James “Buddy” Early

I want to introduce you to the first man I ever loved, My Daddy, James “Buddy” Early. He was a very strong and healthy 68 year old man, playing golf several times a week and walked 5 miles a day. In November of 2009 he was diagnosed with colon cancer. After 2 surgeries and chemo Daddy beat it totally. He was healthy again and back to normal life when on March 17, 2011, standing on the green about to putt a golf ball he had his first seizure. He was diagnosed with a stroke but after a second seizure 6 weeks later, Daddy was diagnosed with a new primary cancer GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME 4. Daddy was a fighter and he was determined he could beat this cancer too. I watched this strong man go to being a prisoner in a chair within 6 months and even then watched him still fight like crazy for the next year, until September 23, 2012 when the beast won. Daddy was such a loving man with the best sense of humor in the world. He loved my Mama, us kids, grandkids and great-grandkids with everything he had AND HAS LEFT US WITH THOUSANDS OF WONDERFUL MEMORIES AND A LEGACY OF LOVE.
Daddy fought with everything he had. His fight has now become my fight. A passion was born in me through his sickness to do everything I can to bring awareness to brain cancer, especially GBM. Today that passion is a hundred-fold. It consumes me. I will fight until I draw my very last breath to bring awareness to this horrific cancer.