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Sep 3, 2008 4:51 pm US/Eastern
Local Patient Stands Up To Cancer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Cancer patients from our area have been invited to attend the Stand Up To Cancer fundraiser in California on September 5th.
CBS
Cancer patients from our area have been invited to attend
the Stand Up To Cancer fundraiser in California
on September 5th. Three of
the major networks will simultaneously broadcast the special to help raise
money and awareness. Medical Reporter
Stephanie Stahl introduces us to one guest.
John McClelland is
getting an MRI at Bryn
Mawr Hospital
to see if lesions on his liver are growing.
He has stage four colon cancer that's spreading.
"It is a devastating
disease. It's ruthless and relentless,"
said John.
"I wake up at night
crying thinking that someday he's not going to be beside me, and that's going
to be tough for me to face," said Patty McClelland, John's wife.
John had surgery,
chemotherapy and radiation. His mission
now is to help other cancer patients. So
he volunteered to help with the Stand Up To Cancer event.
Instead of using his services, they invited him and his
wife to be guests at the show.
"I'm just thrilled to
be invited to attend," said John. His
co-workers at The Pennsylvania Trust Company all chipped in donating money to
pay for the plane tickets and a hotel room.
"We raised 2500 in five
minutes. It's an honor not anyone gets
invited. I think John has displayed a
lot of courage and interest," said Rich Merriman, President and CEO of The
Pennsylvania Trust Company.
John says he feels a
special connection with CBS anchor Katie Couric, who is a co-founder of Stand
Up to Cancer.
"I just give her so
much credit for using her immediate connections to raise awareness and to promote
Stand Up to Cancer as well," said John.
Katie's husband Jay
died at the age of 42, from the same cancer John is battling.
"They tell me stage
four cancer is the challenging type of cancer.
I'm hopeful as we go forward with Stand Up to Cancer and through the
process of fundraising the scientists will be able to say yes we found a cure
and that I will benefit from that," said John.
But for now John will
be back on oral chemotherapy when he goes to California for Stand Up to Cancer. The MRI showed his cancer is progressing.
Click her for more info: Stand Up To Cancer
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