Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from everyone at the DJD Fight On Foundation. It was a great, 2010 thanks to all your support and generous donations. This past year we held two 5K races, a Beef and Beer Benefit, a Biking event (thanks to a previous family we helped), and the annual golf tournament. Since last Christmas, the DJD FOundation and supporters have helped 7 families. The Foundation has now donated more than $40,000 in Derrick's memory to help families who are battling cancer. We hope that in 2011 we can continue to help those who are courageously battling this disease, and help them to ease the financial burden of a cancer diagnosis while keeping Derrick's spirit alive. A special thank you to all the businesses, individuals, and families, who have given so generously during the holiday season. Please check djdfighton.org for some pictures of Faith and Jeremy Bacon opening their gifts that were donated by some of you. It was wonderful meeting them face to face. Both Faith and Jeremy were so gratful for the support! I'd like to send a special thank you out to all the members of Board of the DJD Fight On Foundation, for their hard work throughout the past year. Thank you to the Morrissey family, the Summers family, Jim, Donna, and Marcy Dull, Casie Baker, Greta Brubker (our web master), Mike Gearhart, and all the committee members of the golf tournament. I would also like to especially thank everyone who has donated, volunteered, or supported the Foundation in any way this past year. Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and healthy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

The DJD Fight On Foundation is wishing everyone a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season! We want to thank you for you generous and selfless giving in 2010. We couldn't have helped the families without all of you!!!! We look forward to a successful New Year, which hopefully give us the proviledge of continuing to help families battling cancer, in Derrick's honor! Thank you everyone who made charitable donations during the holiday season, and thank you to everyone who donated gifts for Jeremy and Faith Bacon. I will be delivering the gifts Christmas Eve. I will put pictures of the family on the website! Also, in recent news Curt Keiser signed up to join the National Bone Marrow Registry during our Lewisburg drive. He was just recently called as a potential match for a 6 year old boy! If you haven't signed up for the reigistry yet, I encourage you to give the gift of life by signing up. You can sign up online at www.marrow.org. If you have already joined the Reigstry, please remember to update your contact information if your phone number or address changes. You can do this online as well! Merry Christmas and a Happy Happy New Year to all the loyal followers of the DJD Fight On Foundation!

Shawn Belanger

First of all, I want to thank everyone who went out of their way to send me Christmas donations for Faith Bacon and her son!I will take pictures of the family when I drop off the gifts! Also, I wanted to post the letters from Shawn Belanger's family. Shawn is a 20 year old male with a rare form of rhabdomyosarcoma. He is currently receiving treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC. He is expected to undergo treatment for approximately a year. Please check the website in the next few days for a picture of Shawn(djdfighton.org)! Thanks again for all your support and I hope everyone has a beautiful and very Merry Christmas!

Letter from Shawn's parents:

Thank you for your generous donation to Friends of Shawn Belanger. As Shawn continues in this fight of his life, your financial help allows him to continue with the very best treatment at Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center and helps our family manage the incredible costs involved. To you and all the supporters of Derrick's Foundation, we humbly thank you for your donation.

-Martha Ferris and Richard Belanger


Letter from Shawn's Aunt:

Thanks to you and the DJD Fight On Foundation for considering Shawn and helping him so generously with your donation. It seems indcredibly unfair that those burdened by this disease have to even think of the financial crisis it creates. Shawn's extended family and friends have made it our mission to help ease this burden, and donations like yours make a huge difference! I read through your website and was moved by Derrick's life and the great mission you have taken on because of it. God Bless you and all the supporters of DJD.

Many. many thanks,
Nancy Stiner Cometti

Please keep all our families in your prayers, especially those who are currently undergoing treatment. Also, Balke Laurelli a previous family just underwent a bone marrow transplant this week. Let's pray for a speedy recovery! Also, a Happy Birthday to Matt Lauffer ( a previous family we helped), he is 2+ years cancer free! Thanks again!

A Day of Rememberance...

