In early August, my dad (Bill Follert) was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the form of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (or GIST).

After months of intense stomach pain, a trip to the emergency department, an inpatient stay and a biopsy, the medical team confirmed the multiple tumor growths on his abdominal sac (which holds all our organs in place).

His medical team is working diligently to stop the spread of the disease and shrink the current tumors by using an FDA approved medication. This will allow my dad to live a relatively ‘normal’ life as we monitor and plan for next steps.

His friends were kind enough to organize this benefit which would allow us to get together and see familiar faces while eating some good food! All the proceeds of this will go towards living expenses for my dad.

If you would like to donate an item or make a dish, that would be great. Please reach out to me or the contact on the flyer.

I would like to add that those who have reached out, called, invited him to go out to events, and in general keep tabs on us is so much appreciated! We are bigger than this and I have no doubt that we will get through it. We are also always willing to hear about how other managed through a diagnosis, things that helped, and overall support and ideas.

Please feel free to share the event and we look forward to enjoying the day with those who are able to make it!!

**The photo on the cover of the event makes me laugh as I would get many photos from his crew back when he was working. I have a file saved on my phone called ‘backing up’ with photos of him backing up on the roller. The running joke was that the machine didn’t move forward. I also got some photos of him with the ice cream truck, but I digress