Bowlers who Battle

Bowlers who Battle

Bowl for the Cure® has had the privilege and honor to hear about and share these special stories from bowlers across the nation. Their attitude about their circumstances and impact they have on the mission to end breast cancer is just a slice of the strength, beauty and courage of survivors everywhere:

Melody Tegtmeyer (Shared by her husband)

My wife Melody Tegtmeyer has bowled on leagues since before we met in 1994. She mostly bowled with her mother who is also a Beast Cancer survivor. In July of 2011, Melody was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. In September, just a few days after her birthday, she had surgery with immediate reconstruction. She didn’t want to be sick for her birthday and wanted to finish the summer Vegas Bound league with her team. Due to some minor complications, Melody’s recovery was extended into spring of 2012. But, she never lost faith and always maintained a great attitude.

In February of 2012, we started walking to prepare for the Susan G Komen 3-Day in San Diego in November. By September of 2012, she was medically cleared to bowl again. In November, as a 5 person team, we completed all our fundraising, practice walks and all 60 miles of the walk. In 2013 Melody participated in a “Bowling for Boobies” event, spoke at a fundraiser and was invited to join in pre-game activities at a San Diego Chargers home game. Today Melody is cancer free and is a currently a 194 bowler. People are generally shocked when they learn that Melody is a survivor. She always smiles, is happy and speaks so positively about the process. She is a survivor!

Bessie Jackson

I am a mother of 5, grandmother of 7 and great grandmother of 2. I am a healthy, active survivor of a cancerous attack on my breast in the year 2000. I noticed a lump in my right breast and didn't do anything at that point. Two months later, I noticed that the lump had grown. In January, 2001 I had a biopsy, at which time I was told that the lump was malignant, showing total consumption of the lump with cancer. After having a mastectomy and four 2 hour sessions of chemotherapy, six years of medication, I am now cancer free! I had the opportunity on the tenth anniversary of my survival to walk August, 2011 in the Susan G. Komen 3-day walk with my second oldest daughter and had such a great support group which included my bowling friends at Parkway Bowl in San Diego, California, who helped me raise over $2,500 for the cause! It was the most exhilarating and inspirational time of my life. I am very thankful to healthy and well! To God be the glory!

Chris Marlin 

When I started putting this event together, I only knew of a Grandma that had a mastectomy in my family but it didn't really affect me because I was young and didn't understand.  Now that I've been putting on the Bowl for the Cure, I've met so many wonderful people, some survivors with courageous battles and others that just came to the event for support. I've had 3 very good friends in the past 3 years that have gone through different treatments and all have been survivors thank GOD! I have people that call me the Bowl for the Cure Lady and some that I've never even met that will just come tell me their battles stories and I'll sit there and cry right along with them.

I never realized how much this really touched so many people and would like to say thank you to Bowl for the Cure for opening up my eyes and making me a better person for it! I couldn't put on a successful event without great family and friends helping too!

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