Tomorrow, December 6th, marks the 2 year anniversary of Derrick's passing. Not a day goes by that that I or Derrick's family do not think of him, and miss him terribly. Now that it has been two years after the devastating loss of a remarkable husband, son, brother, and friend, I can look back and not focus completely on my anger and grief about Derrick being taken from us far too soon. I can now look back at the positive memories that I will carry with me for a lifetime. I once again can feel blessed. I feel truly blessed for the 5 years, I was able to spend with Derrick,just as I know all of you feel blessed for having the extreme priviledge of knowing one of the most caring, free- spirited, and loving people to ever grace this earth. I for one am a better person thanks to Derrick and the short time I got to spend with him. I will forever be grateful for the many life lessons and unconditional love he showed me in our 5 years together. Tomorrow, I will not look back with saddness, but with great joy about the positive impact Derrick has had and continues to have on my life and so many other's life. So many people's lives continue to be enriched thanks to Derrick. Derrick was loved by so many that people continue to support his Foundation to help families battling cancer. Thanks to Derrick, 12 families to date have been helped, with donatiosn nearly totalling $40,000! This is a true testament to the kind of person Derrick was, the kind of person that inspires other people to reach out and help others who are battling cancer.
For those of you who personally know Derrick and have read his blog posts, you know just how inspiring his words can be, so I'd like to leave you with a few messages that Derrick wrote in our daily devotional "What I learned from God Today".
-Make everyday Count. Focus on what matters. You can't be fake to God as you can be to other people.
- Everything on this earth is temporary, all the materal possessions are temporary.
-Small acts of duty and kindness throughout the day mean more to God than prayer.
- Being in God's family is the greatest gift of all.
- Life is about love. Relationships need to be first priority. You can make more money,but you can't make more time. The best way to show love is through time.
- Learn to be a servant. Servants often go unrecognized and don't do things for fame or to be seen, but for the glory of God.
- Got to win one more for Jesus should be the focus of my life in bringing one more soul to Heaven for Eternity.
- I should share my life lessons with others, and I should listen to the life lessons of others (mission accomplished Derrick as you continue to share your life lessons with all of us).

The last message I'd like to share is a question Derrick wrote... "When I stand before God on judgement day, what will he say about my life?" * I think we all know the answer to this question Derrick, and thank you for sharing your life with us.



SHMILY

Faith Bacon

Here is the first of two new families we are helping, Faith Bacon and her son Jeremy. Look for a picture of the family in a few days on the website djdfighton.org Thanks to everyone who has continued to support the DJD Fight on Foundation, so we can continue to help families like Faith's. Please see the previous post about items you can help us purchase for Faith's son for Christmas. Thank you so much! Lots of Love!


Hi. My name is Faith Bacon. I am a 42 year old single mom of a 12 yearold son, Jeremy. I would like to say thank-you to Mindy Dull and the DJD Fight on Foundation for thier monetary donation to help pay my medical bills and also helping with my son's Christmas. It is much appreciated and May God Bless. On August 25, 2010 I recieved a call at work telling me I had leukemia and was immediately supposed to go to the hospital. This was very devastating news for myself and my family. I was diagnosed with AML and they have told me that I won't work for at least a year. I had my first chemo treatment 2 days later and that put me in remission. I have also suffered a couple set backs having a bloodclot in my left arm and also one in my left lung. I have had my initial treatment and 2 consolidated treatments so far, and the beginning of the year I will have my 3rd one. Right now I am going through a series of 4 spinal taps/ chemo to the brain.

I have tolerated all of the treatments very well and everyone says I am very strong. I have to be for my son. I am amazed at all the support that has come from my family, friends, co-workers, graduating class, and even people I don't know. I am so thankful for everyone's thoughts and prayers and all thier support. Jeremy and I really appreciate it.


Thank you very much and May God Bless,

Love,
Faith and son, Jeremy

Happy Holidays!

Hello everyone! I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Holiday season. Take the time to relax and enjoy time well spent with those that you love :) And don't forget don't sweat the small stuff. I just wanted to update everyone on recent news. We recently received two new families to help. The first is Faith Bacon, a single mom, from Sunbury, Pa. She has AML, the same kind of leukemia that Derrick had. She is currently undergoing treatments. I will have her family picture and letter posted soon :) Along with helping Faith pay for medical expenses, I am collecting Christmas gifts for her 12 year old son. Faith is currently not working due to chemotherapy treatments, so this Christmas will be difficult. If anyone is interested in helping purchase some gifts for the family, please let me know. Drop offs for the gifts can be at my place or Jim and Donna's in Ephrata. If you plan on purchasing something, please let me know so I can cross it off the list. I continue to be amazed by the generosity of all those who were touched by the life of Derrick. With your help, Derrick continues to touch the lives of so many people. Here is the Christmas list for Faith's son Jeremy:

