Jodi Ford a Life to Remember

 

 

 

Fighting With Love

 

Her picture in the news paper

I couldn’t pass up

Two children beside her

Smiling and loved

 

She is only 30

And scared of her fate

So is her daughter Andromeda, 6

And her son Tristen who’s 8

 

She has Adenocarcinoma cancer

It’s in stage four

What’s going to happen next

They cannot be sure

 

They need our help

And I will be there

I will do whatever I can

This I will swear

 

I do not know them

But still I care

I have a big voice

And I’m willing to share

 

Together we can fight

Because love is on our side

We won’t back down

And we will not hide

 

She will make it

If you do what is right

Her getting better

Is a goal close in sight

 

God bless you Jodi

And your mother and kids

And don’t worry sweetie

You will make it through this

 

 

Dedicated to Jodi and her Family

By: Carol Chandler

 

 

Jodi’s Fundraiser July 19^th 2009

Today I went to the Jodi Ford fundraiser dinner. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but there was a great turn out. There was a line to get in and only standing room. Jodi wasn’t there but her whole family was. They had prizes you could win in raffles and a 50 50 drawing. There was even a singer Kimberly Fairchild there who heard about the dinner in the newspaper and asked if she could help.

            Most of the people there had a green or purple T-shirt on that said Jodi’s Fight. What caught my eye about them though was they all had a butterfly on the front. Butterflies represent change and let me say after tonight I think there will be a lot of that. With all the prayers, the love that I saw tonight I know that a difference was made. No matter what the outcome is if you ask…yes it did make a difference…even to me.

            I didn’t plan on talking to the family tonight or telling them that I was the one that wrote the poem for Jodi but they found out who I was and their words touched my heart. Jodi’s father and my mother were just making small talk and my mom told him that I had seen Jodi in the newspaper. He asked me if I was the girl who had wrote the poem and I told him yes. He came over to me. I didn’t know if he wanted to shake my hand or hug me, so I just hugged him. He introduced me to another woman and told her I was the one who had written the poem. She said that it was beautiful and that she cried for two hours after reading it. it made me want to cry.

            When I wrote the poem I didn’t think it would ever get to the family but somehow it did. Jodi’s mother read it to her. I posted it and other information about her here on WC, on both of my MySpace’s, on MyYearbook, and in a mass e-mail to over 200 people. I don’t know how much it helped but I think it made some sort of difference and for that I am glad. I don’t have much but I did what I could.

            Her friends and family were so close. Everyone was hugging, laughing about the good times, and some crying afraid of what the future may hold. When her father got up and thanked everyone for coming he started to cry as well. I have never seen a man cry before, and with his tears others began to cry. I fought the tears back myself but I can’t say that it worked.

            Her children are beautiful…they look so much like her. The thought that they could lose their mother when they are so young scares me. No child should have to go through that. I can tell they are staying as strong as they can for their mother though. I know they love her. Everyone that was there loves her and they just want her to make it through this.

            At the end when they were raffling things off, I won a basket with a journal in it. Ironic isn’t it? I think I will write something else for Jodi. She may never get to read it like the first one but it will be there so everyone knows the strong woman who inspired it. I hope that everyone who reads it will say a prayer for her and her family. Every word to God helps.

            When my mother and I got home I looked up into the sky and I saw a rainbow. I have never seen one before. Some people may say its light reflecting off water or some kind of science mumbo-jumbo but maybe just maybe it meant something more. There are miracles everywhere I truly believe it and hopefully that rainbow was the sign I needed. Her dad told us that she is holding on and I hope that she can continue to do so. Though I don’t know Jodi I will continue to believe that she will make it because I don’t believe in giving up on anything or anyone and I refuse  to give up on her.

            I will probably never meet Jodi and I very well may never see any of the amazing people I met today again, but their faces are forever engraved in my mind and heart. They all have inspired me and I could never forget them. They are heroes each and every one; Jodi herself and all those standing beside her. My prayers are with them and I promise to keep spreading her story.

 

 

 

 

An Angel

 

Angels are singing

Heavens bells are ringing

Rainbows surround her

Loves all around her

She walks with her maker now

 

She will spend eternity

In everlasting light

With the wings of a dove

And all knowing site

 

She now lives free from pain

She will know no more fear

She went to be with Jesus

But left a part of her here

 

We remain saddened

But her we have not lost

Soon we will be home with her

Sadly time is the cost

 

We will never forget her

And you know it is true

For Jodi’s memory lives on

It’s in me, it’s in you

 

Rest now dear child

And know that we care

Heaven is always kind

Where the earth is not fair

 

And though this is hard

And we must cry

We promise not to forget

That it’s never goodbye

 

In loving memory of Jodi Shawn Ford

4/6/1979 to 7/23/2009

donations can be made out to Donald G. Ford Trust and mailed to :

 

Education First Credit Union

14170 Pennsylvania Road

Southgate, Michigan 48195

 

734.284.9410

or at jodiford.org

To learn more  visit www.jodiford.org or contact Carrie Ross at 1-734-672-7169 or [email protected]. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Lizanne Green and The Rock & Roll Cowboy for donating!

Reviews

[Lizanne]

A very sad situation and yes if others do not help, it is like receiving an invitation to anothers death. Many are ill and it is hard to give to everyone. But would we have this same thought if it were us with the illness?Do you know this lady personally? Avery kind and thoughtful thing you did in posting this writing. The pictures do speak a thousand words.

[Nancy Lee Shrader]

This is a wonderful tribute. Cancer has claimed so many. My son and husband suffered and died of cancer. They are now resting in the arms of God. I'm sure they have welcomed Jodi into God's heavenly realm.

Again wonderful tribute.

[Voice11]

I was really saddened by the second one. Life always seems unfair when someone so young dies. Keep working on your writing.

[Winter McPherson]

I was touched by the first poem then saddened by the second.

Did you know that when I was a little girl people did not talk about having cancer? It was a taboo subject. AND - if you can believe this - they wouldn't tell the patient they had cancer, they would only tell their family and let their family decide to tell them or not!!! That was in the 1970's.

Now here this was in the newspaper - a big gala. I'm so sorry it didn't save her.

I'm glad you did all that you could do......what an inspiration!

Wonderful tribute!

[cest la vie]

Young Lady, what an absolutely beautiful tribute to an equally beautiful woman. Your love and selflessness shined through the entire piece. You remind me of how I was at your age. And it has continued to be a large center of my life. Loving, helping, reaching out to others in need. Bless you and Jodi and her family are in my prayers.

Lynne

[Chirpy!]

This is actually, kind of happy. It's nice to know that people have the strength and goodness to do these sort of things. The situation itself is sad, but the way people handle it...

[SM Davis]

Beautiful tribute!! Sorry it's taken so long to stop by! Your heart is spun from Gold!!!

[Aurora]

Hun.. you have a way with words. Really..
I feel really bad for her... I just feel for people with cancer.
I don't know if it's because most of my family died from cancer, or if it's just because her story is so sad...

anyways, you have a way of wording things that just makes me feel what you intended.. haha.
you're a good person, this was a good idea.

[Pj]

A very beautiful, but sad piece...Xx

[Flow~]

Very powerful write and of real life. How can our hearts not go out to her family and friends? Your poem is beautiful and your heart is large ~

[Stacey Watts]

A very beautiful piece. I will definitely keep her in my prayers. I will see what I can do to help. I am a little stretched at the moment. But let me check.