GAL Magazine - Justin’s Fight Club Kicks Cancer’s Butt

Justin’s Fight Club Kicks Cancer’s Butt

Written by Karin Goodhue

It was a crisp morning October 11th, 2008 when my family and I entered the parking lot of WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC for the annual Cary Walk For Hope to benefit the LUNGevity Foundation. My two-year-old nephew Jeffrey sat in his car seat between my sister and I in the back. Justin drove while my father rode as front passenger. All five of us wore matching yellow shirts reading the team name, Justin’s Fight Club on our backs and white rubber bracelets on our wrists. Jeffrey played with one of the bracelets etched with his father’s team name and a slogan reading “Kickin’ Cancer’s Butt”. Signs for the event lined the edge of the pavement pointing us in the right direction. It was our first time at a cancer walk and the first of many for Justin Andrews, my brother-in-law recently diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer.

We arrived early so we could set up our team and greet the friends and family joining us. As we parked and neared the open field, a yellow sign reached towards the sky bearing the team’s name in black letters, indicating where to gather. Over a dozen people with yellow shirts were already assembled near the sign eager to greet Justin.

A total of 16 teams were present, most consisting of less than five members, but only a handful wore matching shirts in honor of a loved one. Justin’s Fight Club was by far the largest team present preventing anyone from passing us unnoticed. As the clock ticked closer to 9am, the beginning of the 1k, more and more participants flooded the field. Before we knew it, over 70 people dressed in yellow arrived to support Justin. Alison Totty, Justin’s sister and team organizer, led the group in making a difference. “It was so inspiring to look across the field at that sea of yellow,” said Alison, “and know that all of those people were there to help us fight lung cancer, but more specifically, there for my brother."

As people lined up waiting for the whistle, the organizer of the event reviewed the course, which included a path through the woods before circling back to the starting point. As the sound of the whistle cut through the fervent chatter, legs moved forward and the walk began. Jeffrey held his father’s hand as they both took their first step towards his fight against lung cancer. Kristy proudly walked behind them next to our father with a smile on her face and hope in her heart. “As I looked around at all those yellow Justin’s Fight Club shirts,” said Kristy, “I knew that it was nothing less than miraculous, for we have been truly blessed by all these extraordinary souls.”

The 5k walk/run commenced at 10am. Many people opted out of the 5k, but there was still a strong group from Justin’s Fight Club who participated. Five kilometers equals 3.1 miles, which took the partakers through a path in the woods, around the park itself and back through the forest to the finish line. I walked/jogged the route placing me closer towards the back of the group, unlike the leaders of the pack who consisted of strict runners. Justin walked the entire 5k alongside a couple of good friends.

The announcer on microphone resided at the finish line cheering on contestants as they entered the final stretch voicing their name across the crowd. When Justin approached the finish line, everyone shouted and applauded. Jeffrey, who stood next to his mother, ran up to his father with an embracing hug. Justin took his son’s little hand, and led him the final twenty feet to the finish line. At that moment, I thought of the previous night when I witnessed my nephew’s prayer before bed. He put his hands together, looked at the ceiling and said “Dear God, please heal my Daddy. Amen.” Justin might still have a long path ahead of him before he crosses the proverbial finish line, but with the prayers that he receives every minute of every day and the strength and love in his soul, we have every reason to believe he will succeed.

Shortly after all participants finished the 5k, the organizer recognized the top contributors towards the LUNGevity Foundation. Justin’s Fight Club won first place with over $8,000 in donations, double the raisings earned by the team in second place.

“It was remarkable what Justin’s Fight Club achieved in only five weeks to benefit the LUNGevity Foundation at the Cary Walk for Hope,” expressed Kristy. “We cannot even begin to express our gratitude to everyone for their donations.”

As the members of the team departed, they were told to keep their yellow shirts for when they return to the Cary Walk for Hope in 2009. Yellow represents Survivor, making it appropriate for Justin’s Fight Club; because next year, we will proudly be at the walk again. Except the survivor yellow shirts will aid Justin as he shares his story on the victory over the most important fight of his life.

Currently, Justin Andrews is undergoing chemotherapy at Duke Hospital in North Carolina. To view his status and updates, you can visit his CaringBridge page at www.caringbridge.org/visit/justinandrews

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Karin Goodhue graduated with a BA in Mass Communication from UNCA. She lives in Greenville, NC with her boyfriend and dog, Merlin. Karin is interested in all media, and works full time in Promotions at a local news station.