relaxed fit wrangler jeans - size 36/29

fruit of loom boxer briefs - size 34/36

socks tube or crew - adult 9-13

shirts - adult XL

electronic monopoly

eagles or steelers posters

anything eagles or steelers

DVD'S

Zombieland
Last Airbender
Santa Paws
any Christmas movies


The second family is a 20 year old young man named Shawn Belanger. He is battling a rare aggressive form of soft tissue cancer. He is currently at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and he also stays at the Ronald McDonald House in NYC. He is a basketball player and seems to have the same fighting spirit that Derrick had. I will get his picture up as soon as possible.

I am also looking into to collecting donations for Christmas gifts for the children at the Ronald McDonald House in Hershey.I will let everyone know as soon as I have more details! Thanks so much! :)

Update...

It is with great saddness that The DJD Foundation has to share the recent news of the passing of Jennifer Horst. Jennifer lost her courageous battle with Leukemia this week. Please keep Jennifer's husband, David, and their two small children in your thouights and prayers. Thank you.

Horst Family

Thanks to the continued supprt of the DJD Fight On Foundation Board members, volunteers, and supporters, the Foundation was able to help another family recently. This family was referred to the Foundation through a participant of the Akron Park DJD 5K. The Horst family resides in Lebanon, PA. The mother, Jennifer (37) has leukemia and recently had a bone marrow transplant. Following her transplant, Jennifer's leukemia relapsed. At the time of the family's referral to the foundation, Jennifer was awaiting a clinical trial at John Hopkins. Jennifer's husband, David, has been spliting his time by visting Jennifer, tryign to remain working, and taking care of the two children Ryan (6) and Grace (5). Here is the letter received from David's mother Fay Horst. Stay tuned for a picture of the family!

Dear Mindy and staff of DJD Fight On Foundation,

On behalf of my son and his family, I thank you for your generous monetary contribution received recently from your Foundation. His wife, Jennifer, has suffered much in the last 1 1/2 years with her leukemia. The hospital bills have been a nightmare. Many people like you have come forth to help with the expenses. Jennifer continues to fight for her life and for her family. Please understand if you don't hear from Jennifer and David personally, they did appreciate your efforts in your fundraisers for the donation. You are doing a wonderful deed by serving your fellow friends in such a kind way. Continue in your spirit of Faith.


In appreciation and much love,

Fay Horst
and David Horst family

New family- Veronica Tinkler

My name is Veronica Tinkler and I'm 25 years old. I don't have any children yet, but I do have 3 nieces and 3 nephews ranging between the ages 2 and 12. I love them very much, they mean the world to me, as if they were my own. Before I was diagnosed with Large Cell Lymphoma I worked as a teller at Members 1st FCU and also part-time at the YWCA in Gettysburg in the TLC room for daycare. I worked at M1st for 2 years, luckily I'm still employed there but I'm on disability through my treatments because the risk of infection is too high and my body is too weak to go back to work. I do love my job at M1st, but I have a soft spot for the kids. Before M1st, I worked at another daycare for a couple of years. I have always loved working with children, I was 12 when I started babysitting my baby nephew for my sister and I continued to do that for her until I had to go to work full-time when I was 16. Its hard to not spend time with them as much right now because of being sick but I think they understand.

For a couple of months before my diagnosis I was experiencing chest pains, a terrible cough, and heart palpitations. I didn't go to the doctor right away, I ignored the symptoms. It wasn't until I started getting a burning pain on my left shoulder anytime anything touched it that I knew something had to be wrong. I still ignored the pain for a few weeks and my family, friends, and co-workers started to get concerned. The Dr. thought it was muscle strain and told me to take Ibuprofen but he did an x-ray just to be sure. I remember being at work and getting the phone call that I needed to go have the x-ray taken again. They didn't say why but I knew something was wrong. The technician told me she thought the Dr. was looking for pneumonia because of my cough. The next day the same thing happened, I received a phone call at work that I needed to get to the Dr's office asap because they found a mass on my left lung. I went into my assistant manager's office and broke down. I couldn't believe that at 25 yrs old I was hearing this. There was just no way that cancer was a possibility, I couldn't believe it. I hung onto the techs words "just pneumonia". My mom went to the Dr's with me, as she still does every time to this day, and he showed us the pictures and explained the possibilities. Seeing the pictures was interesting as I've never seen them before but it was terrifying to see the left side of my chest blacked out. He wasn't too concerned of cancer because it was a smooth mass and cancer is more crab like and spread out. But what was happening was the mass was moving my organs out of its way and that was causing the pain. I went through different tests and Dr's appointments trying to figure out what this mass was. Hearing the possibilities was terrifying. In 2005 my father passed away after a long battle with cancer so automatically my spirits went down. I didn't have a good mind-set going into this. I met with a surgeon who planned to skip a biopsy and do immediate surgery because the mass was too large to stay there. It measured at 8cm x 16cm, taking up almost my whole lung. He wasn't sure what it could be, again because of the shape. But the fact that it was so large leaned him more towards cancer because, in his words, "benign tumors are just not that big". I also didn't have typical symptoms of cancer.

