Speaker 1: We're talking to Andy Gasper and Kevin Parker, who work
Speaker 1: with Warrior Foundation Freedom Stations, specifically in cancer support programs,
Speaker 1: among other things. A gentleman, First of all, thanks for
Speaker 1: spending some time. Good to talk to you. How are
Speaker 1: you great? Thank you good appreciating opportunity. Thank you? Oh,
Speaker 1: it's it's our pleasure. So what makes the cancer support
Speaker 1: programs through Warrior Foundation Freedom Station different or more valuable
Speaker 1: for service members than say, you know something that's perfectly
Speaker 1: great at a local hospital. Well, I think, um, since
Speaker 1: to thanks to that question. I think one of the
Speaker 1: things that makes this unique is the hospital, Dobbo Enabled
Speaker 1: Medical Center, San Diego. They do offer a caregiver program.
Speaker 1: I think what makes this unique is kind of a
Speaker 1: personal touch for its heavy on pero peer support. Uh.
Speaker 1: And we also implement a caregiver perspective of that as well,
Speaker 1: and we do it around lunch. Um. And so what's
Speaker 1: a really low key environment really promotes sharing and hewing. Now,
Speaker 1: you're both military veterans, and I know you can speak
Speaker 1: to the warrior mindset and how that plays in with
Speaker 1: dealing with a certain kind of person. What's the warrior mindset?
Speaker 1: What's that all about well, the warrior mindset obviously, you
Speaker 1: know you're you're kind of put in that that situation
Speaker 1: as a as a warrior. But whenever difficulty comes along,
Speaker 1: you know how to process it properly, you know, from
Speaker 1: from the honor, courage, commitment, all those things. But as
Speaker 1: a warrior and dealing with cancer and trying to help um,
Speaker 1: trying to help out others that are dealing with the
Speaker 1: similar issues, it's it's really focused in on on comfort
Speaker 1: and how you can help each other during that difficult time.
Speaker 1: And so you know, oftentimes as a as a marine,
Speaker 1: you want to you want to stand strong and you
Speaker 1: know and try to uh, you know, try to bear
Speaker 1: the burdens on your own. But in all reality, the
Speaker 1: warrior does need that support. And the Warrior Foundation was
Speaker 1: huge for me and my family as as UM. I
Speaker 1: was diagnosed with stage four melanoma back in two thousand
Speaker 1: and sixteen, and uh, with having four kids, just found
Speaker 1: out my wife was pregnant with our fifth line. Yeah,
Speaker 1: just all of a sudden, you know, something like that happens.
Speaker 1: You know, you begin to think, uh, like you know, what,
Speaker 1: what's what's about to happen? And and so I met
Speaker 1: Andy back in two thousands seventeen. And then at that point,
Speaker 1: UM I Andy introduced me to several others that we're
Speaker 1: dealing with cancer, different types. And you know when you
Speaker 1: go and see the doctor and they tell you, you know,
Speaker 1: for me and my example, I had six months left
Speaker 1: to live and oh yes, and the doctors like you
Speaker 1: got six months, and you know, you're thinking of all
Speaker 1: these different things. You know. Of course, you know I've
Speaker 1: been in the Marines for sixteen years at that point,
Speaker 1: and so all those things kind of go kind of
Speaker 1: halk and uh and yes, the worrior mindset is extremely important.
Speaker 1: But and uh and it helps out, it helps to
Speaker 1: persevere and connecting with Andy and and kind of getting
Speaker 1: involved in the cancer group. Really the healing comes by
Speaker 1: helping others heal. And I would say that the Warrior
Speaker 1: Foundation with UM Sandy and Andy have done with the
Speaker 1: connection there with the month a monthly luncheons to sit
Speaker 1: around a large table almost like a family environment of
Speaker 1: other warriors just sitting across from each other, and everybody's
Speaker 1: dealing with different types of cancers and different stages and
Speaker 1: and uh, now I can you know, I'm uh, you know,
Speaker 1: just excited to you know, say I'm in remission and
Speaker 1: be able to you know, get that hope in that
Speaker 1: sense of you know, courage to others and know, hey,
Speaker 1: we're here for you, especially the caregivers with my wife,
Speaker 1: you know, dealing with our situation and the kids and
Speaker 1: all those different things. Hey, you know you can whether
Speaker 1: it's faith or you know, just just that warrior mindset, Hey,
Speaker 1: you know, have comfort and and I would say that's
Speaker 1: probably my um where I'm really appreciative Andy and Sandy
Speaker 1: and the Warrior Undation what they've done for me and
Speaker 1: my family and just that connection. Well. And you know,
Speaker 1: the one thing we've learned in uh, talking with so
Speaker 1: many good folks who have benefited from Warrior Foundation Freedom
Speaker 1: Station through the years is that you I mean, you're
Speaker 1: you're trained, then you live through the most intense moments
Speaker 1: any human being can imagine. And it's all about team,
Speaker 1: always team. And then all of a sudden, when military
Speaker 1: service ends or folks are medically retired or whatever, all
Speaker 1: of a sudden, you got no team or you don't
Speaker 1: have the same sort of team and you're in the dopey,
Speaker 1: apathetic civilian world dealing with a crisis and and I
Speaker 1: don't think a lot of civilians understand how incredibly dislocating
Speaker 1: that can be. Yes, and it's definitely a transition now
Speaker 1: that I've since retired and UM and moved into the
Speaker 1: civilian sector, it's it's definitely a change in mindset and
Speaker 1: having UM organizations like the Warrior Foundation Freedom Station to
Speaker 1: have a location to go to one of my buddies,
Speaker 1: UH lived there for for quite some time, and a
Speaker 1: huge you know, a huge value, huge add and and
Speaker 1: a lot of service members, you know, they they think
Speaker 1: they're on their own, but you know, whenever Sandy and
Speaker 1: Andy come along next, and you know you're like, hey, wow,
Speaker 1: there's people who really care as I transition and UH
Speaker 1: to offer those additional services. Kevin, Andy is great to
Speaker 1: talk to. You both. Keep up the good work and
Speaker 1: we'll do what we can to help. Thank you the opportunity.
Speaker 1: Appreciate it.