For previous coverage, read “JC community unites to support Director of Enrollment.”

After suffering severe stomach cramps for about four days, Director of Enrollment Edward Maynard decided to go see his doctor on Aug. 28. Maynard was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer on Sept. 4.

Maynard’s doctor’s office was closed, so he went to Patient First. He had his blood drawn, and results showed that he was severely anemic and had low oxygen levels. Patient First told him to go to the hospital right away for a blood transfusion.

“Instead of going to the hospital, I decided to call my brother who is a nurse while I was in the parking lot. I didn’t believe them when they said to go to the hospital. My brother told me to read my results to him and so I did, and he agreed I needed to go to the hospital,” Maynard said.

Upon entering the hospital, Maynard was taken for a CAT scan. Doctors found a large mass in his large intestine and told him he needed a colonoscopy to find out more about the mass.

After being on a liquid diet for two days, Maynard had a colonoscopy and a biopsy. He had the mass removed the following day and received the results the following week.

On Sept. 2, Maynard was told he was positive for colon cancer and two days later, he was told it was stage three colon cancer.

“I told my wife that I’d be home in an hour or two, and I came home nine days later, When I told my family they were just shocked and in disbelief,” Maynard said.

Currently Maynard is still working while in the process of chemotherapy which lasts approximately six months.

News shortly reached JC. Social studies department chair Jake Hollin started thinking of ways to help Maynard.

“What people often forget is that along with fighting cancer there are expenses insurances don’t cover. I just wanted to find a way to help in some of the costs so that is one less thing the Maynard family has to worry about,” Hollin said.

Hollin played with the idea of selling bracelets in honor of Maynard but was unsure of ways to get students to buy them. He came up with letting students have two dress down days, Nov. 7 and 21, if students pay the $10 to buy the bracelet.

“Several students said they would pay for the bracelets to see social studies teacher Anthony Del Puppo shave his hair,” Hollin said. Hollin brought Del Puppo into his classroom full of students and asked if he would be willing to shave his hair if they reached $10,000 by Nov. 21.

Right away Del Puppo said yes. “It’s easy, why wouldn’t I do it? Its not like they’re taking the skin off my back,” he said.

There also might be three boys from the junior and senior classes with long hair that are willing to shave their heads as well, but we’ll keep that a mystery until after the Mass on Nov. 21,” Hollin said.

As of Nov. 7, $5,000 has been raised for Maynard by the students and faculty, not including the Mojo for Maynard Event which was held on Oct. 17 at the Bel Air Athletic Club. The total raised during the event has not yet been tallied, but over 150 friends and family came out to show their support.

Sydney Kirwan is an In-Depth Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.