Column: Helping a couple through health crises

I've known John Huntington of Marion for more than 20 years, well enough to say "Hi" and strike up a conversation if we meet on the street but not well enough to call him out of the blue to play a round of golf.

You've probably got a lot of friends like that, too. Not close, but close enough that you care about them.

So, when I heard about John's recent brain surgery and his wife, Lisa's, battle with aggressive breast cancer, I was floored. When I heard their close friends decided to help the family -- including children Mitchell, 12, and Haley, 9 -- with a fundraiser, I hoped it would be a success.

Tomorrow, some 240 golfers will tee off at Hunters Ridge Golf Course to help raise money for their medical expenses. An auction will follow. Dozens of donations have already been accepted.

The plan was to get 20 or 30 golfers together and raise a few hundred bucks for the family, says Doug Chadima, a close friend of John's since they bartended at the Tycoon in Cedar Rapids in 1984. His wife, Diann, has been close with Lisa since seventh grade.

"It just evolved," says Doug, owner of John's Lock & Key in Cedar Rapids. "It's just exploded. We've been turning people away to golf."

That's at $80 a person with more than half that fee going to the Huntingtons.

"It's a bad story, but it's a cool story to see how all these people have come together," Doug says.

In 2006, Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a double mastectomy and treatment, it went into remission.

In March, John, owner of Huntington's restaurant in Marion, had brain surgery to help control seizures that impaired his motor skills.

Last month, John had additional surgery and Lisa's cancer returned -- a stage IV diagnosis that has taken her to the renowned M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Fortunately, she'll be able to undergo treatment at home.

"Lisa is so positive," Doug says. "She said the other day, 'If I have to do chemo, I'll do it again and again and again.'"

Surgery and travel have kept John away from business. He had some employee turnover. So when help was needed, his former employer, the Godwin restaurant chain (Naso's, Winifred's, Xavier's, Vino's, RG Books) stepped up. Longtime Naso's cook, Lori Baker, recruited other cooks to help at Huntington's until employment was stabilized.

"Just when they thought they'd turned the corner, all this comes up," says Brian Godwin, a company vice president. "He's a great guy. He worked hard for us and wanted to do his own thing, which is natural."

"You can't be more solid than John Huntington," Doug says. "A good fellow. A great friend. He'd give you the shirt off his back."

John, 45, and Lisa, 42, have been fortunate to have strong families. Friends provide even more widespread support and can continue to do so by calling Doug at (319) 365-6063.

By tomorrow night, Doug wouldn't be surprised if they've raised $50,000.

That's what friends do.