Restored big rig, truck show honor woman’s 14-year fight against cancer

Brenda Heiderscheit fought four different kinds of cancer for more than 14 years before uterine and ovarian cancer took her life at age 32.

Her strength in that battle - and the medical research and advances that allowed her to live as long as she did - have inspired her father, Eldon Jaeger, to raise more than $115,000 for the American Cancer Society in the three years since Brenda's death.

'If somebody before her would not have done something for cancer, she would never have lived that long,” said Jaeger, who lives in the small town of Worthington in Dubuque County.

Friday and Saturday will mark the fourth Midwest Pride in Your Ride Truck and Tractor Show organized by Jaeger, his family and others who have jumped on board for the cause. All proceeds from the show go to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

This year marks a milestone in Jaeger's fundraising efforts. He has completed the renovation of the 'Longhaul Survivor,” a 2000 Peterbilt big rig semi-truck. He will raffle the truck, adorned with a purple cancer ribbon in Brenda's honor and smaller ribbons noting different types of cancer, at the show on Saturday.

For months, Jaeger has been traveling the country selling $10 raffle tickets for the semi. He, his wife and their supporters have sold the tickets at 71 different fairs and events, including to people from such far-flung locations as Europe and Northern Africa.

If people from overseas win the raffle, he said, they'll have to figure out how to get a big rig truck to their home country on their own. If that proves too arduous, or if people want to support the cause but don't need a semi of their own, there is an $18,000 cash option.

The truck's renovation costs have been completely covered by more than 90 sponsors, who chipped in to provide everything from new tires to air filters to the dashboard.

As of April 21, more than 9,000 tickets had been sold.

'It is overwhelming, the number of people that have responded to this. I don't know how to explain it,” Jaeger said. 'It definitely went further than I expected it to go.”

He said his daughter's strength is his motivation.

She was first diagnosed with cancer just five days shy of her 18th birthday. When she had chemotherapy, she only wore a wig once. Her philosophy was she wasn't ashamed of her bald head, so it shouldn't bother others.

When her cancer came back after a few years in remission, she spent 30 days working in Dyersville every day until noon before driving the two hours to Madison, Wis., for radiation therapy, then driving herself back home.

'She was really strong,” Jaeger said. 'She didn't want anybody feeling sorry for her.”

Before the raffle Saturday, the truck show will open Friday with a 'Survivor's Convoy.” Cancer survivors will ride in trucks in front of the grandstand as their names are announced.

'It lets all the survivors know they're not in the battle by themselves,” Jaeger said. 'It's amazing the number of people that have been touched by this issue.”

If you go:

- What: Midwest Pride in Your Ride Truck and Tractor Show

- Where: Tri-State Raceway, 2217 270th Ave., Earlville

- When: Friday and Saturday

- Cost: $10

- More information: Midwestprideinyourride.org

- Raffle tickets: To buy a raffle ticket for the restored big rig truck, send a phone number and check for $10 made out to Midwest Pride in Your Ride to 304 First Ave. E., Worthington, IA 52078.

l Comments: (319) 398-8434; alison.gowans@sourcemedia.net