2014 RELAY FOR LIFE MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com July 28, 2014 7
Relay for Life co-chairs Nicole Bottrell and Nancy Reese
Getting by with a little help
from friends and family
T
he Relay for Life does
more than enable people
to raise funds for cancer
research and prevention. It is
also a way for people to show
support to friends and family
who have battled cancer. To
demonstrate how important the
support of others is, honorary
co-chairs and survivors Nicole
Bottrell and Nancy Reese shared
their stories of how people helped
them through their battles with
cancer.
Nicole Bottrell was diagnosed
with inflammatory breast cancer
December 2013 and began
treatments in January 2014.
She says, “Cancer has shown
me how much I am loved. So
many people did so many things
for me. It all started with my
parents, who went to every doctor
appointment and made sure I took
my medication on time. They
stood by my side through this
whole ordeal and continue to stay
by my side.”
As the bills piled up, she says,
“My co-workers at St. John’s
Hospital held a bake sale with
the proceeds going toward my
medical bills. They also had a
Hat Party for me and showered
me with hats and scarves for
when I lost my hair.” Referring
to the time of her hair loss, Nicole
says, “Brenda Humbert at Shear
Perfection cut my hair and all my
wigs for free. She made me feel
pretty when I needed it the most.”
Nicole also received other types
of support while undergoing
treatments. She states, “My
sister-in-law, Tonya Turner,
cleaned the house while I got
chemotherapy so I would come
home to a dust free home. I had
several friends cook dinner for
us every time I received chemo
or had doctor’s appointments
because it usually was an all-day
event. I received letter after letter
from family, friends, and even
complete strangers giving me
words of encouragement or a joke
to make me laugh. I loved it the
most when people would stop by
to see me because I didn’t have
the energy or immune system to
be out and about.”
Additionally she says, “The thing
that helped me the most through
this whole ordeal was the power
of prayer. I couldn’t even count
people that prayed for me. It
really does mean a lot to me that
I am in so many people’s prayers.
This is just a very short list of
what people did for me.”
Story By Angela Reiners
Continued on page 8