July 12th I went in for what I thought would be surgery but while I was waiting to be taken back he came out and said he wanted to do a biopsy instead. I was scared but I couldn't comprehend everything to get all worked up. My situation was very unexpected to me, I still thought I would be back at work in a couple of weeks. Everything from that day and week is still a blur because of the morphine which is probably a good thing because I'm told my reaction wasn't too good. I remember it being an emotional week but at least I'm protected from having those words "you have cancer" being a permanent memory. My treatments were rushed because the tumor was collapsing my lung. Luckily, I had relief after just 1 treatment and after 2 the tumor shrunk 50%. I'm scheduled for 6 treatments, I have 2 left, and then radiation after chemo.

After I came home from the hospital, a friend of mine that Mindy and Fight On had also helped talked to me about her and the foundation and how they could help me. I didn't like the idea of getting help because I know my situation is different and more fortunate than most in my shoes because I still live at home. I felt like I was getting a hand out I didn't deserve. I went back and forth about it for awhile and when Mindy contacted me I still had the same thoughts but I knew eventually I would need it. I knew financial help was something that I was going to have to accept regardless of how I felt because money was quickly running out. Mindy always talked to me in a way that just made me feel comfortable with it, even through emails she has a way about her words that you just know she understands. The donation came at the perfect time because my disability was changing and I was going to be without income for awhile. If it wasn't for Mindy and the Fight On Foundation I wouldn't have made it. I was able to not worry about bills and worry about getting myself better, which I know was their intention. I can't thank them enough for the relief that they gave me. I consider myself very lucky and count my blessings everyday because the Dr's are confident I will be cured with just chemo but the radiation is a precaution to lower the chances of a recurrence. I have seen cancer go completely different and tear families apart but I am lucky enough that even though I'm going through this I know it could be much worse. I have a wonderful support system behind me and that's all I can ask for. Thank you Mindy and Fight On!! You are wonderful and are definitely a blessing to me and my family!!

With Love Always,
Veronica




Thanks again for your continued support, so we can continue to help families like Veronica's. Stay posted for information about two more families we have helped recently! - Mindy

Ephrata 5K and Milton 5K...

We just want to say a BIG thank you to all the runners, walkers, volunteers, and sponsors who helped make both the Ephrata and Milton 5Ks a HUGE success. The Ephrata 5k raised more than $3300, and the Milton 5K raised more than $1300. We continue to be amazed about the continued outpouring of support in honor of Derrick and to aid families in need. With that being said, please check out the earlier post or the website to learn more about Blake Laurelli and an inspiring thank you note that his girlfriend wrote the DJD Foundation. We also receieved a call today from hershey Medical Center with a referral to help a family from Manheim, Pa. I will get you more details as soon as they are available.

Once again, words can not express the gratitude in our hearts for continuing to remember Derrick by participating in these events. Even though it has been a year and eight months since Derrick passed away, he continues to positively impact so many families. Thanks to all your support his memory and his dream will carry on!

Mountains For Blake...

Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of DJD Fight On sponsors and volunteers, we are able to help a new family! DJD Fight On Foundation feels truly honored and blessed to help Deanna and Blake as Blake is battling leukemia.Please read this article about Blake!

About Blake Laurelli – The First One Year Recipient.
He is the classic American story of the times, struggling through the financial crises, a small business owner working in carpentry and Christmas decorating, he almost lost it all. He had smaller jobs, but not the bigger jobs that normally carry his business. There is no savings; there are no assets to sell as it is all tied up in bankruptcy. Jobs are on hold because one has to be complete so there is money to finish the rest and he is relying on others to get them done.

