THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 14, 1994 TAG: 9408130085
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Long : 143 lines
WHEN IT COMES to brotherly love, it would be hard to top what Greg Eby has done for his sister.
Eby spent all but one day of his three-week vacation to help Mona Eby Driver raise the $103,000 she needed for her astronomical medical expenses, including a bone marrow transplant at Duke University Medical Center.
That meant just one workday, plus a weekend, for an Outer Banks honeymoon with the former Barbara Murray of Newport News, whom he wed July 23.
``Between December 1993 and last April,'' Eby said, ``I put in about 400 hours.''
Where did the time go?
It went to Eby's sister, whose years of struggle with breast cancer recently came to a happy ending healthwise and financially.
A major reason for the necessity for a fund drive was Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Virginia. The insurance company did not pay for bone marrow transplants. Thanks to passage of a General Assembly bill mandating coverage, it will begin the transplant coverage in January.
Eby was one of many who put on the pressure, offering the state Senate written testimony about the need.
His efforts, and those of many others, did not come in time to help his sister. The money she needed came from contribution jars, bake sales, car washes and activities sponsored by Bethlehem Christian Church, Main Street United Methodist Church and Hillcrest Baptist Church.
Many efforts were coordinated by the Friends of Mona Committee organized by Jackie and Leroy Edwards.
``Jackie came to me,'' Driver said, ``and told me not to worry about the money.''
About $11,000 of the $103,000 came from a Greg Eby-organized sports auction in January.
The 37-year-old production planner for aircraft carriers at Newport News Shipbuilding seemed to be all over the place organizing that event.
He contacted people in person and by mail, talked businessmen into donating items for auction, and got autographs and memorabilia from professional and college athletic figures.
When celebrities came to Hampton Roads, for whatever reason, Eby cornered them. That's how he managed to get, for auction, the autographs of country singer Naomi Judd, Los Angeles Dodgers' manager Tommy Lasorda and rock star Bruce Hornsby.
He cornered WVEC-TV's Joe Flanagan, WTKR-TV's John Castleberry and WNIS radio's Tony MacRini, asking them to be the auctioneers.
``About 90 percent of the people I approached were anxious to help,'' Eby said. ``I got 75 dinners for two from restaurants between Williamsburg and the Outer Banks.
``I thought I'd feel awkward digging for donations, but my sister's strength and determination gave me strength,'' he said.
``And,'' Driver added, ``he visited me in Durham.''
That is where she received the life-saving chemotherapy treatments and the bone marrow transplant.
The money helped pay for that, as well as part of the chemotherapy and the hospital stay.
``The good Lord, a positive attitude, baskets of cards and bushels of prayer also helped,'' said the 38-year-old cancer victim, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991. ``I was stage four,'' Driver said. ``That's the worst scenario. It spreads. Cancer is harder for doctors to deal with when it gets to other parts of the body.
``It's not a death sentence,'' she said, ``but a lot of people die from it, mostly from complications from the treatment.
``I had my right breast removed, then went through nine months of chemotherapy, radiation and had a hormonal treatment,'' she said. ``I did everything I possibly could.
``I was clear and clean till last November. That's when I was diagnosed with metastasis to the liver,'' Driver said. ``Breast cancer usually spreads to the liver, lungs and bones.''
The bone marrow transplant was recommended by her local physician, Dr. Alexander Wu.
``I was one of the youngest candidates for pre-chemotherapy treatment to reduce the size of the tumor,'' Driver said. ``If the response to that had not been good, it would have meant I would not respond to the high-dose chemo treatment. But I responded with a 70 percent reduction of cancer of the liver.
``Then there was more testing and harvesting of the bone marrow,'' she said. ``They grind in your back and pull it out. A lot of marrow and liquid comes out.
``After the high-dose chemo, they put the bone marrow back in your body,'' Driver said. ``It grows back again, healthily this time. Slowly, you get your strength back.
``I got my marrow back March 26. That's my new birthday. My old one was Feb. 22,'' she said. ``Once the marrow's back - that's day one. I came home on day 15. Usually, it takes more than 20 days.''
Driver was in Durham from March 13 to April 10, spending 20 of those days at the Hampton Inn, across the street from the medical center.
``Staying at the inn is less costly than living in the hospital,'' she said. ``One floor is dedicated to bone marrow transplant patients. The rooms are sanitized, there's air filtration, a refrigerator, microwave and a round-the-clock care-giver.''
Her care-giver was her mother, 63-year-old Donna Eby, who said, ``I'm thankful of the outcome. God's been good to us.''
Her daughter is still listed as recovering.
``My blood level is OK but my lungs are still a problem,'' she said. ``My lung capacity is easily diminished from the chemo,'' Driver said. ``I've been home since April. I've been driving around, but I still have periods of depression because the healing process is so slow. But those depression periods are lessening.
``I still have a spot on the liver,'' she said, ``but it's dormant. I'm praying it remains dormant.''
Driver does not want to remain on Social Security disability. She is looking forward to going to work to support herself and her 7-year-old son, John.
``I hope to take drafting and design courses at Tidewater Community College this fall,'' she said. ``Overall, I feel very fortunate.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Color on the Cover: Mona Eby Driver's spunk shows as she poses with
her supporters: sister Kim Eby, left; nephew Andrew; friend Jackie
Edwards; mother Donna Eby; and brother Greg Eby.
Greg Eby, Driver's brother, lobbied to get legislation requiring
insurance coverage of marrow transplants.
Donna Eby, left, was her daughter Mona's care-giver after her bone
marrow transplant. At right is Mona's sister, Kim Eby, another
staunch supporter.
Many efforts were coordinated by the Friends of Mona Committee
organized by Jackie Edwards and her husband, Leroy.
Photo by FRANK ROBERTS
Mona Eby Driver plays with her son, John, 7, foreground, and her
3-year-old nephew, Andrew Eby, during a weekend at Virginia Beach.
Photo
This poster advertised the sports auction, organized by Greg Eby,
that raised $11,000.
KEYWORDS: CANCER
by CNB