HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-08-21, Page 32 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Friends, family and a razor
Lynda HIIIman-Rapley
Lakeshore Advance
It began as chatter with friends from
the fire department, but soon more
than a dozen fire fighters and friends
were going bald to support their former
chief.
Recently Jim Hoffman was diagnosed
with Hodgkins Lymphoma and cancer
of the right kidney -two separate can-
cers. This was not new to the I loffmzuls,
as Jim had gone through this when he
was diagnosed with bowel cancer 22
years ago. Jim's wife Donna says when
he was diagnosed this time they went
through all the same emotions as the
first time. But 22 years ago when he had
bowel cancer it was confined within the
bowel and he had surgery to remove the
portion that Was cancerous and no
chemo or radiation was needed. End of
problem," says Donna. "This time he is
having six months minimum of chemo
every two weeks and possibly eight
months maximum for the lymphoma
and once it is cured he will have surgery
to remove a portion of his kidney"
"'this tittle," says Donna, "It is so dif-
ferent. it is like our world had been
broken.'
Dashwood fire chief Jeremy Becker
said as Jim's hair began to thin due to
the chemotherapy, and then the ulti-
mate hair cut where he was sporting a
new bald look, his former platoon
wanted to show their support. As they
sat around Becker's parent's hoose, the
guys decided there was no better time
than the present and Jamie Becker's
wife Ashley, who owns Rural Roots
hair salon in Dashwood just happened
to be on hand with clippers.
"We admire Jinn and watched the
emotional adjustment to his new chal-
lenge and we wanted to show support,"
said Jeremy. Ile said Jim and Donna's
son Jamie came up with the idea and it
did not take much prodding for every-
one to jump on hoard. Jeremy began
texting the firefighters and they arrived
one by one to have their heads
shaved.
THE FIRE (;AI.I.
And, then as the first strip of hair on
Byron Freiter's head was shaved, it hap-
pened- a fire call came in. "Of course
there would be a fire call. Somehow we
knew that would happen," quips Jeremy.
The guys jumped to attention and
headed for the fire station to do their
job. Once back to the station, the hair-
cuts continued until everyone, includ-
ing Iloffnlan's young grandson, their
nephew, council member John Becker
got buzzed in support of their friend and
colleague. "'1111s was a pretty emotional
day for all of us," said Jeremy.
Jim and Donna were electronically
notified, "It was a total surprise to us
until the text pictures started to come to
t. 519.435.1470
BBB. www.wildthingswildlifecontroicom
my phone of all the bald heads,"
said Donna, "'then they told us to
come to the Becker house where
all the action was taking place.
Donna told the Lakeshore
Advance, "The support we have
received from the community is
overwhelming and emotional.
We always knew we lived in a
great community. The thoughts
and prayers everyone has sent
our way just reconfirms it. One
thing we both are very mindful of
is: there are so many people out
there going through the same
thing as we are and we keep
them in our thoughts and prayers
as well. Jim is so humble that his
fellow fire fighters and some of
Ids family members would shave
their heads in support of him:'
Darlene O'Rourke
At the firehall with some of the men who shaved their heads to support Jim Hoffman. Ashley Becker with the
sheers. "It's only hair," said one of the men of all the hair that was dropping to the ground.