Larry & Kathy Jones Family H.O.P.E. Campaign

This spring marks the eleventh anniversary of our father's passing.  We lost Dad from this life on March 14, 2011, following a lung cancer diagnosis in the fall of 2010.  After his passing, our family established the Larry B. Jones H.O.P.E. Campaign (celebrating Healing, Optimism, Prayer & Example). The idea for the H.O.P.E. Campaign was born as our family was keeping vigil by Dad's hospital bedside, before he was finally discharged home on hospice.  So many people were sharing stories with us about ways in which Dad had helped them in one way or another over the years.  Dad was always helping others, and the H.O.P.E. Campaign was one way we could ensure he was able to continue helping people.  We planned to raise money in order to help others who were battling cancer. 

A couple of weeks after we buried Dad, our mother, Kathy, was re-diagnosed with breast cancer, this time, Stage 4.  She had battled initially in 1998, and then, in 2011, the cancer came back in her bone.  Our family became even more committed to the fight against cancer, and we were determined to focus our support not only on Mom's healing, but also on our previously committed mission of supporting others who were facing the same scary battle.  We have raised funds annually since 2012, whether it be a fish fry, t-shirt sales, pork loin sale or a raffle.  Time and again, our wonderful community has supported our family's little mission, and we've been able to gift financial "love offerings" to families battling cancer and other life threatening illnesses to help with their treatment and care.  

In November of 2012, tragedy struck our immediate family again, and we lost our sister, Sara, unexpectedly in her sleep.  There are no words to explain the deep and saddening loss of both Dad and Sara.  Our family and community pulled together once again to support us through this devastating loss.  We feel so blessed to be so loved, and we desire to return the love and give back as we are able, while also honoring the lives and memories of our loved ones.  Through the H.O.P.E. Campaign, we are able to do this on a small scale, by providing for other families the feeling of love, support and hope that we felt following each of our parents' diagnoses as well as the love and support we felt following our family's tragic losses.  

We were absolutely devastated following the losses of Dad and Sara, and completely broken when Mom was re-diagnosed, but Mom never gave up hope.  She was an inspiration to us all, and her faith and trust in God reminded us all that He is in control.  She battled valiantly for nearly five and a half more years, until she was reunited with Dad and Sara in Heaven in August of 2016.  Our family pulled together once again, closer than ever, and God continues to help us get through each day.  We do not have answers to God's why, and that's not ours to know right now.  We still have moments of deep grief and pain, but we also have moments of complete joy and hope.  I know you all can relate, even if your story is different than ours.  Dad, Mom and Sara are all deeply loved and we miss them every single day.  We feel nudged by God to continue this work, and we could not do any of it without you.  Thank you.

The Larry B. Jones H.O.P.E. Campaign was established in March of 2011, and in 2013, we officially teamed up with The Ben Kruse 18 FORE Life Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity out of Stoddard County, with a shared mission of benefiting area cancer warriors.  Dad and Mom were both recipients of 18 FORE Life's love offerings in 2010 and 2011.  We are honored to work with 18 FORE Life to help benefit others.  Ben Kruse and Dad were friends this side of Heaven, which makes the partnership between the two charities even more special for the families.  In 2016, following Mom's passing, the Larry B. Jones H.O.P.E. Campaign was renamed the Larry & Kathy Jones Family H.O.P.E. Campaign.

With the help of our wonderful family, friends and community, the H.O.P.E. Campaign has raised over $137,000 since 2011, and since 2000, 18 FORE Life has sent out over $3 Million in love offerings to families all over Southeast Missouri and beyond.  Our prayer is that we can honor the memory of our Dad, Mom and sister by helping others, and in some way give hope and strength to others, in a way in which it's been given to us-- during both Dad and Mom's battles with cancer.  Cancer has hit very close to home, and we've had a fire lit within each of us.  We can't stop fighting and loving and supporting until cancer is no more.  We're so grateful for all the individuals and organizations that are out there, fighting against cancer. We also realize there are many other very difficult life situations, and while the focus of our campaign, because of our family history, is support of cancer warriors, we also want to remember, support and pray for others who find themselves facing tragic events and other life threatening illnesses.

Thank you, and God Bless, 

Lora Jones Galati, Kyle Jones and families