FRANKLIN NEWS

'We're helping her fight the fight.' Franklin cheerleaders aid local family who has battled cancer for five years

Tiffany Stoiber
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Franklin High School cheerleaders hose down a car at the car wash fundraiser Aug. 19. The FHS cheer team, football team, and others all volunteered Aug. 19 to help support the Noyes family.

FRANKLIN - Sometimes, everyone can use their own personal cheerleader.  

On Aug. 19, the Franklin High School cheerleaders decided the Noyes family needed a whole team to cheer them on.  

That Saturday, the cheer team held a car wash fundraiser for the Noyes, hoping to raise money for medical expenses and other costs associated with the family's internal battle with cancer. 

After being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2012, the family's matriarch, Linda Noyes, has been fighting the disease, and the odds, over the past five years.

"When you see someone struggle and be hit with so much, you just wonder where they get their strength from," said Amy Weber, Franklin High School's Cheer Booster president. "We're helping her fight the fight. We're making her struggle our struggle." 

Fighting the fight

Linda Noyes was first told she had only six months to live, but is still alive today, even after the cancer spread to her brain, spine and chest.

"From that first point, it was like ‘Holy cow. We were not ready for that,’" said her husband, Jim Noyes. "Her only symptom of lung cancer was a slight cough. ... She never smoked a day in her life – never been around it. There's no rhyme or reason why she developed lung cancer." 

A nursing instructor at Milwaukee Area Technical College, Linda was "her own best advocate," Jim said, adding that he had "never seen anybody fight as strong as she has." 

Two girls help advertise the car wash by standing on the road with signs. All the money raised from the car was went to help the Noyes family.

After going through treatment, she even seemed to have beaten lung cancer and was prepped and ready to return to teaching. However, just a few days before she expected to go back to school, doctors discovered the cancer had spread to her brain.  

Now, after years of treatment and fighting, Linda can hardly move, but she has made it her goal to walk again.

Of course, living that way has been rough, both for her and her family. 

"It's definitely been brutal on her, and everyone around her," said Jim. "You hear about people who go through stuff like this, but you never expect to be that person."

Not alone

Jim said all along many people have stepped in to help.

Currently, their three college-age sons and younger daughter are living at home to make things easier, and Linda's mom is around frequently to help out.

And there have been many others.

"When Linda was in the hospital, people would bring food – too much food, more than one family could possibly eat, but it was greatly appreciated," Jim said.

Jim also said that he has had many people reach out to him, just asking how they can help or what they can do for the family. 

"We haven't made it our mission to ever state that we needed help, we just wanted to get through it ourselves," Jim said. But, he said, everyone has been looking at their struggles, and decided it isn't right for them to have to go through it alone. 

Recently, one of Linda's friends from work volunteered to take their youngest daughter, Emily, out shopping, since she's starting high school this year. She'll also be a member of the cheer team.

Cheering up

Enter the cheerleaders, who saw a role for themselves for the family's struggle.

"I've known the Noyes family for a long time," said Amy Weber. "Our girls did all-star cheer together, and now Emily is going to be a freshman and also on the Franklin High School team. ... When we decided to pick a charity this year, we decided to do something like adopt a family." 

Weber said in her two years as president, she has always tried to get the team involved in the community. For example, last year they worked at the Ronald McDonald House. 

Especially with Emily "joining the cheer family," it seemed like an obvious choice to help out the Noyes family this year.

"If you knew Linda before she got sick, you'd know that she would help out everyone," said Weber. "Their struggle is like no other. ... They're a very giving, caring family. They're in our community, and we just wanted to help." 

Car wash care

So, to help out the family, the team decided to hold a car wash fundraiser Saturday, Aug. 19. The main goal was to raise money for the family and their medical expenses, which are still growing.

However, they also asked for donations of things like restaurant gift cards, so the kids could easily get something to eat without the family having to prepare a meal, or worry about the money to pay for it.  

Dozens of car washers showed up Aug. 19 to help support the Noyes family. The FHS cheer team, football team, and others all joined together for the cause.

Throughout the planning process, awareness about the family and the event grew bigger than Weber ever expected.

At the event, the 30 Franklin cheerleaders and some football players gave their time to help, washing cars, selling food and collecting donations.  

Weber said they are also are putting a book together of notes she has received for Linda along with photos of the Noyes family. 

Though Weber didn't want to disclose the exact amount raised, she did say the fundraiser was "highly successful." 

"We were completely overwhelmed with the outpouring of community support," Weber said.  

"I can't say enough about it," said Jim. "The community has really come around us as a whole." 

The Franklin Fire Department also stopped by the car wash to support the cause.

Still fighting

Moving forward, Linda will continue physical therapy, still hoping to achieve her goal of walking again, and her family will continue being there for her. One of their sons is even taking some time off from school, in order to be closer to home.  

"It's a journey that you wouldn't never want your worst enemy to ever go through. It's beyond painful, just a ridiculous process," Jim said. "But all along, we've had tons of friends and family helping us with driving, with meals, with whatever we need." 

Weber said she hopes that the money they raised will be able to help make their lives a little easier. 

"I'm just trying to help them have a better day-to-day experience," Weber said. "You just want to do a good thing when you know people are good people and have great hearts."