F K Cancer**Story by Stephanie LammersLayout by Ricci TaylorPhotos by Aaron Swarmer & Kim Bailey

It’s just cancer. I’m going to drive right through it. No fear, just faith.” These were the encouraging words that Edward Ronald Rader shared will everyone on his online video journal after

victim of this life threatening illness. Rader was a soldier, stationed at Fort Gordon, who was preparing for his departure to Egypt. The only bar-­rier between him and this far off land was a standard medical check-­up. The results of his x-­rays brought something nobody would have ever expected to see. In March of 2009, 32-­year-­old Rader was diagnosed with cancer. Stage 4 melanoma was found in his chest, and further testing revealed that it was also in his brain. The American Melanoma Founda-­

serious form of skin cancer….if it is not detected at an early stage, it can spread to other parts of the body and is poten-­tially a lethal form a cancer.” After Rader received life-­changing news about having cancer, he imme-­diately began to update everyone on

he ordered bumper stickers that read,

thought ordering bumper stickers and updating loved one’s were helpful to his recovery because he had such a large support group standing behind him. Many of his friends were from Athens, Ga., where he grew up, and others he met later on in life through the military. While he was stationed at Fort Gordon, he met several people in the area who went to Augusta State and other sur-­rounding colleges. These people sup-­

Although this disease was shocking news to his loved ones, Rader’s positive attitude and humor motivated every-­one around him to have hope.

was the one encouraging everybody instead of vice versa;; encouraging us

said Kim Bailey, one of Rader’s closest friends. His friends and family became his backbone and spread his story in mul-­tiple ways. One of his friends created

Think Ed Rader is Gonna Whip Can-­cer’s Ass.” This page informed people regularly about Rader’s progress. He created several online video journals for all 1,396 members of the group to watch. On three separate occasions throughout the year he posted a dia-­gram of a skeleton and marked each spot on his body where all of his tumors and cysts were located. This Facebook page informed people about Rader’s cancer, and at the same time, they were able to connect with one another to

he was going to beat cancer for us be-­cause he felt like he owed it to us after everything that all of his friends had done for him,” said Bailey.

cancer for himself, but his most im-­portant obligation was to survive for his loved ones. Although Rader had his heart set on beating cancer, he had grueling months of treatment ahead of

In April 2009, Rader decided to have Gamma Knife surgery here in Augusta. On the website gammaknife.com, it de-­scribed this surgery as a procedure that treats brain tumors and brain disorders by using radiation. No cutting is nec-­essary when using the Gamma Knife.

process, and his friends were by his side. They showed their support im-­mediately after the surgery. Landon Dawson is part owner in a company called KCC or Krunk Clothing Company. He wanted to make t-­shirts for Rader to help raise money toward his medical bills and traveling expens-­es. On the front of the t-­shirts it reads

Life” with the orange cancer ribbon that represents melanoma. Bailey said that within a week, the shirts turned

His friends didn’t stop there. Three days after his Gamma Knife surgery,

his head for treatment, so many of his friends wore wigs to show support for

were given out at the party, and his friends have continued to order shirts ever since. Once Rader and his friends began to wear the t-­shirts, people started ask-­

ing questions and showing interest in the meaning behind the logo. Accord-­ing to Bailey, when Rader was wear-­ing the shirt and people stopped him to ask about it, he would tell them his story. After informing strangers about

down their name and address and mail them a free shirt.

people, he shook hands, gave them cards, said ‘I’ll send you a bumpers sticker,’ said ‘I’ll send you a shirt,’” says Val, Rader’s older brother. Val thinks that it is amazing that his friends are continuing to sell his t-­shirts and merchandise, because it raises awareness for cancer and cancer research, but it also breaths life and spirit into the memory of Rader. His journey through therapy was a journey that should always be remembered. He spent a great deal of time on the road trying to put his cancer in remission. For several months Rader traveled from Georgia to Bethesda, Md., to the National Institutes of Health where he participated in a clinical trial. The treatment is called cell replacement therapy. Bailey described the proce-­dure by saying that scientists took both cancerous cells and healthy white blood cells from Rader’s body. Then, they be-­gan to train the white cells to attack the cancerous cells. After doing so, they manipulated the cells and placed them

cancer. This was not the only agonizing treatment that he received in the state away from home. Also in Bethesda, Rader received IL-­2, interleukin-­2, therapy. According to Bailey, this is one of the roughest treat-­ments available.

