Red Hopkins had always been very active with Relay For Life, since the first Dillon County Relay in October of 1995. He always brought out his cooker and prepared food to sell as a fundraiser. He was always right there by his wife, Alice’s side. She served as a Team Captain for Franco for many years. They both always did whatever had to be done to “make it happen.”
One day Relay took on a whole new meaning for Red. He went from the volunteer who spent hours of labor prior to and during Relay, to a survivor. Rather than setting up tents, preparing food, or whatever else came along, he was now registering, putting on his survivor shirt, and waiting to walk the first lap, The Survivor Lap. By his side, was his faithful family. They would join him for the second lap, the Caregiver’s Lap.
How quickly our lives can change.
Cancer doesn’t just change the life of the patient, but of their family as well. The following article was written last year by Stacie Hopkins Watford, BSN, in honor of her father, Edward, “Red” Hopkins.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines courage as a ‘mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.’ I can’t help but think of this word when I reflect on my father’s battle with cancer. Sure, I always thought of him as having ‘physical’ strength, but I don’t realize the extent of his ‘mental and moral strength’ until I watched him journey through this ordeal.
Edward Hopkins (known to his family/friends as ‘Red’) was diagnosed with a diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma around July 4th, 2008. I remember it like it was yesterday, and it was no time for a celebration. My dad had no idea of what a lymphatic system was, much less that cancer cell could attack it. I knew exactly what it was and exactly how aggressive it could be. I was scared to death! I mean, I’m a nurse for goodness sake! I deal with patients with the big ‘c’ word on a daily basis, but when someone tells you that your daddy has it, it is truly surreal.
He immediately began chemotherapy and did well. The biggest side-effect was fatigue which I knew probably really bugged him, but I never heard him complain. Never. Never heard him say, ‘Why me, Lord?’ Believe me, this man hates needles! Can you imagine losing all of your hair and being too tired to do anything you loved doing? He went every 21 days to the VA hospital in Columbia for his treatments for over a year. Then, finally, we received the wonderful news that he was in remission! My family and I are so thankful for all of your support through this trying time. I cannot express how appreciative we are for such wonderful family, friends, and neighbors who did everything from pray to cut his grass for him!
My dad has never been a very emotional man, but this has changed him for life. He is so much more open-minded and doesn’t even complain when we drag him out of the house on vacation now! Somewhere in the midst of that ordeal, he learned that the only way to survive was through his faith in God. This allowed him to possess the ‘mental and moral strength’ needed to withstand the ‘danger, fear, and difficulty’ of a terminal disease….otherwise known as COURAGE.
