This is our latest Hero, as she is one of the 2019 Herbies Heroes Scholarship winners and her winning essay is below.

Sarah Saz

You can ask me what I think about times when cancer has affected my life, and I can’t tell you in under 500 words or less, but I can summarize. My life changed when my five year old cousin got leukemia. Even though I was about 12 years old, we were as close as could be. My entire family spent five months visiting him at the hospital. Some days he would be his playful normal self and some days he would be completely different, chemo completely changed him.

When he would be able to come home, we’d throw parties. But one day he had a relapse and everything went downhill. The last month was the most painful for him and that’s when I saw him less. As he got worse I couldn’t stand seeing him that way. Eventually, my family decided to allow him to pass so the suffering could stop.

His death changed my life because I lost someone I’d known his entire life and we had spent so much time together. There will always be an empty spot in my heart. I’ve learned how to not be angry at cancer because it’s just a fact of life. Many things happen for a reason and it’s God’s way of working. And I’m still thankful for the experiences shared with my cousin and the fun we had together.

I will be starting this summer in the University of North Florida and I am going to major in nursing. I would like to make a change by being supportive. Seeing how pediatric nurses changed my cousin’s life is way beyond words. I know it is very tough for children and adults so I would like to change that by showing more compassion to not only the kids but adults as well.

I believe doctors focus more on curing rather than patient well-being which is why I’m drawn to the support system of nursing. I’ve already received my CNA license and I’ve seen on how nursing assistants really make a change in someone’s life.

Taking care of patients in the nursing home and the hospital during my clinicals really change my perspective of people. Not everyone is perfect, but a small start will make something go so far. I will most likely keep going further than just caring, I will know exactly how it feels to have a loved one with cancer and have gained a greater perspective. I’ve also worked with the Bryant strong foundation and visiting children and doing toy drives, arts and crafts, and girly “makeovers.” All of this has shaped me into the better person I am today!

This is our latest Hero, as she is one of the 2019 Herbies Heroes Scholarship winners and her winning essay is below.

Madyson Lay

I believe the closest thing to evil in this world is cancer. Not due to the number of lives it takes, but because it slowly tears down the people you cherish piece by piece. It forces you to watch your loved ones fade away into a former shell of themselves. Before my grandmother was changed into the woman she is today, she had gone above and beyond her duties as a grandparent. While my mother was working to support me, my grandmother helped with anything I ever needed. I still remember many adventures we went on when I was younger.

Those memories grew distant as time went on, and as the years passed something else changed too. We started to notice a large mass forming on her shoulder. I still remember sitting with her in the doctor’s office overhearing that she needed to be hospitalized for a biopsy. A few weeks later, I stood in my kitchen with my arms wrapped around my mother and grandmother crying my eyes out. In 2012 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It didn’t seem like it was real. I was scared for her, for what she was going to choose to do and for what she was going to go through. I didn’t even entertain the thought of losing her because it wasn’t an option. After a long and hard round of chemotherapy we all thought we were out of the woods. Her cancer seemed to have another idea.

Since then, she has gone through six grueling rounds of chemotherapy, two rounds of radiation and one stem cell transplant. She’s experienced horrific days, all the while maintaining her strong image. After all the hospital visits, the bloodwork, and the various tests, you can easily forget what life was like before all of it. Like what she looked like before her hair fell out several times. Or how the family used to spend time elsewhere instead of at the hospital or doctor’s office.

After falling into a pit of my emotions, I started to beat myself up. If my grandmother could handle everything she went through, why couldn’t I get through my own battles that were much smaller than hers? I finally mustered up enough courage to ask her why she kept going. Her answer shocked me.

She wanted to stay on this earth as long as possible in order to see me grow and accomplish everything I planned to within the next few years. She wanted to see me run across the stage at graduation screaming at the top of my lungs “I did it!” My drive to maintain my good grades and to take more challenging advanced courses went through the roof after that conversation. I wanted to make sure I was going to live up to her expectations in every way. I faced some hardship along the way. I struggled through school every day while my grandmother struggled through life. Yet she persisted, and so did I.

