Today, we check in with Dave Fleischer who’s just completed his third week of the Journey of Hope in memory of his daughter, Sarah, who passed away in 2018 from a horrible cancer, cholangiocarcinoma. He's raising money for research into the disease, hoping to find a cure.
In this episode, Dave reports in from South Carolina, after crossing the country and visiting several towns called Hope, several cholangiocarcinoma caregivers, patients and families. Altogether, plans call for the trip to include stops in 17, maybe 18 towns named Hope all across the country.
A major goal of the trip, which will take Dave to all 48 contiguous states, is to help raise money to support research into this disease and during which they hope to spread awareness and bring hope to patients, caregivers, and others along the way. He reports that after three weeks of the Journey, he’s closing in on the goal of $45,000 – and the trip is only about half-way completed. The journey is scheduled to end June 29 or July 1, depending on circumstances.
“That’s pretty cool,” Dave says.
The road trip, in a car with a specially designed wrap promoting cholangiocarcinoma awareness, includes stops at various hospitals and healthcare institutions that specialize in research and treatment of the disease, in addition to the get-togethers with patients, caregivers and healthcare providers who were important in Sarah's life. He says those visits are remarkable.
Cholangiocarcinoma starts in the bile duct and is an incredibly deadly cancer, which afflicts about 8,000 people in the United States each year. Most of its victims are 65 or older, but Sarah was only 31 when she was diagnosed. She passed away at age 35.
The trip is being supported by the Foundation, which has made the specially designed Honda SUV available for the journey. Sponsors are Incyte, Ken Garff Honda, QED Therapeutics, Servier, Taiho Oncology, Welch’s Fruit Snacks and Zymeworks.
And now, let’s talk with Dave Fleischer as he reports in after his third week on the Journey of Hope, during which he’ll tell us about conversations with the “unknowings.”