Pam and Dave Burns

Here is a letter from the newest family we helped. Thanks to everyone who continues to support the DJD Fight On Foundation, so we can help families like these. Check the website out in a few days www.djdfighton.org for a picture of Pam and Dave Burns.

Dear Mindy and the DJD Fight on Foundation:

As a writer, I was almost at a loss as to how to start this letter to Mindy and your group. I want to find just the right words to express to you the gratitude Dave and I feel about your generous donation. Throughout Dave’s ordeal I have been consistently and constantly amazed at how generous, supportive and wonderful people can be. It is truly inspiring and very humbling.
First, let me tell you a little bit about Dave. He was first diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia 15 years ago when he was in his 30s. He did receive an auto transplant at that time, which put him in remission for one year. He then received a second transplant from a MUD (Matched Unrelated Donor). The second transplant was successful in keeping Dave in remission for 14 years!! In August 2009, just days before our 2nd wedding anniversary, Dave got a call from his doctor that his leukemia had returned. He underwent intensive chemotherapy, which was successful at putting him back in remission for a year. By February 2011, the leukemia had returned once again. Dave just underwent inpatient chemotherapy at Fox Chase/Temple in Philadelphia for 5 days. He is now at Geisinger slowly recovering, as we wait for his white blood cell count to return. He has had a few fevers, but other than just general tiredness and some pain, Dave is doing well. We just received word that he will receive a Donor Lymphocyte Infusion (mini-transplant) in a few weeks back at Fox Chase/Temple.
If anyone knows Dave, they know what a positive person he is. His trademark optimism has helped to keep me sane through much of this, since I did not know Dave when he was first diagnosed. In fact, when Dave was well he often called on and visited others in the community who were diagnosed with leukemia. A few years ago he also participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training event, bicycling 100 miles in one day and raising $5,300 for LLS.
I will say that Dave has some bad days. Now on the cusp of receiving his 3rd bone marrow transplant, Dave has the worries of not only will the transplant be effective, but he worries about me and the bills as well – something I constantly tell him not to worry about, instead telling him to concentrate only on himself and getting better. The generous donation from the DJD Fight On Foundation will help tremendously in negating Dave’s fears about me and the household bills. Truth be told, we both had tears in our eyes when I read the email from Mindy telling us how much your foundation agreed to give to us.
You are truly doing something wonderful and carrying on a great legacy in Derrick’s memory.
As I stated earlier, Dave and I have been truly blessed to encounter such wonderful people that have offered us prayers, support, and donations to help us through this journey.
Thank you Mindy and DJD Foundation for all that you do. It is nice that you can offer a lending hand, having experienced what many of us are experiencing now – trying to fight this horrible disease, supporting our loved ones, paying our bills, working, traveling to and from appointments – all which are very taxing to the spirit and the physical body. Mindy, you are an incredibly strong person for reaching out and helping others as you do. You understand how overwhelming it all can be and we thank from the bottom of our hearts.
Our hope is to pay it forward when we get the chance.
In Sincere Appreciation,
Pam and Dave Burns
Thanks and Have a Great Day!

Pamela Brennan Burns

Beef and Beer Update

A BIG thank you to everyone who attended, helped out, and donated to the Beef and Beer benefit. The 3rd annual DJD Fight On Beef and Beer benefit was a big success, raising $2951 to help families battling cancer. We could not have done it without all your support! Thanks again!

Beef and Beer Update...

We will be auctioning off an autographed Brian Westbrook jersey, and we will also have several baskets up for auction, including an Italian themed basket, a choclate themed basket, and many more! We hope to see you all there to support families with cancer and to honor Derrick.

Beef and Beer Fundraiser

The 3rd annual beef and beer fundraiser will be held March 12th at Finnegan's Wake in Philadephia. $30 tickets at the door! All you can eat and all you can drink beer, wine, and well drinks!The event is from 4-7! There will also be a 50/50 raffle!Hope to see you all there!

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!