As my last year of high school approaches and college looms in the near future, I am more than pleased with what I’ve done in these few short years. My grandmother is proud of my accomplishments as well. I’ve been accepted into two of my dream colleges and I have become the American Cancer Society Youth Ambassador for Orange Park High. I plan on majoring in Event Planning so I can manage and plan events such Relay for Life and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer that raise money and provide resources for families fighting cancer that cannot afford treatment and transportation. Even if she leaves me soon, I will always continue to push towards my academic goals and life goals. If there’s one thing that she’s taught me, it’s to never give up.

This is our latest Hero, as she is one of the 2019 Herbies Heroes Scholarship winners and her winning essay is below.

Destiny Basden

Growing up, I was always told that laughter was the best medicine. This very quote I can very much attest to. A couple of years ago, my stepmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. This was not new to me but it was just as devastating seeing as though. Cancer was a huge difficulty within my family. Seeing someone who I could call my mother feeling depressed took a toll on me and I knew I wanted to see her at her best. After discovering the news, I began visiting my dad and stepmother as much as I could. While visiting, I would do crazy dances, sing horribly on purpose, and tell funny jokes and stories to keep a smile on my stepmom’s face. I knew that emotionally she was hurting and I wanted to do all I can to keep her smiling and continue fighting.

A memory I believe was the funniest of all was lip syncing a song for my stepmom with a wig on. She has been on her chemotherapy and lost all her hair. During this time, she began to become self-conscious of herself and wore hoods and wigs all the time. I knew she hated losing her hair and having to wear the uncomfortable wigs. As she was watching TV, I strolled in with a blanket wrapped around me as if it were a dress, some bright red lipstick, and one of her wigs while the music began to play. I cannot even explain the look on her face as she smiled as wide as she possibly could. As I danced and sang for her she had tears brimming on her eyes from laughing so hard. I know humor can’t heal people, but I know it makes the journey of whatever they are going through feel better. My humor helped my stepmom remain positive and keep fighting!

Besides using my humor to help with my stepmother’s diagnosis of cancer, I wish to become a neuroscience nurse. With some research, I observed that your brain sends small signals to your body indicating that something is wrong. This is very common for those who are able to go to doctors and understand their diagnosis at an early stage. I plan to attend Howard University and major in nursing where I can work on analyzing the brain and focusing on those who are diagnosed or in risk of acquiring cancer.

I also plan to study abroad and gather research on the many diseases we have yet to know of. I have realized that our world is evolving and so are the pathogens. I believe that if we are one step ahead, we can conquer the very things that hurt us today.

This is our latest Hero, as she is one of the 2018 Herbies Heroes Scholarship winners and her winning essay is below.

Sarah Locke

In my 18 years of life, cancer has always been a large part of it. It has always been the forefront of my mind and my families lives, whether it be a benign or a malignant cancer it has affected almost everyone in my family. Through the struggles my family has had with cancer, we have managed to come out time and time again stronger and better than before. Cancer has led my passion for becoming part of the medical field and helping those in late stages of cancer and those affected with skin cancer by becoming a CNA, then a nurse, and finally a dermatologist.

My first instance of cancer was before I was born, my grandfather, Rulan “Rudy” Ratzlaff passed away due to lung cancer in 1991, this led me to want to know more about what took my grandfather away and how we have developed treatments since then to fight cancer. My second instance was my Great Aunt Jo, who died of ovarian cancer 8 years ago. This was the first person I had known that was a personal loss. This loss spurred on my need to know how I could help in fighting cancer by researching careers in the medical field in Junior High School.

Through these early losses my family unfortunately wasn’t able to escape cancer. My Uncle Guy Ratzlaff was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, and needed a bone marrow donation. Even at a young age I still asked my mother if I was able to donate to him because I wanted to find some way to help my family. Right before I entered high school, my cousin Brad Ratzlaff was diagnosed with a deadly bone marrow cancer in his knee right before his high school graduation. Even after multiple surgeries and chemo treatments, he walked across the stage and got his diploma with the support and cheers of friends, classmates, and family. My cousin’s cancer made me realize how quickly and how merciless cancer can be to anyone; this instance drove me to pursue a career in the medical field by joining the Raiders Health Academy.

