June 1, 2005

Cancer survivors don’t give up

Watch out, the following article may make you cry. It’s about three very different cancer survivors, one older, one quite young and one a young adult with a young family.

Gabrian Richardson marches along with the rest of the survivors and his dad Gerald during the survivor lap.

Nick Clason is 63 years old. He fought his first battle with cancer in 1957. That was a melanoma. Two years later he came down with leukemia that went into remission for about four years and came back. He fought it off again. In 1987, doctors discovered he had a cancerous brain tumor and last year he began fighting liver and kidney cancer. In fact, he had a chemotherapy treatment for nueroblastoma the morning of May 14, when Willow Glen’s Relay For Life began.

“I won’t give up,” he said. “It started in high school. I have two choices. I can give up or keep fighting. I choose to keep fighting. This afternoon, I get to take care of my 3-year-old granddaughter while her parents go away for the weekend. It doesn’t do any good to sit around and worry. I’d rather be doing something. In fact, I’ll probably get some painting done this afternoon.”

Clason has two children and three grandchildren. His daughter Sherry Rodriguez has been an active participant in Relay For Life for the past five years. His wife is on a Relay team. He notes that his attitude and the support of his family have been the most important things in his life.

Clason was a manufacturing engineer for IBM when he retired. He keeps busy with the IBM Retirement Club with whom he bowls and helps pick up trash on Highway 85. In addition, he has a 1941 Chevy pickup truck that he restored.

“I like life. Too many of my friends have died and I’ve seen how it messes lives up. So I fight.”

Gabrian Richardson is another fighter. The 5-year-old contracted acute lymphocytic leukemia or ALL when he was just over 2 years.

“We just finished with his last treatment,” said his dad Gerald Richardson.” It’s a relief, but it’s also nerve racking because we’re so used to going to the hospital.”

The Richardsons relax in the survivor tent. Seven-year-old Chris is on the left, with Gerald and 5-year old Gabrian on the right.

Gabrian visited the hospital three or four times a week when he was first diagnosed. Often Richardson said, Gabrian would have a treatment and then get a fever or infection. “The first six months, he spent a lot of time in the hospital. Because of the chemo, his immune system was down, which would trigger fevers and infections.”

Finally, he started getting his chemo at home, three times a day. “It was something I never imagined I’d be able to get through. But we did and we are stronger as individuals and as a family. It’s difficult to understand, why is this happening to us. It’s hard to keep your sanity and to stay positive. But it’s given us a different view on life. It’s opened up so many things that I took for granted before. Now, I listen to birds sing and take time to enjoy a beautiful day.”

Gabrian now goes to a parent-participatory preschool in Cupertino. He also is involved in T-ball. In fact, the family left the Relay so that Gabrian could play his T-ball game at noon. “He plays in Little League, he runs and hits just as good as everyone else.”

Amy, Ty and Chris Goldsbury pose for the camera.

Finally, there’s Amy Goldsbury. She found out she had cancer when she was 29 years old. Her son was just 17 months when she developed symptoms. She immediately took herself to a doctor, one she’d never seen before, who ordered a colonoscopy because of Amy’s symptoms. Within 10 days, she had surgery and four weeks later began her chemotherapy treatments.

“I was just very lucky,” she said. “Most doctors said they wouldn’t have ordered a colonoscopy, Even the doctor that ordered it, wasn’t sure why she did, she just thought it was important. It saved my life.”

Amy is holding her breath. She’s in remission now, but colon cancer typically comes back within two years. Once she’s reached the five-year mark, she’s cured.

“My family and friends have provided fabulous support,” she said.