Benefit dinner to be held for cancer patient

To stage a battle against the effects of cancer, a person suffering from the disease is likely to require extensive medical attention, the support of friends and family and a good deal of money.

Since Jason Wood was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, he has been receiving treatment and has discovered a wealth of strength that he can draw from his family and friends. He is 29 years old.

Now, his friends and family are looking toward the community he grew up in to help provide him with a portion of the monetary resources he needs to continue living his everyday life as he wages a war against the disease inhabiting his body.

 The Jason Wood Fundraising Dinner will take place on Saturday, April 22, from 7-11 p.m. at the Guntersville City Hall. Tickets for the dinner are $20 per person. The menu includes grilled chicken and all the fixin's, all of which were donated by local businesses. In addition, there will be a silent auction, raffle and the music of the local band Brown's Creek. Boston butts and ribs will also be available for sale.

“It is a real tragedy to see a good guy like Jason struggling with this type of illness,” said Kevin Skidmore, a close friend. “We knew we had to do something. I just hope that people will come out and support the dinner because Jason is someone who deserves the help and support of his community.”

When Wood first began to feel ill, he went for further testing. Doctors discovered a mass on his brain. On Jan. 16, he had surgery to put a shunt in to release the pressure that was building up. They then performed a biopsy. Wood was diagnosed with low-grade astrocytoma, level 2.

 Wood graduated from Guntersville High School in 1995 and is a graduate of Auburn University. On Dec. 16, 2000, he married his wife, Heather, and has since had two children, Tyler, 3, and Livi, 1.

“Jason has always gone above and beyond in anything that he does. The strength and determination that he has everyday is amazing.  He is truly an inspiration, not only to me, but also to so many others.  I am so proud to call him my brother,” said Krissy Wood, Jason's sister.

 For more information, please contact Skidmore at 582-7037 or Nicki Hill at 582-0908. Donations can also be made to the Jason Wood Benefit Fund at Regions Bank in Guntersville.

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