The house is in a state of disrepair because there were no funds last year to fix it, at this point the outside walls in some areas are so bad you can poke your finger though the wood. The carpet was to be replaced after Ophelia and Storm, his dogs, both destroyed it while they were sick in their last days.

Last year was tough, the house and truck have liens, he had no choice but to start bankruptcy proceedings…but there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Before his diagnosis his business was picking up and calls were coming in from referrals. It looked as if this was to be his best summer in five years.

He started making plans to fix the house, the wood on the exterior was rotting and it needed to be sided. He priced health insurance and was finally going to be able to afford to purchase it; he even began making plans for a vacation in Maine with his girlfriend Deanna. He always plans his vacations around mountains. Excitedly he discussed their five year plan, to go on his dream trip across the country and up the coast to Alaska. He wants to rent an RV and travel across the country and then up the coast to Alaska. He saves all his change as part of the Alaska saving fund, every time he is out and he gets changes he shakes it and says....”that’s the sound of Alaska”.

Things were changing and the future looked brighter.

But he was always tired…he thought it was because he was working so hard and was so stressed about his circumstance. He started to feel sicker; finally after a week and a half of feeling bad he went to the E.R.

The doctor came in the room and with one small sentence changed his life, “Leukemia is on the table.”

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, normally a childhood or elderly disease, was confirmed days later. There were complications, clots in his leg, some of which had already traveled to both lungs. He was admitted, spent 9 days in I.C.U. the first few were touch and go but he pulled through and spent nine more days in oncology.









He was sent home to deal with the turmoil leukemia created in his life. His treatment will involve six months of chemotherapy, once every three weeks with every other treatment inpatient for 5-6 days and then a bone marrow transplant.

That means no work for well over a year, no health insurance and an enormity of bills, healthcare expense and living expense.

That is where his girlfriend, family and friends stepped in, even his 10 month old golden retriever puppy Pippin too! She missed him so much when he was in the hospital she cried for five minutes when he came home.

Who is Blake? He's never met a mountain he didn't love and would spend every day outside in the woods hiking, kayaking and around campfires as long as he had access to eagles and Phillies games.

He is a devoted Philadelphia sports fan, loves the Eagles and the Phillies and watches all the games. He was really disappointment when he understood leukemia would keep him from the games this year. While in the hospital the digital conversion went through and he was so upset, the one thing getting him through the days and making it bearable was the Phillies games, the nurses on the oncology floor who love his positive attitude brought him a radio so he could listen to the games.

He would love to live on a farm, and would raise pumpkins and Christmas trees and chickens. He has tried to convince his girlfriend he needs a tractor…now...but she isn’t sure Beesleys Point is ready for some crazy guy in an Eagle’s jersey driving around town on a John Deer tractor.

“Blake is one of those people who always wants to do right by others, his work is meticulous, his play is about enjoying the outdoors , the mountains, the woods and water. He struggled but was building back up and preparing for a bright future and now we want to give that to him.”

“When we discussed the possibilities of what this disease can do, he told me he was going to beat it. I asked him to create some goals to work towards, a personal goal and a goal bigger then himself. His personal goal is to climb Mt. Katahdin in Maine, particularly the knife edge. His bigger goal, is to take what we’ve created for him “Mountains for Blake” and turn it into a fundraising organization for helping others once he has won his fight with Leukemia” says his girlfriend Deanna. “We are going to only look at the positives, and take each day as it comes.”

He needs help…in so many ways. The expense of a disease like this is astronomical, but also he now has no income to pay daily living expenses.

Obviously, he needs a great deal of help, which is REALLY hard for him to handle. He puts on a brave front and acts as normal as possible, but he is struggling in many ways. Having to rely on so many people to get through this is really hard for him, and yet he knows he has no choice. He is in a tough place emotionally and he struggles to remain as much like his old self as possible.

Our goal as his support system, to raise enough funds for one year of living expense, get the house repaired so it is able to make it through the winter and give him time to fight this disease without the stress of worrying about where the money will come from to pay the next bill, so get the medication he needs.

Our goals is to help him win this battle so he can climb Mt Katahdin, travel to Alaska AND carry on his legacy by making Mountains For Blake a dynamic fundraising organization for people just like him.

