketball bench either as a head coach or an assistant. Following last season, my eighth as a high school head coach I decided to take a job as an elementary principal. Even though I made the decision to remove myself as a basketball coach I still love the game and watch it with great interest.
On November 3rd, 2009 my life would change forever. On this day I was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma. This is a very rare form of fibrous tissue cancer and unfortunately it was diagnosed as a Stage 3 cancer. I have tremendous faith that God will take care of me and I believe that I will survive this battle with cancer and am hopeful that in five years I will be cured of this terrible disease. There certainly are no guarantees but I truly believe I am on the road to recovery. During this period of time in my life many people have supported our family. Many communities in western South Dakota have supported us through donations, volunteer work, and positive words of encouragement. One of the more moving moments was when Black Hills State University, of which I am alumni, sponsored a fundraiser held during the men’s and women’s basketball games against Mayville State University. Black Hills State raised over 4,000 dollars for our family and even more importantly showed their support for the Dschaak family. Paul Sather, head men’s coach, is a very good friend of mine. His support for my cause has been overwhelming. Mark Nore, head women’s coach, is a childhood friend of mine who I had the honor of playing high school basketball with. Coach Nore even had my son Dalyn come down to center court at halftime of the basketball game. To see the joy on my son’s face was priceless! Their time and effort for this cause has moved me beyond words. I mention this because it is an example of the great game of basketball making a difference in a person’s life. Cancer and the Jimmy V foundation have become synonymous with hope and cancer research. I feel very fortunate to have had Jim Valvano touch my life in some form or another. I will always be a supporter of the Jimmy V foundation!
On November 3rd, 2009 my life would change forever. On this day I was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma. This is a very rare form of fibrous tissue cancer and unfortunately it was diagnosed as a Stage 3 cancer. I have tremendous faith that God will take care of me and I believe that I will survive this battle with cancer and am hopeful that in five years I will be cured of this terrible disease. There certainly are no guarantees but I truly believe I am on the road to recovery. During this period of time in my life many people have supported our family. Many communities in western South Dakota have supported us through donations, volunteer work, and positive words of encouragement. One of the more moving moments was when Black Hills State University, of which I am alumni, sponsored a fundraiser held during the men’s and women’s basketball games against Mayville State University. Black Hills State raised over 4,000 dollars for our family and even more importantly showed their support for the Dschaak family. Paul Sather, head men’s coach, is a very good friend of mine. His support for my cause has been overwhelming. Mark Nore, head women’s coach, is a childhood friend of mine who I had the honor of playing high school basketball with. Coach Nore even had my son Dalyn come down to center court at halftime of the basketball game. To see the joy on my son’s face was priceless! Their time and effort for this cause has moved me beyond words. I mention this because it is an example of the great game of basketball making a difference in a person’s life. Cancer and the Jimmy V foundation have become synonymous with hope and cancer research. I feel very fortunate to have had Jim Valvano touch my life in some form or another. I will always be a supporter of the Jimmy V foundation!
Story 8 for Share Your V Story
By:Carol's Cancer Cure Game
From:Paragould, AR
Posted: February 16, 2010
PIONEERS RAISE MORE THAN $2,500 IN CAROL’S CANCER
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The Crowley's Ridge College Men’s Basketball Team proudly hosted “Carol’s Cancer Cure Game” on February 4, 2010 against the Shepherd College Eagles from Memphis, Tennessee. This game was played in memory of Carol Perkins, mother of CRC Coach Chris Perkins, who lost her seven year battle with cancer in April, 2009. Her love for sports, family, and the CRC Men’s Basketball team was remembered as the Pioneers defeated the Eagles 83-75.
This event raised more than $2,500 in funds from corporate donors and t-shirt sales that will be donated in her honor to “The V Foundation for Cancer Research.” The V Foundation was started in 1993 to honor former North Carolina State University basketball coach Jim Valvano, whose final wish was to fund research to find cures for cancer.
Crowley's Ridge College is a private four-year Christian college in Paragould, Arkansas serving students of all backgrounds and is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of The North Central Association. CRC offers Associate and Bachelors degrees. The college has an open admissions policy and welcomes students of all backgrounds.
