Lou was diagnosed with ocular melanoma in December 2002, when new prescription glasses failed to fix the blurry vision in his right eye. He was only 30 years old. He and his wife had just had their second child. Lou went through many months of radiation therapy which eventually cured the cancer in his eye.
This type of cancer often spreads through the bloodstream, even after the original tumor is eradicated. It requires follow-up screenings to watch for new tumors that might develop, usually in the liver and lungs. The cancer showed up in Lou's liver in late 2006. At that point, even with aggressive treatment, a cancer victim's life expectancy is about four months. Only 10% survive a full year.
Lou fought the cancer as hard as he could, enduring repeated and drastic surgeries at the National Institutes of Health hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Despite his constant pain and heavy regimen of pain medicine, he insisted on buying a bicycle and participating in the August 2007 Lance Armstrong LiveStrong fund raising event in Philadelphia. He completed the full 40 mile ride.
As 2008 dawned the cancer in his liver briefly appeared to be improving, but new tumors began showing up in his legs, head and lungs. He didn't let up in his fight, because he had a wife and two young boys. He fought for every minute he could spend with them. The last minute was 12:17 p.m. on Sunday, May 25, 2008.
Cancer is a terrible disease. It can strike at random. It can take our loved ones and put them through experiences very similar to Lou's. And too often it takes them for good, despite the best care currently available. It's heartbreaking when cancer's victims are so young.
Since 2003 my wife and I have been walking and raising funds in the annual Relay for Life, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. There's a Relay in almost every community in America. We hope you'll join us this year...or perhaps next year when we do it again. Our son Lou would be proud of you.
Bob Fulkerson
bob@fulkerson.org
Sheridan, Wyoming
Further Information about Lou and his fight against ocular melanoma:
Ride4OM - Lou co-founded Ride4OM to help raise awareness about ocular melanoma and provide support for patients and families. He was intrigued by the number of old railroad right-of-ways that had been turned into bike paths, including those which ran from his Virginia community into Washington, DC. He proposed that the longest of these, from Pittsburgh to Washington, be used for the Ride4OM event. |