He is considered “one of the nicest people at his school.”
Cancer patient and school hall monitor Guy Anderson of Schenectady, NY has the support of students and staff as he battles cancer.
Cancer Compass reports that now seemingly in the autumn of life at age 50, terminal colorectal cancer has robbed Anderson of his physical prowess but not his indomitable spirit. Inside the schools he patrolled the corridors with a ready smile and dished out encouragement to students who learned only during the recent Christmas holidays of his illness.
“I remember meeting him on my first day at the school when he directed me to all of my classes,” said student Mareeb Ahmed. “He was friendly and talked to everybody.”
Anderson later intervened when Ahmed, 15, had a dispute with a classmate who wanted to fight her because she thought Ahmed was interested in her boyfriend.
“Anderson had a knack with kids,” said Dave Denofio, principal of the Global Commerce House at Schenectady High School.
In December Anderson’s condition worsened but earlier during the week of Jan. 13th he made a surprise visit to the school in a wheelchair, having been off since December because of his illness.
“I wanted to give my heart in case anything happened to me, they had a piece of my heart,” he told a reporter. “In my mind I’m going to beat this.”
“He was so overwhelmed by the response that he cried for only the second time in the 13 years we’ve been together,” said Anderson’s wife, Lori, 42.
The first signs of trouble came about five years ago when Anderson experienced severe stomach cramps.
“He has an incredible will to live,” said Donna Smith, secretary to Associate Superintendent Arnold Spadafora. “He’s just got the best outlook, the best spirit.”
Anderson, who was back in the hospital recently, longs to return to that atmosphere, hoping to be able to make a difference.
In Austin, TX lawmakers are planning a big push for cancer research and a cure.
“Faced with declining federal research funds and fierce competition from other states, Texas lawmakers are drawing up plans to spend billions of dollars to find a cure for care, officials said Jan. 20th,” said writer Jay Root. “Promoted in part by leading Texas research institutions, current and former state officials and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, a cancer survivor who lives in Austin, the project would cost some three billion and would ultimately require voter approval, officials familiar with the discussions said.”
For more information on cancer and support, go to cancer.org.
