ANSONIA — An Ansonia man, most recently diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, will be the focus of an upcoming benefit to help with medical expenses during his impending medical visits and treatments.
Forty-two-year-old Jeromy “Jerm” Burke was injured in an accident at work on Aug. 1, 2018, and he had only missed a few days of work until recently when officially put on leave Feb. 10.
The benefit is set for noon to 11 p.m. April 18 at the VFW in Greenville.
There will be a presale of chicken dinner tickets at $8 starting this Friday and concluding on March 9. Those wanting tickets may contact the Burke family at 937-659-9036, 937-564-3262 or 937-564-1038.
Featured at the benefit will be a raffle, auction, bake sale (from noon to 4 p.m.), 50/50, hillbilly bingo and music by Big Ginja Acoustics, Donnie Robinson Acoustics, Calvin and Co. and J Bob.
Served with the meal will be baked beans, escalloped potatoes and dessert.
“People can eat in or carry out,” said Burke’s mother Hannah Dynes. “The event will be kid-friendly.”
Burke said the journey thus far has been “a roller-coaster.”
At Darke Country Fair time that year, he found a bump on his hand. So that was the beginning of physical therapy, lots of testing and numerous visits to specialists until finally, after a visit to James Cancer Center in Columbus, did one specialist see the problem.
He was even told it wasn’t cancerous at some point until finally a vascular surgeon referred him to the OSU cancer center. The family went to James Cancer Center three weeks ago on Monday and after a PET Scan and a contrast, found a lump under his arm that was cancerous.
He goes next Monday morning to the oncologist in Columbus to possibly set up chemotherapy and aggressive radiation and, then eventually surgery to fix the hand.
Burke has been married to the former Kathy Hayes since July 7, 2007, and they have a son, Lucas.
Burke, who is also caretaker for his disabled mother, lives with her as do own family, and his sister, Brittany Dynes and her two children, Addie and Millie. He also has a brother Jeff (and Dana) Dynes and their two children, Carson and Alayna.
Burke recently got involved with a support group which is mostly comprised of young children.
Ewing’s sarcoma is a very rare type of cancerous tumor that grows in the bones or the soft tissue around your bones, such as cartilage or the nerves. It usually affects people from the ages of 10 to 20 and has a high rate of being cured.
“It’s about 80 percent treatable,” said his mother. “Jeromy has never gotten hurt. Never had a broken bone or injured. James Cancer Center has the best doctors for sarcoma.”
It is noted that there may be several fundraisers, including a poker run in the future.
The family has been members of the Kozy Kampers the last four years, and said Kozy Kampground is their home away from home.
