Page 93 2025 PAINT THE PAPER PINK Lincoln Daily News Oct/Nov 2025 out of his tractor during harvest season, get sick as a result of the many treatments he was receiving, and then get right back to work. He was a man who was not going to let cancer define his life. Brandi shared that this was even true in the down time. When the family would talk, it often wasn’t about his cancer. Rather, it would simply be about other things going on in their lives. For as tough a fighter as Bruce was, he did not live forever. About seven years after his initial diagnosis, his time to be at peace from his fight would come. The cancer had spread to his brain, and he had several craniotomies. The treatments were no longer working, and according to Brandi, his heart and body were tired. Brandi shared some of the things that she learned through her time helping her father fight cancer. First, she said to not be afraid to get a second or even third opinion when a cancer diagnosis comes. Many people get so scared at the initial diagnosis, but don’t hesitate to talk to more doctors. In the same line of thought, seek out several doctors to see what the treatment options are. Brandi said that there are so many treatment options out there that it is unlikely a doctor is going to know them all. Next, Brandi encouraged everyone to become an expert. “Medicine is a practice,” she said. It takes everyone involved to fight cancer, and a doctor is not always going to know the best treatment the first time they suggest something. She also said that, if someone is in the same situation she was in, they are going to know their person better than anyone else. In Brandi’s situation, she or her mother would pick up on subtle changes in their father when the cancer had metastasized. If someone is the one battling the cancer themselves, be aware of your body and any of its aches and pains. Brandi said that these aches and pains mean something, so don’t overlook them. Brandi also stated that living in the moment and appreciating it is important. It is so easy to let a cancer diagnosis take over your life. In those cases, people can lose the ability to appreciate the little things in life that make it worth living. Bruce refused to let cancer take over his life, hence his choice to start travelling significantly more after the diagnosis. An organization that Brandi swears by is the United Breast Cancer Foundation. She stated that this organization gives scholarships, in addition to aiding with the cost of battling breast cancer. She also wanted people to know not to let insurance stop you from getting
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