In my senior year I was lucky enough to be accepted into the Nursing Assistant program to eventually gain my CNA license prior to graduating high school. Throughout that experience, I was able to work alongside medical professionals in a rehabilitation and hospital setting and gain first hand experience working in the medical field. Unfortunately in April, right before I was due to take my CNA exam, my Uncle Scott Ratzlaff was rushed to the ICU due to ongoing complications and cancer that had spread throughout his body, he passed peacefully on April 22, 2018 at 1:15 pm right before I took my test. I didn’t know it at the time but after my test when I got the news, I knew that he was with me during my test and gave me the strength I needed to pass. Since my family’s loss I have decided to dedicate my future in the medical field to him and do my best to make him proud even though he cannot be here with me.

In summary, throughout my years in the medical academy I have been able to learn so much and determine my career in the medical field. I wish to pursue a career in dermatology, so I can help those with skin cancers and any other skin conditions get better and feel better about themselves. Cancer has played a large role in my life and I believe it will continue to do so, not exactly in the most positive aspects but will drive me to do all I can to help those suffering from cancer.

This is our latest Hero, as she is one of the 2018 Herbies Heroes Scholarship winners and her winning essay is below.

Madison Gayheart

Cancer, the disease caused by uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in one or more areas of the body. Cancer is not only physically painful for the person experiencing the cancer themselves, but definitely for the family and friends who feel hopeless and the dealing with heartache of watching a loved one suffer. I know from experience because I have been a family member, watching my grandmother get worse and worse each and everyday.

Five years ago I found out my grandmother had lung cancer. At the time I really did not understand what it actually meant for someone I love to have cancer. It started with seeing marking all over her for radiation. They gave her about a year and a half to live so we made a list together of all the things we wanted to do before she died. Soon after we made the list she found out her cancer had spread to her throat. I would go to her house on the weekends and I remember every weekend she got weaker and more sick and the more she did not look like my grandma. I remember her as a very happy person who liked to ride horses and go shopping and fishing. So for me to see her in a state where she could not get out of bed was really hard for me as a kid to see her go through so much pain that it literally changed her.

That same year I moved to Hawaii and shortly after we moved to Orange Park, Florida. I felt so guilty for not being there with my grandma through her cancer. Soon after I moved, she found out she had brain tumors. My grandmother raised me; she was my role model, my go to, my everything and to lose your best friend to disease that causes long and painful death really changes you. On May 5th, 2015 I lost my everything. She passed away at 11:30 am. This was one of the hardest days of my life and it has been a rocky road ever since. I have not had the easiest life since she has been gone. But I was raised well by her and I attempt to honor her in all my life decisions. The impact of cancer in my life has influenced me in making my career choice.

As a senior in high school, my plan is to become a nurse. An oncology nurse to be exact. I plan on helping the individual who has cancer live the most comfortable they can while they have time, and help their families prepare for what is to come. I presently work at part time job at Panera Bread to save money for college. The $500 dollar scholarship would be a tremendous help and would be going toward my my tuition to be Registered Nurse.

This is our latest Hero, as she is the 2017 Herbies Heroes Scholarship winner and her winning essay is below.

Kilie Anderson

Cancer kills. Not only does it physically inflict pain upon our loved ones, in the end, it mentally affects us all. I was only 12 when my grandmother passed away from her third diagnosis of cancer. It changed the lives of everyone around me, including myself.

