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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Ready to relay: Remembering Garth Childs


Ready to relay: Remembering Garth Childs

Owen Olsen and his antique fire truck Jasper carry Garth Childs fire district chief to his final resting place at the Huntington Cemetery.

By By Diane Tadehara

Whether its fall, winter, spring, or summer, hunting season, fishing season or your favorite holiday season, having even one more season to share with those you love is a reason to fight cancer. It's Relay Season in Emery County. Join us as we celebrate Seasons of Hope on July 15-16 at Emery High School.  From the opening celebration of survivors, through the fun and entertainment of the evening that leads to the touching Luminaria ceremony where we can remember seasons share with loved ones who have passed and plan for future seasons with the survivors we love, Relay For Life has something for everybody.

We relay for a cure. We relay to show our resolve. We relay so anyone who hears the words, "You have cancer" can have a season of hope. We relay because we believe in a future where no one will have to hear, "you have cancer".

If anyone in your life has been affected by cancer, Relay For Life is for you. It's not too late to join us. For information go to www.relayforlife.org/castledaleut. It's the season to fight back against cancer.Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.

This celebration begins about 12 years ago when a 47 year-old, wife and mother of four was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer. Her youngest, a son, was in his final year - expected to be the best - of high school. Her husband was deeply involved in the community on his local fire department, as an EMT, as a member of the County Jeep Posse, and very active in his faith. During her consequent surgery, chemo, and radiation, her husband stepped-up without question to see her through. The next five years would be years of Celebration for Alyce Childs and her family. She fought valiantly for the announcement that the cancer was gone. At her five year check-up and screening she was given a thumbs-up for a clean bill of health. Being aware of a niggling feeling, Alyce requested a pap smear be done six months later. The results returned abnormal prompting further testing. The diagnoses of stage III ovarian cancer was dropped on her. So again, Alyce's life was turned upside down with more surgery, more chemo, and more radiation. And again, Alyce's husband, Garth, was diligent in his care for her. She refers to him and his ability to take care of her along with all of his other obligations and responsibilities as, "amazing." Alyce continues to attend her screenings, but she does it without Garth.

Here we remember... just six short weeks ago another cancer story had a different ending. Garth's battle with cancer began six years ago about a year after Alyce won for the second time. He was 61 when diagnosed with prostate cancer. There was a biopsy and surgery that should have eliminated the cancer. They felt so let down and disappointed when they were told the surgery "didn't get it all." But it wasn't in Garth's nature to hold a grudge. His reaction was, "We are all human." By the time he was 62 the cancer had spread to the bone. Garth's oncologist told the Childs' that this was the "cancer from hell." It was very aggressive and rapidly growing. They were warned that it would be hard to fight. Garth started treatments that eventually included chemo, hormone replacement therapy, and five rounds of radiation that would last five years. Despite this overwhelming obstacle, Garth continued to work until he was 65.

Every position Garth held throughout his entire working career were centered on people. From the School District to Fire Chief to EMT and Chairman of the Board of Emery County Fire Chief's Association, his passion was to improve the lives of those around him. This shined through in his callings within his religion and his dedication to the acquisition of seven new fire engines for the county. His focus was honed over the last two years of his life as he helped design the fire trucks with the goal that "they would last 20 years!" The thing he hated in life was fire because it is so destructive. He had been known to say, "What fire didn't destroy, smoke would." Alyce watched as Garth took each fire personally. Always wishing he could have done more.

Doing more became a priority with his family. For two weeks during each of the last two years of his life, Garth shared a beach house in Depot Bay on the Oregon coast with his family. He simply adored his grandchildren. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose family all knew he wasn't afraid to do absolutely anything for them.

The only fear Garth had was that the cancer would render him incapacitated. He was at peace with his disease and aware of his mortality. He was not afraid of dying. His motto became to "do the best he could with what he had." Garth was a very humble man who loved people. He loved serving others and exchanging stories with people. "If you care about people it's what you do." Garth not only talked the talk, but he walked the walk. We remember the honor and dignity Garth lived.

We all have an opportunity to join the Fight Back. Relay for life and American Cancer Society lead the fight. Come join us in a fight against "cancers from hell." July 15, 2011 at 6 p.m. at Emery High School track.



Emery County Progress

Erin and Grammy


Well on with the good news first i am sooo happy julie ha her baby hes seems absolutaly adorable in your e-mail.Is he really blond?If sooo i feel really bad dad always calls me blond even though he knows im really not but now he has a nephew that really is blond ouch poor kid better run when my dad sees him JUST JOKING!!!LOL!!!!he seems small but adorable!!!!!!!!!!!When is kirsten gonna have her baby,is it soon?I hope so.Did the docters say what gender they thought it was gonna be?Well then here for the bad news.......I have found out that we cant go to wyoming that we are just going to utah to camp.That is a bummer I was really looking foward to coming he says it is a bad timing that wwe have to wait tilll caydin is a little bit older.plus he hasnt stopped the biting thing snd he is just as a stinker and nois maker as he ever was OI THAT BOY......i did get your other e-mail too and dad also told us bout the call he got we are all so sorry to hear such news.We hope you will be okay.And the loss we know is a great deal for you as you described in your e-mails they both were verey dear to you.But in times like these it is okay to cry it is okay to to yell and scream and it is totally okay to let depression get in your life.But it is also and always important to thing about good things so that the sadness and all does go away.All you do is  have to remember that even though these thins come and go we still have eachother and that it is best to move on.I know i do not help but at least i can try to speak truth in my own words. We hope you know we all are there for you.on days you want to cry cry on days ou wnt to screan yell and kick then scream yell and kick noone is stopping you.Just plz always evetually let love into your heart on the darkests moments you can and make it the best time you can.well back to some more good news ummmmmmm........lets see........Orchestra is big and grand though we dont get to have a spring concert sucks its totally okay with me.Towmorow i have to take me instruments back tthough.Today all the patroles including me got to go outside and we got to teach the kindergardeners how to jump rope it was fun though we asked all the kids in english if anyone only talked spanish all of them shook there heads.but at the end we were trying to get this one little girl to jump but she didnt even answere us later though we found out from one of her friends she only speaks spanish that was a really big SHOCKER!!!!!!!KIDS OH KIDS WHAT DO WE DO WITH KIDS!Counsellign is going great  my counselore is a boy though SHOCKER!!!!!!!Plus he wants me to start with truama therepy I don't know what to do abput that one.OH and mom is finally letting me read an adult book it really isnt that bad though i think it really is interesting there really isnt blood or anything like that in it and hardly any cussing either wich is a really good thing!We all love you and hope that you will be okay we all are thinking about you too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Erin Lanora Trauntvein!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S.Rachel is totally right listen to her im sher shell cheer you up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Myrna wrote: We are here in Ohio. Michael just graduated from high school. He had a 4.3 grade point average and won a scholarship. Next we go to Boston to see Ben graduate and then we go home. We will be home on June 6.

I only cried and did not need to kick and scream. I was so sorry that Garth was in so much pain that I could not wish he would live longer. I will miss him but it will be OK. I will see him again.

I am proud of all the good things you are doing in school. I am also happy that your therapist is helping you. Always remember that there are a lot of people who love you and always remember that Heavenly Father loves you. Gramps loves you. I love you.

I will write more to you later.

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