Dean's "It's All Good" Medical Fund

It’s All Good

For most people, the word "cancer" elicits a wide array of negative emotions- fear, sadness, anger. Just the sound of it makes one feel uneasy. It is a word that is the antithesis of everything we think of as good. A word that can bring even the strongest man to his knees. That is, of course, unless you are Dean Pitts, Jr.

If you are Dean, you never ask, "Why me?". You never venture into the landscapes of self-pity or despair. You never grow so tired that you say you can't go on. You never say that it isn't fair. No, if you are Dean, you greet every day with a smile, a positive outlook, and with the same sense of determination that you have had from the first day you heard the word "cancer". When others ask how you are, you reply with a phrase befitting only those with the strongest faith: "It's All Good".

You endure seven years' worth of operations, chemotherapy, radiation, medications, and complications- and you do it all with a smile. You worry more about your family and friends than you do yourself. You tell doctors and nurses that you love them. And you really mean it. You give thanks daily for things that the rest of us take for granted- things like text messages from friends, your favorite meal from Chick-fil-a, and time spent with family. You are so kind, so selfless, and so positive that everyone who crosses your path can't help but become part of Team Pitts. And you navigate that ever-changing, ever-challenging path with such grace and faith, that those around you can't help but wonder if you might really be an angel whose mission is to teach the rest of us how we should really live.

Your smile and spirit are nothing short of contagious. After 33 years of marriage, you still look at your wife just as you did when you started dating as teenagers...ever attached at the hip, breathing the same committed, graceful, loving breath. Your wife rejoices in holding your hand, sharing a walk on the beach, and witnessing your unwavering will to forge ahead- never taking a second of it for granted- because she knows that she has been lucky enough to live life with the one God chose for her.

You never ask for help, but are overflowing with gratitude when you receive it. You quote scripture to others who are worried as a reminder that there really is nothing to fear. When you experience difficulties from a treatment, you give thanks that perhaps you may have helped someone in the future. You are, without question, the very essence of a Christian man.

You love sweet tea and steaks, the sight of the ocean, the sensation of the breeze, and the sound of your children's laughter. You put God and others before yourself, never asking for anything in return. Every day, you are a shining example of what it means to live a good life- a life that will never cease to bring joy to those lucky enough to bear witness to it. And how lucky we all are to be counted in that number.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

So many of you have asked how you can help, and what better way to give this Holiday season than to a family who has given so much to all of us over the years! Let's show Team Pitts how much they mean to us and how grateful we are that they have included us in their journey. Let's help Dean kick cancer to the curb!