Golf Tournament

Thank you so much from all of us with the DJD Fight On Foundation. Thanks to all the golfers, volunteers, sponsors, and the golf committee. The outpouring of support, shows just how special Derrick was. A big thank you to Matt Lauffer our speaker for the tournament, you did an excellent job sharing your story! We look forward to seeing everyone at next year's tournament June 25th, 2011 @ 1 @ Manor Golf Course! Look for results from the golf tournament and pictures to be on the website djdfighton.org in the near future! Thanks again and Fight On!


* Also if you'd like to receive DJD Fight On Newsletter, please email us at fightondjd@gmail.com

Happy Birthday...

Just wanted to take a few minutes to say Happy Birthday Derrick! 6/6/85 Please take a few minutes tomorrow to think about positive memories or stories about Derrick and post them here or on our new facebook page. This is the second birthday Derrick has not been here for, but he continues to inspire and motivate people to do great things! Thanks to everyone who keep his memory alive! Happy 25th birthday to the best person, I've ever known!

Maloney Family

Here is a letter from a recent family we helped! Check out the website djdfighton.org under the families helped section for pictures of the family!

My name is Tiffany Maloney. I am 28 years old. I am the Mother of two beautiful little girls. Bryley is 7 years old. Chloe is 3 years old. I was recently diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL).
I have worked in healthcare since I was 18 years old. I started out as a certified nursing assistant in long term care. After the birth of my second child I knew that I was going to have to further my education in order to give my Girls the life that they deserved. I started a Practical Nursing Program in July 2007. It is an accelerated nursing program designed to give you your diploma in 1 year’s time. I was unable to work since all of my time was dedicated to my studies and my children. We managed to get by with the help of family and government assistance. After the first six months of school, I took my student loan rebate and moved my family into an apartment of our own. I paid for 6 months rent in advance so that we could live comfortably until school was finished. During this time, I also reconciled with my oldest daughter’s father. We were a family again, and everything seemed to be coming together.
In February 2009, I was able to buy my own home, with the help of the USDA Rural Development Program. I was able to give my Girls their own bedrooms and a fenced in yard for them to play in. I also got engaged and was planning a wedding in April 2010. It seemed as if everything was just the way I wanted it. All of the hard work was paying off. And I was getting ahead in life, for once.
All of that came to a crashing halt, just before Christmas. I had been sick off and on since Thanksgiving. The doctors kept treating me for sore throats and ear aches and sinus infections, but I never got well. I was tired all the time. I worked 2nd shift, and I was falling asleep driving home. I knew something was wrong but my doctors were only treating my symptoms. After spending 3 days in bed with a fever of 103, I decided to go to the emergency room. I thought I was dehydrated and would get some fluids and be released. Instead I was informed that I may have some type of Cancer and that I was being admitted to the ICU. I couldn’t even tell my family because I didn’t believe it myself. I just lay there and thought about the words that came out of the doctor’s mouth. Was he serious?
The next day, I was transported to Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute. My Nurse informed me that I had Leukemia. I was very confused and scared. I felt like I was not in control of my life anymore. Everything that I had learned in nursing school had left me. My mind was blank. I was angry because I didn’t feel like I was being given enough information. And, I couldn’t help but think about Christmas which was just a week away.
I decided to take part in a Clinical Research Study for ALL. I figured, if I have to have Cancer, something good may as well come of it. I may be able to help others in the future by taking part now. I started chemotherapy on December 23, 2009. I was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve, and I was able to be home for Christmas with my family, which was great.
After the first few treatments, I became very weak and suffered from debilitating headaches. I was not able to take care of my children or myself, for that matter. I stayed in bed for about 6 weeks; because that is the only way I could get any relief from the pain. During that time, I was contacted by Mindy Dull, of the Fight On Foundation. She told me all about Derek, and the Foundation’s work. I explained to Mindy that (at that time) we were doing okay financially, but that I knew the money would not last forever. She suggested that I send the Foundation a list of our monthly bills. Fight On provided my family with enough money to cover at least 2 months of bills. I held on to it until just recently, when we finally had to use it. It was very comforting to know that we had the money if we needed it. I did not have to worry about my finances. I was able to concentrate on my family and my health, which is exactly what Fight On strives for. I am so grateful for what they have done for my family.
I was inspired my Mindy’s strength. I told her that I wanted to be able to give back one day, and she said, “When you’re well, you’ll be able to”. I went into remission after the first course of treatment, and I started to feel so much better. I began concentrating on how I could make a difference. I have started a fundraising association called Tiger Lily Charities which hosts events to raise money for Leukemia patients. It gives me something to look forward to everyday. It’s in my nature to help others, and it makes me feel better when I can. It’s the best medicine for me!
Thank you Fight On. Thank you Mindy. You’re wonderful people!
With love,
Tiffany Maloney

