I would like to thank Foundation 58 for the donation of money to us in July 2008. Their generous gift was such a special help. First because it was from a brotherhood of firefighters, and secondly because I was paying parking, eating two meals a day at the hospital and driving every day 50 miles one way to the hospital for almost 3 weeks. The stress of all that and wondering how we’d get the money to pay for it was causing me to have anxiety attacks on top of all Pete was going through. He was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma that had gone to his brain and liver. He died on Aug.9, 2008.

My father, Keith Dierolf, was a firefighter with the Scranton Fire Department. After nearly 29 years of service he retired as a Lieutenant in 2002. He used this time to enjoy his family, especially his new granddaughter. He spent time with friends and working with organizations such as The Black Sheep. The Black Sheep is an organization that raises money to help sick children. He would be so happy to come home and tell me that they had presented a check to a deserving child. I wish you could have seen the light in his eyes when he knew The Black Sheep had helped another young boy or girl.

In early 2006, at only 54 years of age, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer. It had already spread to his liver and lungs. He began chemo immediately. One of the drugs that was recommended was Avastin. Unfortunately, this drug was not covered under his health insurance for this type of illness.

On July 8, 2007 Foundation 58 presented Scranton Police Officer Dan Schauffler with a grant worth $5,000 to assist him in his battle with cancer.