Our hero, Jim Boo needs our help!

This man needs no introduction, but he does have a new chapter in his life that we need to share. My dad, our Papa and a friend to all, received an unfortunate diagnosis this last year. Multiple Myeloma. This is a cancer that spread throughout his bone marrow and had progressed to a pretty significant level. His girlfriend and best friend for the past 3 years, encouraged him to go get a checkup (as we all who know him, know he wouldn't have done so, at least not with any urgency). Thats when he learned the news. When he asked the doctor the tough question, "if she wouldn't have pushed me to get established with a doc, how long would it have taken?" The doctor replied without hesitation "6 months."

That brings us to today. He has been on a treatment regimen with various modifications due to early success and then a drastic setback due to unfortunate treatment decisions made by his cancer doctor (who we learned is very proficient with breast cancer, but new to the multiple myeloma world). His treatments are now being directed by a Myeloma research specialist in Omaha. The goal now is to get his cancer levels down to a point that would allow for a bone marrow transplant. Best case scenario, they will harvest his own marrow stem cells that they can use later after they "kill off" his bone marrow. They will then use the stem cells to generate new marrow. This could take place within the next two months if all goes well.

With the transplant, he will be in the hospital with 24hr monitoring for two weeks and then will need to be in isolation at home for at least 3 months. This process will hopefully lead him into remission. This is where you all come in. He will be without income for at least 3 months and will be touch and go for a bit after that for his tolerance returning to a work day. As you can imagine, this will impose quite a financial strain.

It is my hope that all of you that I know, remember how much of an impact this man had on our community and young men growing up in Norton, Kansas. The countless hours spent coaching on the baseball fields from the time we were in the 2nd grade until we got to high school. The years he and other leaders took us through our adventures with the Boy Scouts. Not only did he help us all learn the game of baseball to the best of his abilities, or the endless list of outdoor survival skills, he helped shape us all into the men, brothers, fathers and leaders that we are today.

So if you can, lets help him get through this summer worry-free, so that he can focus on getting healthy, getting stronger and getting back to the Jim Boo that we all know and love! Thank you, Thank you!!!