Brittani Goddard

Brittani Goddard is our Hero, and the winner of the 2nd Annual Herbies Heroes Scholarship in the amount of $1000.

Seniors of Orange Park High School (where Herb resided and both of his boys graduated from) were once again asked to write a 1 page essay on how Cancer has affected them, whether it was a friend or family member that was inflicted with this disease, and what they felt they could do individually to help in the search for a cure. Several of the 2015 graduating Seniors responded to our request, and It means a great deal to our Family that they would take the time to share their personal experience, and we especially appreciate that they are so passionate about making a difference in the search for a cure.

Brittani’s winning essay:

“Cancer can be a difficult obstacle to overcome in a family. All the way from Medical bills that have to be paid, keeping that family members spirit alive, and mostly coping with life day by day.

My father who is the age of 55 was recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma and leukemia. We are just beginning this journey and my Dad is going to MD Anderson to begin his treatments. Our main problems are medical bills, traveling expenses to MD Anderson and it being my senior year of High school. Now I have to find a way to help my family pay for my College. This really dropped a weight on my mom’s shoulders and brought our family to a realization of how serious his condition was.

I helped my mom steadily through all the bills and we are still at this time getting his treatments done for his type of cancer. My dad is a strong and steadfast man who can pull through any type of battle, but this battle has been the worst yet.

Another battle we faced as a family was keeping my dad with a positive attitude. Having a family member as close as a father having Cancer is a hard thing to deal with. It changed my life dramatically and made me realize how important the life God gives us is. Day in and day out I would keep a positive outlook on life so it would take my father’s mind off of the cancer and how the treatments would make him feel. My mom sit’s by his side through up to ten hours of one treatment. As a family it made us stronger and grow a better bond with one another.

Along with a strong bond, we also take life day by day. My father who has had family members of his own pass away from cancer was slowly starting to see what it does to a human being. He always had to remind himself that God does have a plan for him and that taking life as it comes is his best bet. My dad to me resembles a warrior and that’s what make me push him to be better and achieve what still needs to be done in life. I wanted to let him know that his days of living are not measured by what a doctor says but by when God wants you to finally come home and rest. Until then he stays on his feet and not once gave up, and that is what changed me today. I want to go to College and make my Dad proud and study Physical therapy and the affect it has on cancer patients.

All in all cancer is a dangerous battle to fight with, but aside from medical bills and all the things that come with it, hope is your best chance.
This is what my dad has throughout this long drawn out process. He has hope and believes God will always have a plan set out for him. This is why my father having cancer has changed the way I live so much.”