Hospital News

2005 Press Releases

Town rallies to help in teen's cancer fight.

MANCHESTER, July 29, 2005 - Patty Henry was worshipping at Old St. John's Church in Lakehurst on Jan. 1, 2005, when she noticed a dark lump on her son's neck.

Some disturbing thoughts passed through her mind — her family has a long history of cancer — but she tried to remain positive and upbeat.

Four days later, after a series of tests, Patty's worst fears were realized. Her 14-year-old son, Derek Biederstadt, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes, which are the body's blood-filtering tissues that help fight infection and disease.

"When they told me, it just blew my mind," Henry said. "They said it was in the 3B stage but that it was curable. If you are going to get cancer, I guess, this is the one to get."

The community is banding together to help Biederstadt and his family. Benefit softball games are scheduled for Saturday at the Manchester Little League Complex on Route 571. In the 1 p.m. game, National League and American League coaches from the Little League will play; the winner will play a game at 3:30 p.m. against a team comprised of members of the Manchester Policemen's Benevolent Association Local 246 and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Felicia Finn, who has known Biederstadt for six years, said everyone is working hard to "come through for the boy."

"We had a bowling tournament to help him, and we thought a benefit softball game would be a great idea, too,"

Finn said. "He is such a nice kid and he seems to be pulling through it well. He is not letting it get him down."

On Jan. 7, Biederstadt had surgery to remove the cancer at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune. He requires radiation treatments at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, for 24 consecutive days. He has 18 treatments to go.

"They bolt down his head to make sure that it won't move," Henry said, describing the treatment. "To see him lying on the table like that and watching the radiation go through him just blows you away. It's amazing what this can do, the good and the bad. We are just hoping that there are no secondary cancers, like lung and heart damage."

Henry said her son has had his ups and downs emotionally and is reluctant to talk about how he is feeling.

"He is my only child, and I know he does not want the radiation," she said. "But he doesn't have a choice."

Henry said she has really been touched by the community's outpouring of support.

"It has been overwhelming, at times," she said. "People have been bringing over dinners, helping me with transportation needs and contributing to fund-raisers. It has been amazing. It just warms your heart that so many people care."

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