Toms River Local 137 pledges continued support for retired member’ s family
Toms River Local 137 pledges continued support for retired member’ s family
in the time of cancer
One or two afternoon clouds hang in the late summer sky that stretches across South Jersey. Twin Labrador puppies amble around a fresh-cut lawn, chasing falling acorns that soon will cover every patch of manicured landscape in Toms River. As the season begins dissolving, the lingering warmth of morning air becoming evening breeze, one retired officer recalls a time, not so long ago, when the serene season change was rife with anguish.
Retired Toms River Local 137 Officer Tom Goodwin and his wife Jennifer Ann Goodwin have faced an unprecedented family challenge that began on Aug. 13, 2015, when Jennifer was diagnosed with malignant breast cancer, and doctors informed her she would need a double mastectomy in order to beat the illness.
Proactive all her life, the public school language arts teacher had been receiving mammograms each year after she turned 35, knowing her grandmother had passed away as a result of the spreading of her own breast cancer to aggressive bone cancer. At 39, Jennifer’ s doctor told her she could skip a year of screening because her scans had been clear for a number of years. Unfortunately, that was the year she began developing the calcium clusters that would lead to breast cancer.
In the hospital room Jennifer remained a person of immense perspective and purpose.“ She’ s very strong,” says Tom, who waited beside his beloved as she received the difficult news.“ Right then and there, she opted to get a double mastectomy.”
In the face of uncertainty and physical trauma, Tom and Jennifer knew they had to be strong for each other. Fortunately for the Goodwins, that’ s when the Local stepped in to lend a supportive hand.
During one of his daughter Adrianna’ s softball games, Goodwin happened to mention to friend and former colleague Steve Austin – who coaches one of the league’ s softball teams – that Jennifer was in the midst of undergoing a double mastectomy. Little did Tom know his friend would circulate an email that would prompt an outreach effort on behalf of the entire Local.
Soon the phone calls began pouring into the Goodwin household. In addition to the generous financial support the family received as a result of the pass-the-hat initiative Austin’ s email provoked, every member, individually, wanted to know how he or she could help. Some offered to baby-sit during doctor appointments; others sent home-cooked meals and greeting cards with words of encouragement and empathy.
“ I was blown away,” says Goodwin, who has been retired for five years.“( Their effort) kept us afloat. It’ s very heartwarming knowing these guys are behind you even though you’ re retired. Whether it’ s one day or( years and years), they have your back.”
Beyond offers and donations of tangible support, Local 137’ s pervasive effort strengthened Jennifer’ s fighting spirit, and encouraged her family’ s optimism to endure and grow.
“ I realized, I’ m in this not only with my family – with a whole group of people,” Jennifer relates.“ They were wonderfully supportive. Even today, more than a year( after I was diagnosed), they’ re still asking how I’ m doing.”
Encouraged by the ongoing support of Local 137 members, Jennifer Ann Goodwin and daughter Adrianna Bella Goodwin published a children’ s book encouraging others to overcome personal adversity.
According to Local members, the pull toward supporting Tom and his family in their hour of need was second nature.“( Helping out) was a pretty easy decision,” Local 137 State Delegate Jesse Robertazzi confirms.“ We alerted everyone to Tom’ s current situation, and we came together as a union to help.”
Now cancer-free to celebrate October’ s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and perhaps more energized than ever, Jennifer and her family are paying forward the Local’ s supportive response. In a recently published children’ s book titled Mom is a Metaphor, author Jennifer describes what people face when they attempt to overcome adversity, and encourages young readers to remain positive and resilient and maintain a sense of humor during their most difficult days. Illustrated by 11-year-old Adrianna, the story is a testament to the enduring power of familial support, however extended that support might be.
Whether volunteering to help around a person’ s house, or simply sending a text message asking how someone is feeling, collective efforts similar to that of Local 137 remain a hallmark of the PBA’ s mission to put members first.“ The brotherhood in blue remains solid through active-duty and retirement,” Robertazzi notes.“ We feel obligated to – and we all want to help( our members), whenever the need arises.” Tom and Jennifer have felt, firsthand, the impact of that effort. " You can get through this," says Jennifer, " and you can get over it." d
72 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ OCTOBER 2016