It’s been a busy few months for Dublin native Jessica Roby. She celebrated her 29th birthday, went snowboarding in Utah with some friends, got engaged to her boyfriend Phil Hoffman, traveled to Europe and kept up her role as vice president for Consolidated Learning Centers.

She’s also continued to battle thyroid cancer. Although this effort certainly hasn’t been fun or exciting, Roby insists on staying positive and continuing with her plans.

Roby was originally diagnosed in the summer of 2007 after feeling faintness and chest pain. During a routine scan at the hospital doctors noticed a lump on her thyroid. Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with the disease, which entails a cancerous tumor/growth within the thyroid gland.

Her thyroid and several lymph nodes have since been removed and she has undergone radioactive iodine therapy, which caused her tumors to shrink. However, she is still not cancer-free and continues to be monitored by two doctors every three months at the Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. She is also on medication for life.

Roby admits she feels sluggish at times, but otherwise “is completely normal.” Not only has she relied on a positive attitude, but also on strong support from her family – parents Jeff and Bonnie and brothers Josh and Joel – and a large network of friends.

It’s because of those friends that the second annual Strike Out Thyroid Cancer event will be held Feb. 20 at Sequoia Pro Bowl, 5501 Sandalwood Blvd., Columbus.

“When I was first diagnosed, my friends wanted to do something for me. They all got together – about 15 of them – and decided to surprise me by holding an event. They just wanted to do something and they knew they couldn’t fix the cancer, so they figured the next best thing was to raise awareness and money for research,” Roby says. “I didn’t know what to say. I just sat there and cried.”

They picked bowling simply because Roby enjoys it. They picked February because that’s when social calendars seem anemic. And they picked a goal of about $15,000 because it was more ambitious than $10,000, which is required for a fundraiser to include the James logo.

The inaugural event raised about $25,000, the largest amount ever donated specifically for thyroid cancer research at the James.

“I’m still amazed about how much we raised. I know every bit of it helps and I’ve heard from so many people telling me their stories about thyroid cancer and how happy they are to have something to raise awareness,” Roby says. “To know this event and this awareness has touched lives means so much to me.”

This year’s goal is to raise more money than last year and, for Roby, to continue being as positive as possible.

“It’s great that we can do something to raise money. But my goal is to also be positive and help others who are having a hard time,” she says. “Quite a few people have e-mailed me and told me their stories and I want them to feel comfortable and talk about it. It’s hard for all of us – to think I have cancer is always in the back of my mind and it sucks. But this event is supposed to raise awareness and give people a bigger support group so we can be optimistic we’ll get through this.”

To participate in the second annual Strike Out Thyroid Cancer, visit www.strikeoutthyroidcancer.com.  

Alicia Kelso is a contributing editor for Dublin Life.

WHEN YOU GO:

Strike Out Thyroid Cancer
DATE: Feb. 20
WHERE: Sequoia Pro Bowl, 5501 Sandalwood Blvd., Columbus
TIMES: This year’s event includes three bowling time slots:
Slot 1: 9-11 a.m.
Includes bowling, clowns and children’s activities
Slot 2: 12-2 p.m.
Includes bowling and music from the Cowboy Hillbilly Hippie Folk Band
Slot 3: 3-5 p.m.
Includes bowling and karaoke
COST: Adult tickets cost $35 and tickets for children 13 and under are $25. Ticket prices include two hours of unlimited bowling, pizza, soda and an event T-shirt. Tickets for food only are $12.
EXTRA: In addition to raising money from ticket sales, an auction will also be held. Auction items include a hockey stick signed by Columbus Blue Jacket Rick Nash, personal training sessions, teeth whitening sessions and a five-course “surf and turf” dinner prepared by Jessica Roby and her mother Bonnie at the Roby’s Dublin home.
FOR MORE INFO: Visit www.strikeoutthyroidcancer.com.