The Night I Met Rick Springfield
Background
I was diagnosed at the age of 50 with Stage IV breast cancer. Stage IV is the same as metastatic, is the same as terminal. My breast cancer had spread to my left lung. I underwent seven rounds of chemotherapy, followed by a mastectomy. Since then, I have been on maintenance treatments -- two medicines via IV once every three weeks, one oral medication daily. I have routine CT scans, bone scans, echocardiograms, and MRIs to keep an eye on things. I deal with side effects of these maintenance medications. I have balance issues, and extreme fatigue, so I use a cane, a walker, or a wheelchair, depending on where I'm going and how pronounced the side effects are at the time. So you see, the cancer is never out of my mind. It's always there, looming. I've come to cherish every minute, to find the joy in all things, to live.
So, when I heard about the Do It For The Love Foundation, I had to check it out. This wonderful organization provides concert tickets to terminally ill people, as well as children with severe challenges and wounded veterans. Not only tickets to a live musical performance, but a meet and greet with the artist(s) if possible. What a wonderful experience.
In the 1980s I was in my teens and early twenties. 80s music is my music. In addition to listening to Rick Springfield on the radio, we were able to watch him every day at 3:00pm when he appeared on General Hospital as Dr. Noah Drake. When I saw that he had an upcoming concert nearby, I requested tickets. Do It For The Love was able to obtain the tickets and a meet and greet session! I was so excited! Not only was I and my family going to see Rick Springfield and Richard Marx in concert, we were actually going to meet Rick Springfield after the show!
Concert Night
Talk about feeling special! Our seats were ten rows from the stage. Ten rows! After the show, we didn't have to wait long before we were taken to the room where we would meet him. I had expected a long line of people, and I had expected that when it was our turn, we would say a few words, take a photo, have him sign one or two things, then be on our way. That is not the way it went. The room we were in was a very comfortable, casual room, with seating areas. The groups of people (there were some families, some groups of friends) were spread out throughout the room, and we all chatted amongst ourselves while Mr. Springfield walked around the room, stopping at each group in turn. He spent time with each group. When he came to us, it was surreal. This man who I've listed to on the radio for thirty years; this man who I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever come in contact with, much less have a conversation with. This man hugged me! He autographed the photos I brought with me -- he got a kick out of the collage I had made with the bottom two photos from his appearances on Wonder Woman. While he was autographing the photos, I told him that I had been gifted the tickets and the meet and greet experience by the Do It For The Love Foundation, and explained to him a little of what they do. I told him that I have Stage IV breast cancer, and how excited my family and I were to be meeting him. I told him that the next day was my two year anniversary for being in remission. Hell of a way to celebrate, huh? What did he do then? He stood up and said, "Well, I'll give you a hug just for that." Here it is almost two weeks later, and I can still hear his voice saying that. He spent more time with us than I imagined he would, and he made sure he autographed everything and answered any of our questions before he moved on to the next group. What an amazing night it was. I tell you -- I can now die a happy woman. 😎
What I forgot to tell him
Mr. Springfield -- if you ever read this, this is what I forgot to say to you that night:
I first heard your version of Katy Perry's Roar a little over a year ago. Since then, I have listened to it every time I feel down. Living with a terminal illness, you feel down quite a lot. You worry a lot, you wonder a lot, your mind goes to dark places a lot. There are a few songs that bring me back up out of the depths. This is one, but your version. Your version is what does it. I thank you.
Message for Do It For The Love
Thank you, thank you, thank you. What a wonderful memory to now have. Alexis and Juliana were so incredibly nice, and patient with my questions. I really felt that they were just as excited as I was for this to be happening.
What I remember most about this experience is the graciousness of Mr. Springfield. He was so incredibly nice, and his smile seemed genuine. He seemed to enjoy meeting every single person in that room, and made us all feel special. I will not soon forget it -- his kindness, and yours, for providing the experience to my family. This experience has inspired me to continue to live life, to find joy in everything, to learn how to dance in the rain.
