When Gladys Freeman, a 15-year Ohio University Custodial Services employee was diagnosed with an inoperable form of cancer, her fellow union employees prepared to help.
Organizing a benefit lunch and dinner fundraiser, her coworkers want to raise money to help her with the travel expenses.
Every day Freeman, 59, drives 60 miles from her home in Racine, Ohio, to Holzer Clinic in Gallipolis to receive her chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The drive is familiar for Freeman, who helped her son Ronald through his own diagnosis of cancer several years ago. Freeman is married with three sons.
The doctors said she has probably had it since Christmas, said Deb Young, second shift custodial worker an a close friend of Freeman.-
Freeman said.
After going into the hospital with headaches in March, Freeman, left with stage two lung cancer. Prior to the visit, Freeman worked the second shift in Stocker Center, from 4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. She left OU March 17. She said she does not have sick time left and does not think she will get disability.
I thought oh my God I am going to die Freeman said, but she tells coworkers she wants to return to work.
Scott Sinclair, second shift Facilities Management Building Services manager, said wanting to come back to OU shows her dedication.
The fundraiser is today from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Nelson South Pole.
Her spirit has been up
Young said. Every time I talk to her.
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Emilie Schneider
