The R E Shorter Cancer Memorial Fund CHARITYSMITH

The R E SHORTER CANCER MEMORIAL FUND

RONALD E. SHORTER 1947-2007

Ronald E. ShorterRon Shorter was a devoted husband, loving father and adoring grandfather. Ron's friends and family describe him as a fun loving, caring, hardworking and honest person with dreams of retiring early to enjoy a "life of leisure" and pursue his love of fishing.

Those dreams were crushed when, while watching a UT and LSU football game on September 26, 2005, he discovered a lump on his neck. A trip to the doctor confirmed that the lump was a cancerous tumor. Ron had no symptoms leading up to discovering the lump and told doctors it was impossible that he had cancer because he "felt so good." Most cancers are silent until they spread, and Ron had been living with cancer for a while and had no idea.

Ron immediately started chemotherapy treatments, which were followed by radiation therapy. He would have a series of treatments and would return to work the following day. Ron loved working and attempted to keep his life "normal" until doctors told him he had to take some time off. He was very stubborn and kept working till his body would no longer let him.

Ron thought he had beaten this terrible disease when only a few months later he was faced with another challenge, a brain tumor. Ron had surgery to remove the brain tumor, followed by more radiation treatments. During all of his treatments, he was determined to beat this disease. He never complained and was always optimistic.

Some time passed, and once again, Ron thought he had beaten cancer. But six months later, he was diagnosed with cancer of the spinal cord on his neck. He maintained to stay strong and never gave up hope. Yet again, he agreed to more cancer therapy, although doctors gave him little hope of surviving.

Ron fought his battle with courage, strength and determination. Anyone diagnosed with cancer has to be brave, strong and willing to fight. They are, after all, fighting for their lives.

During the Shorter family's struggle with Ron's disease, they learned about the painful challenges associated with this specific type of cancer. Not only can the diagnosis be life-threatening, but many patients as a result of the disease and its treatment must also endure alterations in facial and neck appearance as well as alterations in speech, sight, smell, chewing, swallowing and taste perception. As a less common form of cancer, head, neck and throat cancer research needs additional funding.

The intent of the R.E. Shorter Cancer Memorial Fund is to provide financial assistance for research and patient support. The fight for cancer can be won. In memory of Ron and in honor of all the brave people entrenched in a fight with cancer, we want the fight to continue so that one day cancer will be a curable disease.

 

 

Fund Administrators:

 

 

Donations:

All donations to The R E Shorter Cancer Memorial Fund (a division of CHARITYSMITH) are tax deductible in accordance with federal tax laws. Donations can be made using one of the following secure methods:

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