Time to help one of our own.

[Frank Z]

Some of you know XJ-Grin, also known as Chris Cummins. I've wheeled with Chris and his boys, they're a hoot! I've worked for Chris when he was finishing his basement and I met his wife Sheila at that time. She's a very classy lady and from what I saw...a super mom to her kids!

Chris informed me a couple of days ago that Sheila was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and will shortly undergo Chemotherapy. Needless to say I was stunned and speechless. My thought was to offer my support to Chris' family in any way that would help them out. Chris' has had a tremendous outpouring of support already from friends, neighbors and family.

So what can we do to help Sheila in her battle? Easy! We turn out in mass to watch Chris get his head shaved!! Yeah, I know...You think I've lost my final marble. Sorry to disappoint, I still have 1 left!! Here's what I got from Chris via e-mail, read on fellow wheelers.

Hello Friends:

I apologize if you get this email more than once (it's tough to coordinate the home/work address books), and I apologize if this is the first you have heard of our family's latest challenge (it's tough to keep track of who knows and who doesn't, with all the other new tasks on our plate...).

As a bit of background, my beautiful wife Sheila was diagnosed last month with breast cancer. While no one ever wants to get this diagnosis, be assured that we have our heads straight, our hearts strong, and that we WILL beat this thing! It does leave one wondering what one can do, however. Sheila can fight and follow the advice of her doctors -- she will. I can hold her hand, comfort the kids, and I decided, make a silly and futile gesture that might provide my wife with some laughter during her recovery, as well as raise a few dollars for a worthy cause:

I will be shaving my head for cancer with the St. Baldrick's foundation on March 15, 2009 at the Lansdowne Arms Irish Pub in Highlands Ranch, and would like your support, either in donations, drinks, or even joining me in my foolishness! Details can be found here:

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/shavee_info.php?ParticipantKey=2009-61192#

We appreciate your prayers, thoughts, good vibes and general support -- thanks for being there for us! Give us a call if you have questions, or just want to say hello!

Thanks,

Chris

I asked Chris if it was okay to share this information with all of you and he said it was. He'd have posted it himself but he's not that kinda guy. I on the other hand am nosey and can't keep my pie-hole shut.

The Cummins' Clan isn't asking for a handout, they are asking for a little show of support for the St. Baldricks Foundation...and knowing how big the hearts are around here, I'm sure we can do better than a "little show of support."
So open those coin purse' Ladies and Gents, gas up your rig, and let's all make it a date to be there to support Sheila, the boys, and rub Chris' freshly shaved melon!!
Who's gonna be there?

 

[Skully]

I know how this can affect everyone. Long times friends of 20 years found out she had lymphatic cancer, she has been battling it off and on for the last 5 years, every other year chemo, etc.............. been hard on their two young girls, each other, and the pocket book. Sad part they still live with the tests every three months to see if it comes back. XJ-Grin; your wife, you, and your family are going to need a lot of little support, just don't forget you can always come on here to vent!

Thoughts are with you and your family............



I might not be there but will donate........................:tear:

 

[xj-grin]

Thanks for posting up Frank. It is truly amazing that no matter how many people we talk to, everyone, without exception, has a close friend or relative that has battled breast cancer. The good news is that virtually every one of them are survivors, particularly in the past 10 years.

Though the treatment will undoubtedly suck, we caught it early, and Sheila has an amazing attitude and outlook -- we will beat it, and be back on the trails (both literally and figuratively) by the end of summer. Thanks to all of you for your support, and if you can scrape together a donation for St. Baldricks, and/or come have a cold one, all the better.

I will likely be updating my St. Baldrick's page with a child-cancer patient shortly, as one of the kids in my youngest son's (Riley) pre-kindergarten class has been dealing with Leukemia for the past month or so, and it is truly heartbreaking to watch/read about. In the short time that Sheila and I have been dealing with her disease, and learning about it, one thing has struck us: the incredible amount of money, marketing and research that has been thrown at breast cancer in recent years has had a tremendous impact on the quality of treatments, the knowledge of how/what to do, and ultimately on the survivor rate, which in cases such as Sheila's is now well over 90%. The same efforts need to be made for children suffering from this disease, as their lives are all in front of them, and they deserve every opportunity to live them out to their fullest -- St. Baldrick's is the type of organization that can provide that marketing, visibility, and hopefully funding (that, and you get to laugh at goobers like me with our slick heads!)

Thanks again for your support, and any prayers, karma, good vibes, ritual dances, whatever you can do to bring us good fortune!

Chris, Sheila, Tay and Rileyeace:

 

[YELLAHEEP]

March 15th will be marked on our calendar - Shari and I will be there!

We expect that you'll keep us in the loop with Sheila's progress, and rest assured that if you need anything, you'll find support here within your Chapter! :thumbup:

 

[XJNOOB93]

When I lived in California one of my teammates moms on my water polo team was diagnosed with breast cancer. My whole team decided to step up and shave our heads(and we all had long blonde surfer hair haha). I would probably shave my head with Chris and show my support!