Story 9 for Share Your V Story
By:Johnny
From:Columbus,OH
Posted: February 15, 2010
A Mother To The End
My mom was like many people she was loved by many and a very bubbly person but in 2005 that bubbly personality went away for a while when she was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer even though she knew it was incurable i took it harder than my brother and sister those times when i remember how she was i felt i was alone and that why did this have to happen she assured me that she wasn't gonna let it keep her down and that I should be upbeat and know that even though the chance of survival was slim there was still a shot so for 1.5 years i drove her to her chemo sessions and radiation session always saying to her your a stronger person than i am going what you have gone through and because of your illness you have shown me that life is precious and it's something you look forward to seeing everyday i didn't see her take her last breath but i know she knows that to this day i still miss her and love her even though the hurt doesn't completly go away it's always good for me to have known my mom and that she feels no more pain and she's in the kingdom of heaven to this day i will remember these words she said to me a week before she died you are my son remember the happy times we had and know that you have a long life to live and when you have a family love them more than i could ever love you
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Story 10 for Share Your V Story
By:Bnels
From:Madison, WI
Posted: January 14, 2010
Cancer too young
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My wife and daughter!
I was 26, almost my second wedding annivesary and a baby on the way when I found out I had testicular cancer. Althought caught early, I was devasted. With a lot of prayer, great doctors and a pregnant wife (who has my rock) I got through it. today, 8 years later cancer free.
The best part of this experience was the day after my last radiation treatment, we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl.
I still here Jimmy's speech. Never give up, never give up. To this day I try to do the three things Jimmy reminded us of...spend time in thought, laugh and cry everyday.
Thank you Jimmy and the Jimmy V Foundation. I will never forget.
The best part of this experience was the day after my last radiation treatment, we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl.
I still here Jimmy's speech. Never give up, never give up. To this day I try to do the three things Jimmy reminded us of...spend time in thought, laugh and cry everyday.
Thank you Jimmy and the Jimmy V Foundation. I will never forget.
Story 11 for Share Your V Story
By:Paul10
From:Latrobe, PA
Posted: January 13, 2010
Shirts for a Cure
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Kaitlin Paul (center) stands alongside Nick Rutigliano (right) in front of the Wildcat Den for "Pride Shirt Night".
Kaitlin Paul has a strong sense of pride. Whether she shows it running on the track or attending Greater Latrobe Senior High School sporting events, you’ll more than likely hear her screaming cheers first before you see her --- that is if she hasn’t lost her voice yet.
After playing basketball in her youth, the 18 year old still enjoys watching basketball games whether it be front row in Latrobe’s student section the “Wildcat Den” (better known as the “Den” to students) or attending Pitt basketball games. Being a fan of the game, it comes as no surprise that Kaitlin was moved by Jimmy V’s legendary 1993 ESPY speech and his drive to try and find a cure for cancer. From his inspiring speech she decided that for her graduation project she was going to raise money for the Jimmy V Foundation and help keep school spirit alive at her high school basketball games.
The Latrobe Wildcats have always had a strong student fan base in sports whether it be traveling to road games on pep buses or decking out for various theme nights. In November, as basketball season was quickly approaching, Kaitlin came up with an original idea for her graduation project. She was going to sell student section t-shirts for students to wear at the basketball games and donate the proceeds to the Jimmy V Foundation. Paul obtained permission from fellow senior, Nick Rutigliano to use his design featuring the boys head basketball coach, Brad Wetzel with the words “PRIDE” scripted across the image.
Within a few weeks approximately 200 shirts were sold creating a total profit of $800 for the foundation and a new excitement for going to basketball games. On January 12, “Pride Night” served as the theme as everyone wore their shirts that night in the Den. The Wildcats may have won the game, but that wasn’t the only victory of the night. Students came in their shirts supporting the team as well as making a significant contribution to win the fight against cancer.
After playing basketball in her youth, the 18 year old still enjoys watching basketball games whether it be front row in Latrobe’s student section the “Wildcat Den” (better known as the “Den” to students) or attending Pitt basketball games. Being a fan of the game, it comes as no surprise that Kaitlin was moved by Jimmy V’s legendary 1993 ESPY speech and his drive to try and find a cure for cancer. From his inspiring speech she decided that for her graduation project she was going to raise money for the Jimmy V Foundation and help keep school spirit alive at her high school basketball games.
The Latrobe Wildcats have always had a strong student fan base in sports whether it be traveling to road games on pep buses or decking out for various theme nights. In November, as basketball season was quickly approaching, Kaitlin came up with an original idea for her graduation project. She was going to sell student section t-shirts for students to wear at the basketball games and donate the proceeds to the Jimmy V Foundation. Paul obtained permission from fellow senior, Nick Rutigliano to use his design featuring the boys head basketball coach, Brad Wetzel with the words “PRIDE” scripted across the image.
Within a few weeks approximately 200 shirts were sold creating a total profit of $800 for the foundation and a new excitement for going to basketball games. On January 12, “Pride Night” served as the theme as everyone wore their shirts that night in the Den. The Wildcats may have won the game, but that wasn’t the only victory of the night. Students came in their shirts supporting the team as well as making a significant contribution to win the fight against cancer.
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