I was diagnosed at the age of 50 with Stage IV breast cancer. Stage IV is the same as metastatic, is the same as terminal. My breast cancer had spread to my left lung. I underwent seven rounds of chemotherapy, followed by a mastectomy. Since then, I have been on maintenance treatments -- two medicines via IV once every three weeks, one oral medication daily. I have routine CT scans, bone scans, echocardiograms, and MRIs to keep an eye on things. I deal with side effects of these maintenance medications. I have balance issues, and extreme fatigue, so I use a cane, a walker, or a wheelchair, depending on where I'm going and how pronounced the side effects are at the time. So you see, the cancer is never out of my mind. It's always there, looming. I've come to cherish every minute, to find the joy in all things, to live.
So, when I heard about the Do It For The Love Foundation, I had to check it out. This wonderful organization provides concert tickets to terminally ill people, as well as children with severe challenges and wounded veterans. Not only tickets to a live musical performance, but a meet and greet with the artist(s) if possible. What a wonderful experience.
In the 1980s I was in my teens and early twenties. 80s music is my music. In addition to listening to Rick Springfield on the radio, we were able to watch him every day at 3:00pm when he appeared on General Hospital as Dr. Noah Drake. When I saw that he had an upcoming concert nearby, I requested tickets. Do It For The Love was able to obtain the tickets and a meet and greet session! I was so excited! Not only was I and my family going to see Rick Springfield and Richard Marx in concert, we were actually going to meet Rick Springfield after the show!
Concert Night
Talk about feeling special! Our seats were ten rows from the stage. Ten rows! After the show, we didn't have to wait long before we were taken to the room where we would meet him. I had expected a long line of people, and I had expected that when it was our turn, we would say a few words, take a photo, have him sign one or two things, then be on our way. That is not the way it went. The room we were in was a very comfortable, casual room, with seating areas. The groups of people (there were some families, some groups of friends) were spread out throughout the room, and we all chatted amongst ourselves while Mr. Springfield walked around the room, stopping at each group in turn. He spent time with each group. When he came to us, it was surreal. This man who I've listed to on the radio for thirty years; this man who I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever come in contact with, much less have a conversation with. This man hugged me! He autographed the photos I brought with me -- he got a kick out of the collage I had made with the bottom two photos from his appearances on Wonder Woman. While he was autographing the photos, I told him that I had been gifted the tickets and the meet and greet experience by the Do It For The Love Foundation, and explained to him a little of what they do. I told him that I have Stage IV breast cancer, and how excited my family and I were to be meeting him. I told him that the next day was my two year anniversary for being in remission. Hell of a way to celebrate, huh? What did he do then? He stood up and said, "Well, I'll give you a hug just for that." Here it is almost two weeks later, and I can still hear his voice saying that. He spent more time with us than I imagined he would, and he made sure he autographed everything and answered any of our questions before he moved on to the next group. What an amazing night it was. I tell you -- I can now die a happy woman. 😎
What I forgot to tell him
Mr. Springfield -- if you ever read this, this is what I forgot to say to you that night:
I first heard your version of Katy Perry's Roar a little over a year ago. Since then, I have listened to it every time I feel down. Living with a terminal illness, you feel down quite a lot. You worry a lot, you wonder a lot, your mind goes to dark places a lot. There are a few songs that bring me back up out of the depths. This is one, but your version. Your version is what does it. I thank you.
Message for Do It For The Love
Thank you, thank you, thank you. What a wonderful memory to now have. Alexis and Juliana were so incredibly nice, and patient with my questions. I really felt that they were just as excited as I was for this to be happening.
What I remember most about this experience is the graciousness of Mr. Springfield. He was so incredibly nice, and his smile seemed genuine. He seemed to enjoy meeting every single person in that room, and made us all feel special. I will not soon forget it -- his kindness, and yours, for providing the experience to my family. This experience has inspired me to continue to live life, to find joy in everything, to learn how to dance in the rain.
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