Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/137824
Jump for a Cure by JANICE BURTON "I went skydiving I went Rocky Mountain climbing I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Blue Manchu And I loved deeper And I spoke sweeter And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying" And he said "Someday I hope you get the chance To live like you were dying" Those are the words to Tim McGraw's hit song "Live Like You Were Dying." But they define the last few months of Zach Grullon's life. While a senior in high school, Grullon was diagnosed with rare form of cancer, Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma, which primarily attacks teens and young adults, is a rare liver cancer. Annually, 200 young adults die from this disease. Some 72,000 teens and young adults are diagnosed with various forms of cancer every year, according to a 2010 Wall Street Journal article, of that number, 10,000 die. Until 2008, little research was done in the area of Fibrolamellar because it is so rare, but that changed when Tucker Davis, the founder of the Firbrolamellar Cancer Foundation, was diagnosed with the disease. Davis founded the foundation with the hope of finding a cure for this often fatal disease. The foundation's mission is threefold: Find a cure and treatment options, raise awareness of the disease and bring attention to teen and young adult cancers. Grullon, who had dreams of one day joining the military, put his whole being into the fight his disease. But while he was fighting, he still clung to the zest for life for which he was known. Even while undergoing chemotherapy, Grullon, with his Dad Kevin, and mom, Shawn, made plans to jump with the Golden Knights as soon as his chemotherapy was complete. In August 2010, that dream became a reality, and on Jan. 28, 2012, Kevin's fight ended. His parents knew that Zach had touched countless people during his short life, but they also knew that he could continue to do so in death. With that in mind, last year they hosted the first Free Fall to Fight Cancer event at the Raeford Parachute Center. The event, which included a jump with Zach's beloved Golden Knights, was a huge success, and this year, the Grullons, along with their partners the Golden Knights, are pulling out all of the stops to ensure that Zach's death would not be in vain. On Saturday, June 22, the 2nd Annual Free Fall to Fight Cancer will (910) 307-0312 Louis Feraca President www.uslogoworks.com 4200 Morganton Road Fayetteville, NC 28314 once again be held at the Raeford Parachute Center, and yes, people will be jumping out of planes, but there will be so much more. Throughout the day, individuals will have the opportunity to conduct a tandem sky-dive with the off duty and former members of the U.S. Army Golden Knights, all of whom are volunteering for the event. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those wishing to jump can do so for a donation of $350, which also includes a CD with a video and still pictures of the jump. If, by chance, you don't want to share the historic moment with friends and family, you can jump for just $225 without a video. If you want to jump, you have to be at least 18 years old. If jumping out of a perfectly good plane is not on your bucket list, there is still a lot of fun to be had. According to Kevin Grullon, there will be food, raffles, a silent auction, water slides and jump houses. If that doesn't get your attention, there will also be some awesome bands performing. And if that is not enough, there will also be a live deejay and face painting; massages by the talented folks at the Renaissance Day Spa and much more. All proceeds from the event go directly to the Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation. If you would like to jump, sign-up via email to grullonteam@ gmail.com or online at www. freefalltofightcancer.com.You can also call Kevin and Shawn Grullon at 910-257-3027 or 910-229-1100. All donations are tax deductible. For more information about Fibrolamellar Cancer, please visit www.fibrofoundation. org. JANICE BURTON, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JUNE 19-25, 2013 UCW 11