because it was so harsh on his body. He couldn’t breathe on his own,” said Bailey. She continued to explain that the doctors did IL-­2 treatments until they thought Rader’s body would shut down from the intensity of the treatment. When most people think of cancer, they don’t think of all of the excruci-­ating pain and treatments that come along with it. Sadly, all of these pro-­cedures were failing, and Rader’s cysts and tumors continued to grow. His positive attitude appeared to be the best remedy.

from stopping, but he used that [posi-­tive] attitude to inspire other people and to counsel other people who were in similar situations. That takes a lot of guts and a lot of fortitude when you are in fact suffering and worrying about death,” said Val. Rader not only remained positive about beating cancer, he aimed to tell his story and ways to prevent melano-­ma to as many people as possible. According to Bailey, he informed peo-­ple about cancer and told them to stay on top of their health.

the tanning bed and start wearing sun-­screen on a regular basis,” said Bailey. She continued by saying that people should not be so naive because anyone can be diagnosed cancer at any time. Some people that he talked to were also cancer patients. He became their sup-­port group. Rader encouraged others that had walked his shoes, as well loved ones who needed support. At the same time, he remained humble about the pain that he felt.

cancer was going to beat him. He tried to just be himself and never acted like anything was wrong,” said Drew Dover,

of Rader’s. Aside from the intense treatment that Rader underwent, he always seemed to make time for fun. Edward loved hanging out with his buddies…interacting with people was very important to him,” said Val. According to his brother, several of his friends went with him to Braves games, the Georgia/Florida game and the SEC Championship game. He pro-­ceeded to talk about a trip they all took to Las Vegas where they were able to hang out in the Villagio. He loved his social life, but he had a bigger responsi-­bility that he treasured the most. Rader has a 9-­year-­old son, Danny Rader, who currently lives in Texas. His brother claims that Rader always

Rader was experiencing a lot of pain to-­

a promise to his son to be with him for Christmas and his birthday.

-­ter his son’s 9th birthday. What can

Not one second did he

believe that cancer was

going to beathim.

“

“

Top Left: Ed Rader at Clarkes Hill six days after a tumor was removed

from his buttocks, Top Right: Rader & his parents at MCG on April 20,

2009. The day of this Gamma Knife Surgery. Second Left: Rader showing

off is chest port. Second Right: Rader, Dover & Bailey grilling out.

Third right: wrist bands “Ed Rader will beat cancer.” Bottom Right: Rader

& Bailey at a Braves Game.

you say about someone that tosses pain aside and says you know, my commit-­ments are more important than any-­

commitments,” said Rader’s brother. Rader passed away Jan. 5, 2010, just three days before his 33rd birthday. His family was by his side every step of the way until his rigorous battle with cancer came to an end. However, just because his body was laid to rest, does

Rader’s brother claims that he was a warrior. His brother vows to always tell Rader’s story and how he impacted so many lives. He beat cancer by how he lived his life,” said Val.

-­er was a hero. The day before Rader passed, Bai-­ley heard a new Toby Keith song titled

talks about Keith’s friend that passed

me how to live, and now you’ve showed me how to die.” She says that line sums it up completely.

time.” Dover claims that knowing Rader and his story makes him have a better respect for life. He wants to live life to the fullest because you’re never guar-­anteed tomorrow. Rader was expected to live six months and survived nine, but his sto-­ry lives on. The battle against cancer continues;; however, when soldiers like

-­chasing t-­shirts, koozies, brace-­

on May 14, 2010, please con-­tact Kim Bailey: kimbailey22@

hotmail.com. The proceeds are going towards the Rader’s War-­

money goes to the American

Stephanie Lammers is a senior

communications major on the

public relations track.