Cancer, Football, and Cheer

Today I once again drove our friend, Nancy, to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. She is undergoing a regimen of chemotherapy and must also receive regular transfusions of platelets. Things have not been easy for Nancy and her husband, Joe. They lost their youngest son, John, 41, just a few weeks ago, but Nancy's illness prevented them from attending John's funeral in South Carolina. (I've written about John in a recent post: John Hathaway) And then, to add to their difficulties, Joe suffered a heart attack here two nights ago. We immediately called the absolutely wonderful Sumter County (Florida) EMTs who treated Joe and transported him to our local hospital in record time. Joe's being treated there now and we hope to have him home here with us sometime tomorrow.

And yet, despite all these sorrows and burdens, Nancy, in the midst of her procedures, was cheered today by the arrival of a few members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. These young men, all rookies and accompanied by several of the team's lovely cheerleaders, stopped by the infusion ward and shared some Halloween candy and smiles with the cancer patients. They were cheerful and friendly and very large. The three who visited us were Vita Vea, a huge defensive tackle, tight end Tanner Hudson, and safety Godwin Igwebuike. They certainly endeared themselves to me because of the gift of small packages of M&Ms. I realize our local NFL team has faced some competitive challenges, but they earned my respect and have become my NFC favorites. (I remain a Patriots fan, but after all they're in the AFC.)

The below photos, taken with my iPhone, show these young men and one of the cheerleaders as they overwhelm Nancy, who swears she was smiling broadly beneath that mask.

Nancy, overshadowed by Vita Vea, DT and Godwin Igwebuike, Safety

Tanner Hudson, Bucs Tight End, with Nancy and a Bucs cheerleader