North Texas woman on mission to raise awareness in fight against childhood cancer

When it comes to fighting childhood cancer, Jeri Geary is walking the walk. She’s also painting her nails, shaving her head — and doing anything else she can to draw attention to this terrible disease.

And with September being National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the 64-year-old lifelong Azle resident is stressing that now is as good a time as any to join her in spreading the word. While you may not have a child suffering from cancer — she didn’t — Geary asks why would that matter? Someone, somewhere is praying for their child’s survival, and could use a helping hand.

”It is always someone’s child, grandchild, niece, nephew, godchild, friend’s child or neighbor’s child that hears four words that change them forever, ‘Your child has cancer,’ Geary said.

“They are never the same.”

While her own children did not develop cancer, two of the three had extreme medical conditions when they were young and often were on the oncology floor of the hospital because their immune systems were lacking. Geary saw the child patients with cancer and it made an indelible impression on her.

So she began to ask herself what she could do to help, thus starting her mission of awareness.

Geary said her mission has led her to know more than 400 children who have died from cancer from ages three weeks to 17 years old.

”I had to quit counting because it hurt too much,” she said. “Yes, I’m free to walk away from these kids and their families but I will fight until there is nothing left in me.”

‘Kids get cancer too’

Why does she do it? She said the answer is simple. Children and families need all the help and support they can get in this battle. Also, she believes there is just not enough awareness of this childhood killer in society.

”I choose to advocate because these parents have to be on the front lines with their children,” she said. “I choose to advocate to bring awareness because people need to know that kids get cancer too.”

Geary has shaved her head three times to raise money for research. At the moment her toenails and fingernails are painted gold as part of a fundraising effort. And her Facebook page is completely blown up with message after message about awareness.

Rhea Lynn Johnson met Geary when Johnson’s son, Kye Gunn, was diagnosed with leukemia a few years ago. Kye has been in remission for almost three years, and now she has joined Geary in her awareness quest.

“Once your eyes are opened to the world of childhood cancer, you can’t close them. But it shouldn’t just be people who have had children working to spread the word. We need more like Jeri,” Johnson said.

Among their combined efforts, Johnson joined Geary in putting together grab bags for an awareness campaign at Walnut Creek Elementary School in Azle, where Kye is a student and Geary is a substitute teacher.

Bonding together in the fight for a cure

Geary added there is still so much to learn and so much more that can be done. It starts, she said, with more folks doing what she is doing and calling childhood cancer out to the world — a world that she believes would care more if they knew more.

And if the world would just face a harsh reality — that cancer doesn’t care about age.

Though she said she can never have enough allies in her cause, through her longstanding battle Geary has made many positive relationships sharing in her efforts. Some have even become lifelong friendships.

”This summer, a close advocate friend — a mother whose son, Evan, died at 17 — and I met in Florida for three days. We had dinner with Julian’s momma,” she said. “Miles and years may separate us, but our goal is the same — end childhood cancer.

”As long as you have a breath in you, I truly believe you have a purpose in life. Sometimes, we search to find it. I’m blessed to have many advocates across the United States that are filled with the same desire to fight for a cure.”