Et cetera : At Virginia Gay Hospital, we know Jack, and his fight against cancer

You may have noticed the yellow t-shirts around this area that say if you don’t fight cancer you don’t know Jack. Should you have a visit scheduled or happen to run into the employees of Virginia Gay Hospital & Clinics today, you will be enveloped in a sea of yellow. The staff is showing their support for Jackson Hoeger and his family. Jack is the son of Jen Hoeger who is the Speech Therapist in the hospitals Rehab Therapy department.

Jack is 13 years old and has had a variety of challenges since his cancer diagnosis at the age of five. Recently, Jack had brain surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota to alleviate a seizure disorder caused as a result of his cancer. This surgery has left significant weakness in his left side and initially the inability to eat.

Jack is now in the Rehab Unit at Mayo working on strengthening his left side. Jack is doing better but will require more therapy in the coming weeks. As of this week, he was cleared by his therapists and he can eat instead of being fed through a feeding tube.

The staff of Virginia Gay Hospital & Clinics are showing their concern for a member of our work family by wearing yellow. A group picture of everyone wearing yellow will be taken at noon today in front of the hospital. The photo will be attached to a card signed by the staff of the hospital and will be presented to Jack’s family next week.

Yellow is particularly appropriate as it represents the LIVESTRONG colors associated with the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Jack and his family have participated in fundraising for this organization whose mission is to raise money to help in the fight to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

Contributions can be made to the LIVESTRONG organization in Jack’s honor by visiting www.livestrong.org.