SH students, faculty go orange for vet battling cancer

By Caitlin Cooper

On Wednesday, April 8, FC Sacred Heart students put away their green and brought out some orange. That day, students were allowed to wear orange, the signature color for leukemia, and participate in a free-will donation to support 30-year-old  Jason Goodpasture. The school collected a total of $1,800 in donations, and Richardson County Bank & Trust employees contributed another $200. 

Goodpasture, an Army veteran, husband, and father of three, was diagnosed with leukemia in late November. Goodpasture is married to FCSH alum Rachel (Pfister) Goodpasture. Their son, Brooks (5), currently attends kindergarten at Sacred Heart. They have two other children: Blake (3) and Anna (1). 

Leukemia is a cancer of the body’s blood forming tissue, including bone marrow and the lymphatic system. Goodpasture has received a bone marrow transplant, but it takes up to 100 days to know if the body will accept the treatment. He is currently over halfway through this therapy. 

Jason and Rachel are staying at Hope Lodge, which provides free housing to cancer patients traveling to Kansas City for treatment. The American Cancer Society offers the housing in an effort to ease the burden of cancer. Goodpasture can not be more than 20 minutes away from the KU Medical Center, where he receives his treatment.

The three Goodpasture children are temporarily residing at their maternal grandparents’ home. Their grandmother, Karen (Huftles) Pfister, is also a Sacred Heart alum. 

The family will continue to play a waiting game and pray for the best possible outcome from his treatment. 

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