Rob and Jenny Huddleston
Rob Huddleston donates blood in memory of his wife, Jenny.
FORT LORAMIE – “Every day you fight to have one more day,” Jenny Huddleston said after the first year of treatment for breast cancer diagnosed in 2016.
Jenny fought to have more time with her Fort Loramie family of husband Rob and their young children Rayna and Seth. She gained hope and strength through 10 different chemotherapy regimens and multiple blood transfusions.
She fought for seven hard years, more than 2,600 days, before passing in April. Rob’s blood donation during this October Breast Cancer Awareness Month was in her memory.
“Her body just wore out,” Rob said at the Oct. 17 St. Michael’s Hall blood drive. “In early March she started a new treatment. She got sick and it turned into pneumonia. We didn’t know if it would work. It was the start of her 10th completely different type of chemo. Most people don’t get past five.”
The fight began with chemo, radiation and a double mastectomy. There was optimism in the first year and they celebrated on the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer to the Bahamas with Ohio State football greats. When the cancer spread and became stage four Jenny opted for cancer-inhibiting drug therapy.
“She refused to give up,” said Rob. “It was always, ‘Doc, what’s our plan if this one doesn’t work?’”
Rob donated regularly to support of Jenny and all cancer patients, saying, “If she can handle all the pokes and needles she’s been through, I can tolerate a few pokes to do this.” He was seeing every day the difference a blood donation can make.
“She loved it,” said Rob. “Every time she got a transfusion she would say, ‘I feel great.’”
Compassion and support surrounded her in Fort Loramie, where cancer has touched many lives and giving blood is a time-honored tradition.
“Jenny passed away on Good Friday,” said Rob. “Greg Bornhorst, a deacon at Holy Redeemer in New Bremen, said, ‘It’s like in monopoly. She’s going to pass ‘Go’ and go straight to heaven.’”
“There is a positive to everything,” said Rob. “The people she met and became friends with. She’s not here, but there were so many news things we got to experience. It was a blessing.”
