Message of Hope
Lou's Message of Hope … His Legacy Lives On
by Jason Farrah and Mandy Rogers
Lou Farrah – a fighter, a champion and a hero.
We said goodbye to him in late 2006. None of us expected that he would leave us so soon, but we know he’s at peace now, as he watches over his friends and family.
In the months leading up to his death, Lou experienced a dream come true … his vision of a charity event to raise money for cancer patients and their families in Tallahassee ... an event to give hope, and give a voice to those fighting cancer.
He not only accomplished that goal, but he saw it all unfold before his eyes. He attended the inaugural event. He shared his story with many people, and expressed his gratitude. He saw his vision come to life – something not many of us get to do in our lifetime.
He was inspired by the volunteers who dedicated countless hours to the planning and execution of the event; he was awestruck at the bike riders who came out at the crack of dawn on a weekend; he was in disbelief that so many members of the community wanted to share in this first-time event and he was touched that so many people cared.
Before Lou died, he shared his thoughts on his diagnosis, his will to live and his feelings about the Capital City Ride for Hope with his son, Jason, and family friend, Mandy. His message of hope is below.
Keeping hope alive and living strong were two of Lou Farrah's mottos as he battled cancer.
However, it was not easy for him to have such a positive attitude. He was in disbelief when a visit to a local emergency room in 2004 revealed that he not only had a tumor in his right colon, but that it had also spread to his liver.
He was told his tumor was inoperable, and that he had about three months to live. His life was immediately turned upside down, and he experienced many emotions ranging from anger to fear to denial.
"I was shocked when I found out that I had cancer, and that it had gotten so bad - I said to myself 'this shouldn't and couldn't be happening to me, and that there was no way it could be true," Lou said.
"I put up a wall of denial, and made myself believe that the doctors didn't know what they were talking about."
Lou quickly realized, though, that he had to accept his condition, find out as much as possible about his options and find somebody who could be his advocate.
Lou sought the support of his family - wife Jenny and sons Jason and Jeffery - who were with him every step of the way.
Jason, a student at Florida State University's School of Medicine, immediately suggested getting a second opinion.
Soon thereafter Lou had a complication, and at the urging of his son Jason, this time he visited the Tallahassee Memorial Bixler Emegency Center, where he met with Jeffrey W. Crooms, M.D., a board-certified surgeon. Lou and his family were surprised and happy to hear Dr. Crooms’ take on the situation.
Dr. Crooms said he would easily be able to remove the tumor, but that a decision had to be made soon. The family decided it was the best option, and Lou was in surgery soon after.
"It was very hard for me to hear at first that there was nothing that could be done – it is amazing that we got the second opinion. If we had listened to the other doctor, and hadn't seen Dr. Crooms, I would've died," Lou said.
"No matter what the situation, I think doctors should always have the attitude of, 'let's see what we can do' instead of 'there is no hope.' I've learned that there is always hope, and that is what is so special about Dr. Crooms – that is what he brings to the table – it is that spirit of hope that patients and their families can count on."
Lou said that Dr. Crooms gave him a second chance, considering he had just heard that he would likely die in a short amount of time.
"Dr. Crooms gave me that hope that I was looking for," Lou said.
The surgery was successful, and the tumor was removed. Lou began chemotherapy and oral cancer therapy, and the cancer went into remission.
After going through so much in such a short amount of time, Lou's perspective on life changed. He wanted to speak out for other patients and raise money for cancer research and treatment.
In Fall 2005, Lou's sons participated in the Lance Armstrong Foundation's Ride for the Roses in Austin, Tex. Jason and Jeffrey raised money for the cause and rode in Lou's honor.
"While we were in Austin, we toured the city, and it dawned on me that Austin and Tallahassee are very similar," Lou said.
"And then I thought to myself that there is no reason why we couldn't do something like the Ride for the Roses in Tallahassee, to benefit cancer patients in our area."
That's when Lou shared his idea to his family to have a Lance Armstrong Foundation-type of bike ride in Tallahassee. Lou enlisted his family, friends and community contacts to make it happen, and things quickly fell into place.
The Capital City Ride for Hope (CCRH) was born, and is now a bike-riding event that kicked off in Tallahassee on June 3, 2006. The upcoming second annual CCRH will be held on June 2, 2007.
Lou said that his experience as a cancer patient and survivor, while scary at times, was inspirational to him. He was amazed to see how many people want to help with the cause, and how many people have stepped forward to make the CCRH a reality.
"It is amazing to me that for events such as the Ride for the Roses or the Capital City Ride for Hope that cancer survivors are actually out there riding long distances, and that people are riding in other people's honor – it just blows me away that someone would put a tag on their back and ride for someone else – what a wonderful thing."
Lou said that he learned so much over the years during his experience as a cancer patient and survivor.
"I have learned that I'm not indestructible, and that things really don't just happen to the guy down the street or to somebody else – this really did happen to me," he said.
"I've gained a greater respect for humankind. I can think of times where I would be annoyed that somebody in front of me was walking too slow, and now I realize, hey, they could've just gone through chemotherapy, or they could be ill. I just really appreciate other people so much more now."
Lou also experienced a deeper sense of love and respect for his family.
"I find myself wanting to spend more and more time with my wife and sons. I don't worry so much about insignificant things in life. Does it really matter who wins the World Series? No. Relationships are the most important thing to me now," Lou said.
Lou said that the biggest and most important word in his vocabulary is hope. He wanted to give hope to others because he survived such a hopeless situation.
"I want to tell those battling cancer that we're growing Tallahassee Memorial's Cancer Center to bring the finest technology right here to Tallahassee. There is hope for you and your family. This center will not only benefit you, but it will benefit anybody who will be potentially stricken with this disease," Lou said.
"I would say to anybody dealing with this is to try to have a positive attitude and never give up because you, too, can beat the odds. There is hope for you – the best is yet to come."
In the midst of the planning and preparation for the CCRH, Lou was very excited about the event. His goal for 2006 was for it to go well.
He had no idea how many people would come, but more than 100 riders participated, and scores of Tallahassee residents attended. It far exceeded what he thought a first-year event would draw.
"It is mind-boggling to me that so many folks that have stepped forward in faith to help with this event," Lou said.
"However, just the idea of all these great people gathering together with a positive attitude - there is no way that the result will be nothing but positive, and that alone, is a success in my book."