Augusta ex-mayor turns cancer fight into positive impact
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Researchers continue working to find a cure for cancer.
Former Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver is stepping in to help raise money in the fight. We sat down with the mayor to find out about his decision to this cause.
Just three weeks ago, Copenhaver was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He tells us after the initial shock wore off, he started working on ways he could turn his diagnosis into something positive for the community.
What started as a fundraising goal of $10,000 for the Georgia Cancer Center is now $30,000 and counting as Copenhaver uses his story as inspiration to help those going through the same thing. He tells us raising this money couldn’t have been possible without the community.
He’s been selling shirts with his “Do it Deke” slogan and using word of mouth to raise money.
“I think it’s just human nature. It’s like, am I gonna die,” Copenhaven questioned. “When I finally got the diagnosis, and the prognosis was good, my first thought was, well, what can I do with this to do good?”
Jane Barrett is the philanthropy director at Georgia’s Cancer Center and Copenhaver’s niece. She said, “We’re just so pleased to have his involvement here, and I think the biggest thing from his perspective is, you know, nobody wants to receive a cancer diagnosis. I think he’s kind of on a mission to take a difficult situation and make something positive come out of it, and help as many people as he can.”
The cancer center says all the proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward their patient programs. If you’d like to donate, you can visit the Unite in the Fight website or buy one of the “Do it Deke” shirts.
The Unite in the Fight walk kicks off Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at the cancer center.
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