By Jurge Cruz-Alvarez
For the Roberts family, the ultimate in unexpected events happened when daughter and sister Heather Roberts was diagnosed with stage three brain cancer in 2008.
Heather went through many surgeries and radiation therapy treatments to retract her tumor. She was a fighter, and at one point, her tumor became stable until March of 2014. Then, once again it needed to be treated, and once again it became stable until it wasn’t. After so many treatments and battles, Heather passed in Nov. 8, 2016.
Now, the Roberts family try to help those suffering from brain cancer through their organization Leap-for-a-Cure, which helps raise brain cancer awareness and education. As well as raising funds for treatment.
“It’s considered often times a rare cancer, but it isn’t quite that rare. We have about 80,000 diagnosed with brain cancer every year,” said Sue Roberts, mother of Heather and founder of Leap-for-a-Cure.
One of the latest fundraising events occurred on March 1 at Baxter Arena, home of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s hockey team.
At the Mavericks’ game against Denver, not only did the proceeds of the event go towards their cause, but the Mavericks also donated their practice jerseys for a silent auction for Leap-for-a-Cure.
The organization has raised $950,000 for their cause, and have been able to build facilities for brain cancer patients through their partnership with Methodist Health Systems. Heather’s Healing Pad at Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest is one of the fruits of Leap-for-a-Cure’s efforts, as it provides brain cancer patients with aquatic therapy and is built in the memory of Heather.
“One of Heather’s life long dreams after being diagnosed with brain cancer was to be able to have aquatic therapy available for Methodist patients. Aquatic therapy was integral for her in her cancer journey in learning to walk again,” says Tanya Patry, Manager of Account Services at Methodist’s Marketing department.
Through the facility and the work of the organization, the Roberts family continue Heather’s story of fighting what appear to be insurmountable odds.
“She was brave and she was a fighter until the very end, and never once complained about what she was given. She always lived with hope and taught a lot of people to live with hope as well,” said Sue.