When I was a young child, my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer in her kidney. My family searched to find a specialist to work with her, and by the time they did, they discovered that the cancer had spread to her other kidney. After her surgeries were over and the cancer was “cleansed” from her body, she only had ½ of a kidney left. From that day forward, she fought to live everyday like it was her last. She was always bright, and would spread her happiness as far as she could. She dedicated her life to helping others and being there for her family while she still could. When I started the third grade I began transitioning back and forth from my house to my grandparents because my parents worked and meanwhile we would spend hours playing games, doing homework, and watching classics on tv. I would sleep in the room my mother grew up in. My mother was an only child and her mother was her greatest influence and best friend throughout her life-time as well. I stayed so often that she would take me to and from school all the time. My 6th grade year, my world flipped upside down when she got diagnosed with brain cancer. Family and friends were as supportive as they could be but there is nothing like watching such a disease eat at someone’s soul, their happiness and ambitions. Watching the life leave my grandmother’s body was awful to witness and feel. It was the most devastating thing I had to experience at that point in life myself.

The same year held the day that she fought until her last minute and struggled for her last breath. The day she moved onto heaven was the day my childhood best friend died. I had just seen her the night before and my heart felt as if i should have never left that room. I had never experienced death before that point with such close relation, and it tore at my heart for years. My mother was so devastated because she had such little family left and my grandmother was one of the greatest women we knew. She taught each of us to read, do math, play card games, make arts and crafts, clean, have manners, to help others and to always be respectful. One major characteristic that she swayed was the passion for art.

To this day, her life impression has never left me. I dedicate myself to school and becoming better because of that beautiful woman. I live my life as if she were here to see what I do and to make her proud. In my last year in high school I stepped up for a vice presidential roll of my National Honors society and dedicated more than 100 hours to community service around the school. I am within the top 5% of my senior class and work every day to accomplish this. My hobby now is to express others and myself through drawings, paintings and sculptures. Without her shaping this love for such a subject and love for others, I would never be interested in obtaining my masters in Art therapy. She guided me into loving working hard and helping others along the way. My grandmother was one of the first influences in my life. She taught me to be dedicated to your work and love what you do as you do it.  Cancer will never define who my grandmother was, and she will always be remembered for being the helpful and loving human being she was.

This is our latest Hero, as he is the 2016 Herbies Heroes Scholarship winner and his winning essay is below.

Robert Williams

During my sophomore year at Orange Park High School I was already planning my future. Thinking ahead to college, planning to become a medical doctor, and even future car and house goals were all occurring in my head. However, on a rainy November 27th, 2013 my family and I were called into the doctor’s office. Results from a just taken biopsy were in. The results were supposed to take a week or two to come-in; we got that call three days after the biopsy. The nurse and physician’s assistant walked into the room and stated, “We are waiting on the doctor.” That is when I knew this situation was real. The moment the doctor stepped in he said, “I’m very sorry, but your child has cancer.”

From that point on we all lived in a daze. I began treatment, which included a radiation treatment before my first surgery, and then I had four more surgeries after the initial one. Cancer destroyed my body but I am still here! However, it is not easy. Normal life abilities, school, and overall fun times have been affected. Cancer took from me body parts and has left me hurting. Cancer has affected how I now comprehend school work. Due to cancer I am extra cautious at living my life. I am scared to live my life because of what did, and what could now happen. What cancer cannot do though is cripple the goals that I see myself achieving in the near distant future!!

A cancer patient can develop after treatment side effects from the treatment that saved their very life. I don’t take tests the same nor can I concentrate as hard as I used to on assignments. With this being said I find ways to improve how I have to learn. Cancer patients deserve to be treated as any other person and should not be frowned upon when they mess something up. We are in pain, regret, and depression on a normal basis.
My dream is to become a Pediatric Gastroenterologist to hopefully help prevent the development of children’s esophageal, stomach, colon, and rectal cancers. I want to work for the Central Intelligence Agency, The President of the United States, and at the hospital that saved my life. In some ways a cancer patients goals are more developed than others in that we have seen our lives flash before our eyes and yet we are still here to fight. A patient like myself is now empowered to change the lives of others because of what I have been through. I want to do my doctoral thesis on the affect cancer has on the appendix and research all of the possible ways appendicitis could occur while undergoing treatment as I and a friend went through this experience while both undergoing cancer treatment protocols.