Howell Family and Golf Tourney

The foundation was happy to help the Howell family recently. The DJD Fight On foundation was able to help Vicki and her two grandchildren. Check out the website for pictures of Vicki and her family! Here is a letter Vicki wrote to the DJD foundation and all the supporters of the foundation:

My name is Vicki and I would liek everyone to know how your foundation helped me. I am 49 years old and an 8 year breast cancer survivor. I'm currently going through a divorce, raising my two grandchildren ( 10 months and 21 months). In October 2009, I came down with pneumonia, and in January 2010 was diagnosed with lung cancer. I have missed a lot of work and used up all of my sick days, and then found out I needed surgery and they would do chemo. What was I gonna do. no money coming in, two grandchildren to raise, and I felt all alone. One evening I got a phone call and it was Mindy Dull of the foundationand she heard about me and wanted to do anything to help me. She talked with me all about the foundation and who it helps and ways that it helps. I explained to her that I was not a charity case and she talked to me in a way that made me realize that I just needed the guidance of the foundation to get me through all the terrible times. The foundation has offered to help me pay my bills, so I can actually go through my treatments without the worrying. Thanks to Mindy and her foundation, it's liek an angel has been sent to watch over us. So much of the pressure on me has been lifted off my shoulders. Someday when all is well with me, and I can get back on my feet, I will be able to give a donation to the foundation. There are many people out in this world that need the foundation as much as I did. Again, thank all of you angels in the foundation for your help, understanding, and support.

* Thanks to everyone who makes all of this possible. The DJD Fight On Foundation could not do this without all of you. We truly appreciate your continued support, so that we can keep Derrick's dream alive and continue to help these well- deserving families.

* Please check the website- djdfighton.org for information on signing up for the golf tournament. The forms are on the homepage for downloading and mailing back in! Anyone interested in helping out or donating an item for the silent auction please email us at fightondjd@gmail.com Thank you all so much again for making this possible!

Updates, Events, and New Family...

Hey Everyone! The summer event dates are set! The 5k at Akron park, will be on July 31st. The milton 5k will be August 7th, and the golf tournament will be held June 26th. Check out the website djdfighton.org for more information. You can already download the registration from for the 5k in Milton, and in the next week or two, you will be able to get the applications for both the golf tournament and the 5k.SO mark your claendars and stay tuned! If you are interested in donating or helping with any of the events, please contact me at fightondjd@gmail.com We will also be collecting items for the silent auction.

Thanks to all the outpouring of support from all of you, since it began the foundation has given more than $15,000 to families who are battling cancer. This is astounding, and we look forward to continuing to increase that number!

In the next two weeks we will be helping another family. A woman and her 2grandchildren. This is her second time she has battled cancer! We are excited to be able to help her family!

Also, don't forget to contact me if you are interested in running the marathon October 3rd! You can run the 26.2 miles yourself or as part of a 3 member team, where each member will run 8-9 miles. Shirts will be provided to runners, runners are responsible for their entry fee and raising a minimum $25 for the foundation! Hope everyone is doing well!

The Maloney Family and DJD Fight On marathon...

I am happy to report that the foundation was able to help another family, The Maloney Family, from New Oxford , PA. The mother, Tiffany has ALL and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. She is the mother to two beautiful little girls Chloe (3) and Bryley (7). Tiffany was working as a nurse when she was diagnosed. She is working on sending us a picture of the family, so I will post one as soon as I get it! We are so glad we were able to help!


I am working on getting a DJD Fight On Team together for the October 3, 2010 wineglass marathon in Corning New York. The good news is you can choose to run either the full marathon (26.2 miles) or you can get a team of 3 people to run which means 8-9 miles each. Plus there is plenty of time to train! Please email me at fightondjd@gmail.com for more information if you are interested! Also check out the website for the marathon at wineglassmarathon.com

Mindy