Remembering A Modest Hero
Back in April of 2022, I featured my friend and local Cancer Research Advocate Jeff Lindgren on our “Helping Your Hometown” segment, where he talked about his brain cancer diagnosis and what he planned to do to raise money to combat this rare type of cancer. Jeff had a unique fundraising idea: as an avid hiker his whole life, he decided he would climb The Matterhorn in Switzerland to raise money and awareness regarding Glioblastoma, the rare form of brain-based cancer that he was diagnosed with about a year before our interview took place. Jeff accomplished that incredibly difficult climb last August, describing the exhilarating experience to me in a conversation after he returned home: “My favorite part of the climb was physically reaching for each rock, propelling myself forward, getting closer and closer to the goal.” Jeff’s health and physical abilities deteriorated rapidly last Fall; he passed away peacefully at home in early January. Refusing to let the cancer define his final days, Jeff kept a smile on his face and a vast pool of optimism in his words. Jeff was one of the fortunate few who lived, and thrived, well beyond what healthcare professionals typically see in patients diagnosed with Glioblastoma. More the reason, Jeff would say, to find ways to give other patients the same opportunities to live and play longer. Jeff was a proud husband and father, a successful entrepreneur, a music lover and a great friend. He was also a passionate advocate for the well-being of other people. We need more Jeffs. His memorial service is April 1st.
www.glioblastomafoundation.org
