BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—A Bucyrus native is on a mission to support cancer research – and find a cure.
Norm Hall, 59, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, is participating in the Visionaries of the Year campaign to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). It’s also his way of celebrating 25 years being cancer free.
“It’s my cancer. I have a vested interest in this one, believe me,” said the Colonel Crawford graduate. “This is my way of celebrating 25 years of life that I wasn’t guaranteed and helping all the other ‘Norms’ out there get their 25-plus years as well.”
Each dollar donated is a “vote” for Hall, who is calling his drive “25 in 25.” His goal is $50,000. Overall, the 10-week campaign kicked off April 3, and whoever raises the most for cancer research and treatment is named “Visionary of the Year.”
“I would really love to get that title, but more important than ever, I want to raise the money for cancer research,” said Hall. “Everybody is touched by cancer. That’s what this is all about, to raise money for more research and to keep on fighting.”
Hall, the son of Larry and Sally Hall of Bucyrus, was diagnosed in 2000 with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Stage 2, after noticing an odd lymph node on his neck. He underwent months of chemotherapy and radiation at the Zangmeister Center in Columbus.
Since then, Hall has been an advocate for the LLS and its vision of a world without blood cancers. In 2010 he ran the Paris, France marathon as part of the LLS Team in Training. It marked his 10-year post cancer milestone, and he raised $22,000.
Each year he also participates in “Light the Night” in Columbus, another LLS event designed to bring light to the darkness surrounding many cancer patients and their families and ultimately find cures and treatments for blood cancers.
Hall, a Senior Human Resources Business Partner with IGS Energy, is promoting the campaign through fund-raising letters, silent auction items, and a series of events in the Columbus area, including a disco party. His team is GoNormGo.
“At the time of my cancer I was told that 20 years earlier, there was not a treatment,” Hall said. “Timing was everything for me – and now timing is everything for all of those we will touch by our efforts over the coming 10 weeks.”
Donations to support Norm can be made through gonormgo.com Information about the Visionaries of the Year campaign is available at llsvisionaries.org