My Namesake ~ For those lost & saved from Cancer

The importance of ones namesake traces back their origins.  Here, we hold alternative namesakes that often times hold meanings that go deeper than your own given namesake.  Mine rolls deep to my heart.

About 4 years ago my father was diagnosed with an untreatable cancer.  Going into this battle as a family, we knew its outcome and yet we fought.  During that period of time I struggled to cope with it and look forward to what the future was about to become.  I wanted to raise awareness of screening and treatment for blood cancers and thus, FishingForTheCure begun.  A way to reach others through the brotherhood of fishing and deal with the loss that soon became.  Now two years after his passing, Im turning to my brothers and sisters of NCKA to share their remembrance of loved ones lost to cancers.

As I sit here now and apply my namesake to my kayak, I want to offer those who are willing to share their story the option of having their lost loved ones name and date of passing added to the kayak.  Just send me their name and I will cover the kayak.  My goal is for even one stranger to come forward and ask, "what are all the names for" so we can open the lines of communication about cancer awareness; whatever the form may be.  I start tomorrow with my own fathers name and offer the same respect and rememberance to my fellow, extended family on here!  No fees ... No gimmicks ... Nothing in return.

Thanks and I look forward to seeing you on the water!

Bill

 
Thank you for your explanation of your handle.  It sounds like a noble exercise.   What your doing is something I can do for my father
Manual "Manny" 8/4/09 on my OB!  It's a great way to honor his memory!
  We believe something related to a stroke my dad had back in 07' caught up with him.  My stepmom received a voice mail from him stating that "He was very dizzy" when she returned his call, approx 7 Min's later she got no answere.  After a few more calls she ascertained that he didn't leave one of his job sites and she found him at one, still sitting in his PT cruiser, slumped over onto the steering wheel, still holding his cell.
  Very sad.    I only hope he simply fell asleep.

Hi Bill!
What a heartfelt and moving endeavor!

My grandmother passed-on in 2008. The thing is, she would kill me if we put her name on your memory kayak....She was never a big "water" person, haha!

She would turn green as soon as she was on any kind of water craft, which was very amusing to my grandfather (who was an avid sailor)! Back in the late 1960's he moved his wife and children to Australia, and while they waited for their belongings to arrive (shipped in a container), they sailed by catamaran around the coast for about three weeks. My grandfather will tell you it was the best time of his life, however, when my grandma was alive, she would never miss a chance to tell you how it was the worst three weeks of her life 

So, I can't add her name....but she would get a kick out of my thinking about it, hehe.

-Cherie

Glenn Stockwell - My Dad - He passed away on 1/29/08, but he had a massive stroke on 9/13/07, and that's the date I'll always remember.  The stroke was from melanoma tumors in his brain.

I was heavily involved in his care and communications with him for four months before he passed, and I will never forget that time.  What I always feel compelled to share with others is the following:

- find the things you can control and focus on them, instead of focusing on what you cannot control.
- find the half-full part whenever you can.

Cancer is a part of life - a shitty part, but a part that will affect many of us.  Live your life.  Help others to live theirs.  Be ready for changes.  Achieve more before change pushes you past the opportunity.  I believe these are worthwhile things to focus on, and I thank you, Bill, for giving me the opportunity to share my heart and appeal to the community.    

Your dad did a great job raising you, as I'm sure you are doing the same for your children. Just to learn and be able to share what, how , and why you learned these life lessons is powerful and inspirational; especially for the ones closest to you. Unfortunately cancer will effect almost every family in some way or another. Sadly, it will not always be in a, life altering but, positive way. 

Thank you Bill for sharing and for doing this....really special.

Here are the names I run in memory of...Eric already told you about his Dad's name:

Greg Melendy
Mac Keen
Stephen Pass
Glenn Stockwell
Scott Scott
Jimmy Campbell

Thanks again buddy.

Sincerely,

Jim

David Butterfield. Lost him when I was 15 to lukemia. It was devastating to me at such a young age. I am running my first marathon in his name in San Diego for lukemia run. Great idea to do this btw. It's a terrible disease

Prettty sweet of you.  Thanks.

We had a very active member and leader here at NCKA named Steve Blackwell.  Originally known as "Chef," then changed to "Jade Pirate" when he started wearing an eyepatch.  Cancer took one eye, and then his life, but never his memory.

Look him up on old threads.

he loved Big Sur and I was blessed to accompany him on his last fishing trip there. (With PAL, Pat and Randy)

 

Please give him a prominent spot on the yak.  Somewhere near the front, cause he was a pioneer.

Thanks

Allen

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=7697.30

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,8458.0.html

George Ambrose
My grand father lost his battle with cancer in 94 it was the first and last  funereal for me and the only time I've seen my dad cry.who is a cancer survivor.
 Thank you Bill your doing something amazing!!

Reading your post brought out a lot of emotion. I want to thank you for honoring all of these special people.

My father Kenneth Oral Pratt passed August 27, 1997 after a six month battle. Every time I am on the water I know he is with me and I feel closer to him than any other time.  One of my last memories with him was when I took him out on the Feather River and I out fished him. That was the only time that had ever happened and he was okay with it. After that trip he was to weak to go out again.

Man I am missing him now...

Thank you again


CANCER SUCKS

Matthew Pierce

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=44415.0

Sincerely,

Jim

After a year-long battle, my mother in-law, Carolyn Musto, succumbed to pancreatic cancer in July of 2010 (one week before the first PIF Fundraiser event). It was a very difficult time for my wife & I. And she still cries when we watch certain movies/shows. In 2011, we named our daughter Carolyn Rose because her mother loved roses & gardening. I don't believe in reincarnation, but little Rosie makes me second-guess my beliefs...because she exhibits a lot of similarities to her beloved grandmother.

Thomas "Tommy" Gurido / November 2003 - August 2006
Cancer is a vicious hartless disease.We found out about Lymphoma cancer as my grandson celebrated his second birthday. Sadly, six months later he was taken from us.

Thank you Bill,
This is a good way to raise awareness

See Ya Soon,
Eric / Yakhopper

I'd like to thank you all who have contributed stories & memories!  Those of you who have indicated it is ok, I will be adding the names this weekend.  If you have a year associated with them, that would be great as well.  I can add it later too... 

Please, keep the stories coming and the names of a love one lost.

For those of you who have a story of one cured, please post that too and I'd love to save room for the ones who BEAT cancer!  Those are equally as special. 

Thanks again for all the support!!!!

Bill

Doug Jung - 4/23/06

My pops was diagnosed with oat cell lung cancer in 2005 and made it about 1 year and passed away couple weeks from his birthday.  This was considered early detection, but if any of you are familiar with oat cell (aka small cell) cancer, it is rapidly metastatic and doesn't really have stages like non small cell cancer.  So even with the early detection, it had already spread to his adrenal gland which couldn't handle radiation treatments since it was near too many vital organs.  After going through all 6 chemotherapy that was available for this type of cancer at the time, it just wasn't enough to stop it and eventually spread to his liver, pancreas, and brain.

I think awareness of the different types of cancer is a great thing and it is really great of you to do this Bill.  My pop's name definitely belongs on the water because he loved the ocean and everything I know about fishing today I learned from him.  He will be missed.

Thanks again for doing this Bill and I hope to meet you someday in person.