A Note of Thanks to the Herd

(Lisa DeLong is the mother of Jakie DeLong, a Trojan fan who we've featured on the Herdblog a few times)

Hello Herd,

Sorry this note is so late in coming. Jacob has been in treatment all week and our daughter has started classes at Orange Coast College so things have been a bit hectic. (photo right: Jacob in white with Lisa in the b.g.) My computer crashed as well so I am borrowing one and it takes a little getting used to. I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time we had last week at the August 22nd Scrimmage for the USC Trojans.

What a treat to meet the friendly folks who call themselves The Herd, listen to their chanting and as they went on the Herd Walk with the team! There were 28 of us there, all of us touched by childhood cancer one way or another, and all of us brought that perspective with us as we entered through the Peristyle gates of the Coliseum. It was memorable to say the least!

I felt teary as Jacob and his little buddy Ryan ran freely across the field. They danced to the piped in music and tumbled and laughed. Earlier that day Jacob had gone under anesthesia for another lumbar puncture to receive chemotherapy to his spinal fluid. It had been a very long day as most leukemia treatments are, from the confines of the hospital to the freedom of the coliseum and the "Fight On" spirit of the Trojans - wow!

Thank you so much for giving me the courage to make Jacob's request come about. I hope we can we can do this again with a little more time to plan and invite, I think more kids affected by cancer will be able to feel the same "Fight On" spirit as we did.

Thanks again and I hope to send photos soon, Lisa