Join Us in Supporting Coach Eric Boyer

Dear friends and baseball/softball families,

We are reaching out with a heavy heart, but also with hope and determination, as we share the story of a truly awesome person and coach, Eric Boyer.

Eric has been such a warrior, many of you may not know that he was diagnosed with stage 2 esophageal cancer in September 2022. He underwent radiation and chemotherapy that fall and an esophagectomy (removal of his esophagus) in February 2023. He spent a few weeks in the hospital and had a feeding tube for a month. Eventually, he was able to eat by mouth again and seemed to be back in good health. His repeat scans were clear, and it seemed like they got it all! Through all this, Coach Eric hardly missed a practice…

Unfortunately, in March 2024, he had a scan that showed the tumor was back near his spine and wrapped in scar tissue from his prior surgery. There was also a cancerous lesion on a rib. He underwent another surgery in May 2024, but it was unsuccessful, and the tumor could not be removed. He had radiation to treat the rib and so far, that area seems to have responded to the radiation.

His medical team at Duke was unsure of the next steps. Given the location and type of his tumor, they had no promising treatment options available. However, they recommended a second opinion to see if he would be a candidate for an advanced form of radiation therapy (proton therapy). He was seen at Emory in Atlanta a few weeks ago and they decided that he is a good candidate and recommended proton therapy along with chemotherapy. His treatment is scheduled to start on November 6.

Eric has shown incredible courage as he navigates this difficult time and his energy coaching on the ball field is remarkable. Honestly, if we hadn't asked about his health, we might still be unaware that his cancer has returned. He never stopped coaching, never slowed down, never appeared to be distracted, and always wanted our kids to learn, get better, and have fun. As you can imagine, this new treatment in Atlanta will come at a cost for him and his family and to help alleviate some of this stress, we are organizing a fundraiser to help them during this challenging time.

We invite you to join us in this effort by contributing to a GoFundMe account. All proceeds from this event will go directly to Eric and his family, to help with medical expenses, hotels, Ubers, meals for Eric while he is away, order ahead meals for the family at home, travel expenses for Stacie when she is able to go down there and the many additional costs that come with this kind of treatment.

Every act of kindness, big or small, matters. Together, we can truly make a difference. Let's support Eric, Stacie, Rhys, Emersyn, and Locklan and show that our community cares.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and for your generosity in advance.

With heartfelt gratitude,

The Pranges