Benefit Concert for the Jeff Melton Cancer Fund

In May, the Springfield News-Leader published an article that appears as an entry on this website titled "The Heartbreak". In it I tried to explain where the idea came from to create Urgent Care Cancer Clinics. "Make It Happen" emphasizes the importance of taking care of those facing the challenges that cancer--all cancers--present. From this article came many offers to help get a clinic up and running. One offer--one blessing--in particular was given by a gentleman named Marvin Murphree. Mr. Murphree is a gifted vocal musician who has organized a vocal music concert to benefit The Jeff Melton Cancer Fund.

The concert is going to be held Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at 7:oopm, at the Gillioz Theater here in Springfield. The theme of the night will be "To Dream the Impossible Dream" from The Man of LaMancha. It is fitting, this theme, because at times it feels as though we have a mountain to scale to accomplish this goal. The evening will be hosted by Joe and Christine Daues and includes performers such as former Miss America, Debra Barnes Snodgrass, Marvin Murphree, Steve Ames, Cassandra Armstrong, Donna Donaldson, Janice Fulbright, Melanie Holt, Betty Salmon, Lendi Stirewalt and Shauna Storey.

This opportunity is a gift--and we have to get the word out about this concert. We need to show the medical community that Springfield wants this clinic. We need the community leaders to see that the goals of the Jeff Melton Cancer Fund are there to help all types of cancer patients--to make it better--to make it easier to get the help a cancer patient needs when they have a fever on a Saturday night and have no choice but to go to an emergency room where their immune systems are compromised even further. Or to get bumped for an extended number of hours because of an incoming trauma. A cancer patient needs to know that if they are too sick from chemo or too weak from the pain that a mobile unit will come to them for labs or to test their oxygen levels. A cancer patient needs to know that if they are alone that there is someone who will come to them to help--what does a single mother do who has no relatives close by--what does an elderly person do who just wants to remain in their home? This is not home health--this is not hospice, but it pulls from these concepts to get those struggling with cancer and the effects of their treatments a level of help that currently does not exist.

I wish it were different--but if you look around the face of cancer seems to be everywhere. We all know someone touched by this nightmare. If we could help--if we could make it better somehow--why shouldn't we? This isn't just for breast cancer or lung cancer or melanoma cancer--this clinic and the mobile clinic are there to help and bring comfort to anyone that cancer touches. Cancer doesn't discriminate--it is an equal opportunity evil. We can make it better--we can help fight cancer in this way. By lessening the stress--by lessening the exposure to other illnesses--by holding a hand when someone is frightened--by speaking gently when the world is too loud--by reaching out in the middle of the night when the fear is overwhelming. WE CAN DO THIS. THIS IS POSSIBLE. IT IS NOT AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM.

Join us and we will scale this mountain together. Tickets for the event will be sold at the door for $7.00--but if you are moved to donate, tax-deductible contributions can be made to The Jeffrey A. Melton Urgent Care Cancer Foundation, c/o the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, 425 East Trafficway Street, Springfield, Missouri 65806. There are no administrative costs to this fund. 100% of the proceeds go to helping those with cancer--a flight to MD Anderson, a hotel room near the hospital, the creation of Urgent Care Cancer Clinics. For questions email Holly Melton at jeffshope2008@gmail.com.

Make it happen--the moment IS yours--define it.