Help Rich fight Pancreatic Cancer

This page is for our dear friend/beloved family member, Rich Hay. Richard “Rich” Hay was born on February 6th, 1950 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. In his youth, Rich was very active with the family farm, where his love for Massey Harris/Massey Ferguson tractors, Honda motorcycles, and mechanics was cemented. When he was not busy farming, tractor pulling, and hill-climbing motorcycles, Rich was also very active in sports, specifically basketball and softball, where he played guard (basketball) and outfield (softball). As the years passed, Rich found a love which I am sure everyone knows…SPRINT CARS! In the 1960s, Rich found the racing series known then as Super Modifieds, which would become what we know now as Sprint Cars. In 1965, at the age of 15, Rich was able to attend his first formal Sprint Car race at what would become his home away from home, Knoxville Raceway, in Knoxville, Iowa. It is in the town of Knoxville, and at Knoxville Raceway that so many bonds and memories would be formed for Rich. In his time in Knoxville, and all the years he has spent going to the races at Knoxville Raceway, Rich has built relationships that have circled the globe, connecting with and housing newfound friends from MANY states and stretching as far as other countries such as Australia. In 2020, Rich was even fortunate enough to travel to Australia to spend time with his wonderful friends Rex and Brenda at Poverty Point. During this trip, he was also given the opportunity to visit Premier Speedway where he finally got to experience the Grand Annual Sprint Car Classic, the Australian counterpart to his beloved Knoxville Nationals.

Recently, Rich has been tossed a few curve balls off the ball diamond. This winter, Rich was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Specifically, Rich was informed he had a malignant tumor on the drainage tube from his pancreas. This tumor had caused a full blockage from his pancreas and had eliminated his body’s ability to discard waste from his pancreas. In turn, the waste from his pancreas was being absorbed into his blood cells and causing him extreme discomfort and debilitating complications, such as weight loss, and an inability to eat or sleep.

In January, Rich underwent surgery at Iowa Methodist hospital, in Des Moines, where doctors took a biopsy of his tumor so they could better ascertain the extremity of the tumor, including the size of the mass and any spreading, along with gaining critical information for their plan of attack to remove the tumor and eradicate his cancer. During this surgery, they were also able to put a stent in the bile drainage tube, which has dramatically increased the function of Rich’s pancreas and also allowed for many of the debilitating symptoms tied to the tumor to subside, giving Rich back a much-needed quality of life. However, the fight is not over, and the road to recovery from cancer is certainly not short.

During this same time, Rich met with an oncology specialist/surgeon, Dr. Franko, and he was informed he had two possible paths to recovery. Option 1: Rich could undergo surgery to remove the tumor, followed by an intense/extensive round of chemotherapy. Option 2: Rich could choose to incur the chemotherapy first and then undergo the surgery to remove the tumor. Rich has opted for Option 1.

On March 27th, 2023, at 7:30 a.m., Rich will be returning to Des Moines, at Mercy One, for surgery to remove his tumor on the bile drain of his pancreas. The surgery is estimated to take anywhere between 3-7 plus hours. Following the surgery, Rich will be admitted for an undetermined number of days at the hospital. Once Rich has recovered, he will be released to return to his home in Knoxville. Shortly after, Rich will begin a 3-4 month chemotherapy regimen. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not know all of the details surrounding the chemotherapy, such as frequency, intensity etc.

While the prognosis thus far has been positive, there is still much uncertainty. However, Rich remains hopeful and continues to set his sights on the many goals he still wishes to achieve, such as re-visiting Australia, attending 50 consecutive Knoxville Nationals and seeing the running of the 75th Annual Knoxville Nationals, getting in as many rounds of golf as his body and the Lord will allow, and visiting his dear friend, Brian Miller, in Pennsylvania. The list could go on and on, but the focus remains centered on Rich’s greatest love of all…making as many memories with the people he loves as he absolutely can.

Most of us, if not all, have experienced a loved one battling cancer, and we know it takes an immense toll, physically, emotionally, and financially. We also know Rich is a person who would give, and probably literally has given, the shirt off his back to help anyone and everyone around him. This is our time to give back to the man who has done so much to raise us all up and to help him on what hopes to be a SPRINT to recovery and remission.