Apalachin, N.Y. — Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a blood cancer that starts within bone marrow and while the American Cancer Society reports it is one of the most common types of leukemia in adults, it is fairly rare overall accounting for only about one-percent of all cancers.
Chad Beck is a loving husband and father who resides in Apalachin and is currently fighting AML. According to a GoFundMe account set up on his behalf by a friend, not only is Chad undergoing chemotherapy, he also will need a bone marrow transplant, and many of his treatments are not covered by insurance. In addition, Chad is unable to work and these treatments are at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. to which he, his wife and their young daughters travel to frequently.
Friends of Chad are doing all that they can to help ease the financial burdens resulting from the costs of treatments as well as the required traveling for those treatments, along with the general household expenses that do not pause just because someone is unable to work. In addition to the GoFundMe account, friends are pulling together a Spaghetti Dinner benefit to be held from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, May 15, at the Ransom Steele Tavern, 552 Main St., Apalachin, N.Y. The cost is $12.00 for adults, $7.00 for children ages five to 10, and children ages four and under are free. Takeout will be available. There will be raffle baskets and 50/50 raffles and many local musicians have signed on to provide entertainment for the afternoon including Paul Shotwell, Doug & Eamonn Hubert, and My So-Called Band. DJ Craig Morrison will provide additional music.
Tickets for the dinner can be purchased either at the door or in advance through Beck’s Towing located at 5780 N.Y. State Route 434 in Apalachin. Beck’s is also accepting donations for the basket raffles. And yes, Chad’s last name is no coincidence–his parents are the owners of Beck’s Towing.
A Facebook page has been created for the event. Search “Benefit for Chad Beck: We’re in This to Win!”