In conclusion, I just want to state that, Yes cancer is hard on anyone whether a child, adult, or those who know the patient but experiencing this trauma in high school while being so involved is what I truly believe kept me living. Any opportunity that I could receive would be more than what I imagined. I would be honored to be the recipient of the Herbie’s Heroes scholarship of 2016. I am delighted that my future career is only an education opportunity away; I just hope I get the chance to start my higher education goals without the burden of higher education costs.

Anonymous Hero

I have been asked to make this particular Hero anonymous, so I must grant this person her wish. This Woman is a close friend of Charlene and has suffered personally from this dreadful disease, but with a great attitude, and unbending faith, she has persevered and continues to fight to this day. Even through her own battles, she was there for Herb & Charlene for any support she could give, and I want her to know it did not go unnoticed. As with many of our Heroes, the moment she was informed of the founding of the Herbies Heroes Foundation honoring my father, Herb Ellerbe, she immediately wanted to help spread the word, and help support the cause to finding a cure for this disease by making a wonderful donation, in fact, she was the very 1st person that made a donation and this will always be remembered. Please join me in thanking our Herbies Hero, as she will know this is for her.

Kelly Elliott

Kelly Elliott was born in May 1965 and is originally from Pensacola Florida. She now resides in the Fleming Island area and is married to Tim Elliott and has 2 sons: Andrew and Jacob Elliott.  Tim is a Captain at Southwest Airlines and her sons both attend Saint John’s River State College for Computer Engineering. Kelly went to FSCJ and attended the Nursing program but never finished due to her first husband’s tragic and untimely death. Kelly only recently came in to the lives of the Ellerbe Family through a wonderful grief share class at Hibernia Baptist Church in Fleming Island, Fl.  While she was dealing with her own loss from years ago, she obviously saw the pain and suffering that Charlene was going through, and not only opened her arms, but also opened her heart in order to help Charlene get through this very difficult time, and continues to this day to be a strong support system for Charlene and many others in this wonderful program. Once Kelly was informed of the founding of the Organization Herbies Heroes, honoring Herb, she immediately wanted to help spread the word to help others become more educated about potential causes and treatments, as well as donate to the cause of finding a cure for this disease. Please join me in congratulating and thanking Kelly Elliott for her continued loyalty and support for our cause and others, and being our Herbies Hero.

Perry Boyett

Please join me in congratulating Mr. Perry Boyett on being our Herbies Hero. Born and raised in Florida, Perry and Mark became fast friends while attending Orange Park High School together, where they both enjoyed playing on the Varsity Football team, as well as took part in the theatre program including different productions. Perry earned a Marketing and Finance degree from the University of North Florida College of Business Administration and became a Manufacturing Software Salesman and Consultant. He has been with Alphacam running the sales department for the last 12 years. Perry has 4 children and has been married to Shelly Boyett, in which they just recently celebrated their 20 year anniversary. Perry and Mark moved to different parts of the country after school, but thanks to Facebook, reconnected and have enjoyed flying around the U.S. to different venues for Texas Holdem poker tournaments where they both share a love for the game. Perry was one of the few people to visit Herb while he was undergoing his treatment at MD Anderson in Texas and suffice it to say, he saw firsthand the toll the treatment was taking on him, but he also got to witness the determination and will to get better Herb showed. The moment Perry was informed of the founding of the Herbies Heroes Foundation honoring my father, Herb Ellerbe, he immediately wanted to help spread the word through his many connections on Facebook and LinkedIn, and help support the cause to finding a cure for this disease. He, just like the last 2 month’s Heroes,  John and Caroline Bateman Sudhoff and David Baker, bought a % of Mark playing in a Poker Tournament at the World Series of Poker in which he also ended up profiting in the endeavor, and donated right back to Herbies Heroes in order to continue supporting the cause to raise money for not only the Herbies Heroes Scholarship given to a graduating Senior from our alma mater Orange Park High School, but also other deserving recipient individuals and organizations. Please join me in thanking him, and congratulating Mr. Perry Boyett, and my friend, on being our Herbies Hero.