Relaying their spirit: Cancer survivors recount stories at Boardman event

By Sean Barron

Cancer survivors recount stories of hope, triumph at Boardman event

More than 1,200 hugs were dispensed in an hour, setting a possible Guinness record.

BOARDMAN — Four years ago, Justine Ula was in most respects a typical teenager who was active in sports and enjoyed shopping and hanging out with her friends.

Then the re-emergence of a small bump on her back and a call to the office at her school changed everything.

“I was a normal 13-year-old. I never expected to hear I had cancer,” said Justine, 17, a Poland Seminary High School student and keynote speaker at Friday’s 14th annual Boardman Relay for Life at Spartan Stadium behind Boardman Center Middle School, 7410 Market St.

The event, which raises money for cancer research through the American Cancer Society, continues until 6 p.m. today.

Justine told her audience that she was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer that led to her having to undergo a series of chemotherapy sessions and 28 days of radiation treatments.

Thanks to the treatments and Relay for Life events, she’s able to play soccer and have her life back on track, Justine said, adding that she hopes to get a summer job and eventually become an athletic trainer.

Jared Brauer, a Poland High senior who was diagnosed with leukemia, now has graduation ceremonies on his mind. The 19-year-old Brauer, who also was nominated as king of the event, said he had a persistent bad cough for a few months and received treatment at Forum Health Tod Children’s Hospital.

Brauer’s parents, Scott and Kathy Brauer, credited Dr. Ayman Saleh and his staff for saving the life of their son, who works at a Struthers eatery as well as the Jessica Moorhead Foundation for Hope.

Ten years ago, Carol Chipps of Girard found out she had breast cancer after having undergone a routine mammogram at St. Joseph Health Center in Warren, where she was a registered nurse. A few months ago, a tumor was found on her adrenal gland, added Chipps, who came with her daughter, Alysia, and grandchildren, Miranda, 7, and Quintin, 21 months.

Nevertheless, Chipps continued, she’s able to work at Southern Care Youngstown in Austintown as a hospice care nurse. Chipps’ experiences are “part of why I wanted to get into hospice,” she said.

Chipps’ cousin, Karl Schmidt of Boardman, learned four years ago he had breast cancer after an updated X-ray revealed a lump. Schmidt, a retired janitor, said he’s received 51 chemotherapy treatments so far but has not suffered side effects.

Schmidt said he’s grateful for the support of family and his church, and that he focuses on what he is able to do rather than on his limitations.

“A positive attitude is the best medication I think you can have,” he added.

Many of the estimated 2,200 people who attended also were treated to a hug, courtesy of Jeffrey Ondash of Canfield, a cancer survivor who set an unofficial Guinness World Record by giving 1,205 hugs in one hour, shattering the former record of 765 by Jordan Price of Utah.

Ondash, who goes by the moniker “Teddy McHuggin’,” said he was diagnosed with skin cancer at 12 but received early treatment. Another of Ondash’s goals, he continued, is to participate in a 24-hour hugging marathon in Las Vegas.

The Boardman Relay for Life, with 115 teams, is the third-largest of 220 events in the state, and one of a few in Ohio to be selected as an enrollment site for the Cancer Prevention Study-3. Last year’s event raised about $305,000; this year’s goal is $321,000, noted Mark Luke, event chairman.

Friday’s event also included performances by Raising Our Commitment to Cancer Kids choir and a luminaria-lighting ceremony to remember and honor those who died from the disease as well as survivors.

Today’s activities include Dancin’ Around the Track, lip sync and Twinkie-eating contests.