 

[dotcom]

you know ill be there chris, not only to show support but also just to see you get you head shaved .

 

[xj-grin]

you know ill be there chris, not only to show support but also just to see you get you head shaved .

you should join me under the knife.... graybeard.:clap:

 

[.40CalPatriot]

Hey I am down for shaving my head with ya! Unless something REALLY BIG is going on that day I will be there!

 

[Frank Z]

Bump to the top...cuz I fookin' said so!

I know some of you out of state types are reading this...so pony up a couple bucks ya cheapskates!!

 

[JohnJohn]

Posted it to my FaceBook. Hope it helps. I'll try to be there on the 15th, will send a donation tomorrow when my computer is near my wallet.

Chris. Please let "us/your Chapter" know if you every need anything.

 

[DutchVDub]

I hope it all goes well, I can't imagine how hard that can be. My prayers go out to them.

I'd love to attend on the 15th but the Army has other plans.

 

[xj-grin]

Dutch -- are you shipping out, or just drilling? either way, keep your head down.

JohnJohn -- thanks, I think all I really need right now is the ability to accept that I can't make her feel much better, and more freezer space (our neighbors are inundating us with grub) -- first chemo treatment down, and no really nasty side effects yet, just fatigue and generally shittyness...

Thanks to all for all you do -- I have had some folks suggesting they want to get bald with me -- if this is really the case, I may change my registration at St. Baldrick's to "team", and let the rest of you pick up some pledge money for children's cancer too.

BTW, the 6 year old classmate of my boys that I am sponsering in St. Baldrick's is in "clinical remission" with his leukemia as of this afternoon -- the money spent on these things really does make a difference!!

Chris

 

[xj-grin]

OK - so XJNOOB, xjboy and DJ (Kittrell) have all expressed interest in joining me for the Mr. Clean look, as have a few folks on Colorado4x4.org, and a couple of my idiot friends and relatives -- cool, now it is time to walk the walk, because I have changed my registration on St. Baldrick's to "team" instead of "individual".

The Team is Sheila and Evan's Cueballs (Evan is a classmate of my boys who is fighting leukemia, in case you missed it from an earlier post). If you follow this link:

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/team_info.php?TeamKey=2009-4595

it should take you to the team website. Then, if you click on "Be a Shavee", you can sign up to sit in the chair and de-folicle with me. By becoming a member on Team Sheila and Evan's Cueballs, you can also send out your own sub-webpage to all your friends and family to get thier pledges of support ($$), all of which goes to fighting children's cancer. Our event will be at Lansdowne Arms Bistro & Pub in Highlands Ranch on Sunday the 15th of March, so make sure you can be there before you sign up. I had set my own personal fundraising goal at $1k, and am now over 1/2 way there, so I set the team goal at an ambitious $10k... but if we have ten shavees that might not be that crazy... PM me with any questions you have, and thanks again to all those that are shaving, pledging, or just sending out good vibes - it is all appreciated!

Chris

 

[SurfXJSnow]

Chris, I'm truly sorry to hear the news. Remember, I live right down the street so if you guys ever need anything, Karen and I are just 2 streets down... This includes babysitting or anything else we are able to help you guys out with. (That is, if you trust a guy that almost demolished your cooler to babysit your children... )

I will see if work permits me to show up on march 15th. But my question is, do i have to shave my whole head?... or can I do something more humerous like a mohawk or something? Something to give a few laughs in the crowd...

Just a thought...

My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family.

 

[xj-grin]

Chris, I'm truly sorry to hear the news. Remember, I live right down the street so if you guys ever need anything, Karen and I are just 2 streets down... This includes babysitting or anything else we are able to help you guys out with. (That is, if you trust a guy that almost demolished your cooler to babysit your children... )

I will see if work permits me to show up on march 15th. But my question is, do i have to shave my whole head?... or can I do something more humerous like a mohawk or something? Something to give a few laughs in the crowd...

Just a thought...

My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family.

Thanks, Jonathan.... if you sign up for St. Baldrick's it ALL goes, mohawks are for pansys! :shhh:

 

[kidcuisine]

Unfortuantely I dont know any of you, but I will do my best to make it. It will be good to finally meet some of you, too bad it has to be under such awful circumstances. However I do look forward to it.

 

[xj-grin]

Snotty (Bill) from over at Colorado4x4.org has joined the cause and will be becoming folicle-challenged with me on the March 15th -- come on fellas, you know you "Wanna be like Mie"!!

Sign up for "Team Sheila and Evan's Cueballs" at:

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/team_info.php?TeamKey=2009-4595#

or pledge money for Bill and I to help out children's cancer research!:yelclap:

 

[.40CalPatriot]

I will sign up tomorrow when I can have access to an actual computer. I am on my iPod right now. I am hoping to get everyone at my work to donate. All those government people love to donate some of their large checks.

 

[xj-grin]

for the record, it was supposed to read "wanna be like Mike" -- my funny lost the funnay when I failed to spell...:tears:

 

[.40CalPatriot]

Ok I am registered!