Some dates on the calendar carry more weight than others. For cancer patients, the date of diagnosis signifies the clear “before” and “after” moment—with following dates representing the journey that cancer becomes. PJ Aldridge, co-founder of the lung cancer foundation that bears his name, has had many significant dates—the day he surpassed the initial grim prognosis of three months to live…the day he reached the year marker since diagnosis…the day he handed a check for $150,000 to his doctor for lung cancer research.
The thing about living with cancer, and being the veritable ambassador of your own foundation, is that many of your dates, your “big moments,” become significant moments for others.
Jamie McCoy, an Eastern Shore native from East New Market, MD, read an article about PJ Aldridge months ago, deciding then and there she wanted to meet him. She was struck by what a wonderful person he seemed to be–to find out he has lung cancer, then live with it in such a public way in order to help others—so rare and unselfish. McCoy looked into the PJ Aldridge Foundation, discovering they were conducting a raffle for all of Oprah’s Favorite Things, to raise money for research funding for lung cancer. She intended to purchase tickets, not ever thinking she would win.
Wednesday August 30th was planned to be a big calendar day for the PJ Aldridge Foundation, PJ himself, and another unknown person—the winner who would take all in the raffle for PJ and Oprah’s Favorite Things. This raffle process had taken months, the culmination being a party at Lighthouse Sound where PJ and co-founder Vera Vickers would announce the winner.
The Monday prior, Jamie McCoy viewed a posting on Facebook–the raffle was ending soon, and bought six tickets for $100. McCoy purchased the tickets because of PJ’s story, and in light of the fact she and her boyfriend Bruce had been personally affected by lung cancer—both of their grandmothers had died from the disease. She wanted to do something; the raffle gave her the opportunity. With winning not even an option in her mind, McCoy may have been one of the very few who purchased tickets, unaware of when the winner would be announced.
For all intents and purposes, the choosing of the raffle winner, and the public announcement were set—with one major exception, PJ and Vera would not be present. PJ was scheduled for surgery Tuesday August 29th—the day before the raffle’s finale. A spot had appeared on his lung, a nodule. Dr. Edelman, PJ’s doctor explained the surgery in rather simple terms—the drug PJ had been taking successfully, Tarceva was making all of the molecules in his lung behave, with the exception of this nodule. The procedure would remove the misbehaving nodule anticipating that Tarceva would continue to do its job on the rest.
The idea was tossed around of perhaps pushing the closing of the raffle back, or at least the announcement of the winner, but PJ wished for everything to remain as normal as possible–continuing on with the regular plan. Thousands of people were counting on the foundation—PJ couldn’t let his personal experience—a difficult surgery, stand in the way.
That’s the reality of living with cancer. You could be a public figure, with a foundation named after you, thousands of people counting on you, and still it could rear its ugly head at any moment.
On August 30th—the winner of the raffle, Jamie McCoy—was revealed at the party at Lighthouse Sound. Jamie didn’t personally learn the news until local radio DJ Bulldog from Ocean 98.1, WOCM called her live on the radio the next day, while she was at work–her response was overwhelming disbelief mixed with excitement.
Thousands of people entered the raffle, with proceeds for lung cancer research totaling over $50,000. Most entries were from Maryland, many locally concentrated—but others came in too—from various states across the country.
One very large donation–$1,000 came from Bonnie J. Addario, founder of the lung cancer foundation that bears her name. To date, the Bonnie J. Addario Foundation has raised more than six million for lung cancer research, making them the giant of the lung cancer crusade. While in California a few weeks ago for a fundraiser with designer Robert Graham, PJ and Vera were invited to have lunch with Bonnie Addario at her home—where she graciously handed over the check, and then offered a meeting with her team of people, to help take the PJ Aldridge Foundation even further.
People like PJ and Bonnie are the exception to the world of lung cancer—they are surviving, while most people do not. It seems then a likely step to band together in hopes that others can have the same results. For these foundations, business as usual in the war against cancer just isn’t possible.
The PJ Aldridge Foundation speaks often of wishing to do for lung cancer what Susan G. Komen has done for breast cancer. The big glaring difference with lung cancer is that there is not an enormous network of survivors who become part of communities the world over, banding together to help others fight the disease. Instead, it’s just a few survivors; fewer still like PJ and Bonnie who agree to live their lives publically in order to help others.
At this stage in the crusade against lung cancer, every event, every contact, every opportunity to raise money for funding is essential, and it is working. When PJ was diagnosed, his only option was the drug Tarceva. There was always a chance that the drug may stop working. Now, just 18 months later the FDA has approved two new drugs from research trials that will enable many other lung cancer patients to be given the same fighting chance. These drugs are a game changer—and for those who devote their lives to bringing about such change, there’s nothing more validating.
When PJ was able to communicate after his surgery, the first question he asked was how the raffle turned out. He wanted more than anything to be there to announce the winner, and then to hand the raffle items over to Jamie McCoy.
For her part, McCoy may still get her wish to meet PJ–when she picks up her new Volkswagen Beetle–PJ intends to be there to hand over the keys. As for the rest of the items McCoy won, she intends to pay it forward by giving away most of the items to deserving family and friends. She also donated an additional $500 to the Aldridge Foundation. McCoy is still overwhelmed, and certainly thankful she won—the car is especially needed—but the biggest thrill is being able to become a part of the foundation, and share a big moment with the man whose story first touched her heart months ago.
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