Photoessay #635 - Not by Chance

Some times I run into a picture in a drawer and it reminds me of the time and place....

I actively ran a large listserv list for many years for patients and caregivers experiencing brain tumors. Never mind how I got involved. Was there an unseen hand? My father and Dan Beittel both died from brain tumors. I used a lot of what I learned from this group. And I met some great people. Some brain-damaged; I had some pretty good times with them. Some amazing times, actually.

Back to the picture. Check out david bailey's website

David, now in his mid 40s was diagnosed with a deadly brain tumor. GBM, the worst in 1996 in his early 30s. Wake up call along with some nifty scars on his head. He was an upcoming corporate tech talent with home, wife, two little kids. And music. He decided that he would use whatever time he had left writing and singing songs. He first partnered with another guitarist singer-songwriter, they called themselves "Not By Chance" Wonderful wonderful inspiring music with a bias towards recovery and worship. They came to Seattle and we HAD to go. I told everybody, you have to come and hear them but, of course, most community members just didn't get it. Among my BRAINTMR buddies, David Bailey came to town, you went, nothing else would be more important.

I invited the duo to my home for breakfast the day of their show in a large Presbyterian church (I've featured University Prez before, my neighbor got married there). My pleasure! I pulled some of my kids from school so they could be there. Some local BRAINTMR people wanted to come, some traveling a great distance, I was happy to include them.

1997. Not By Chance, as a duo, didn't last too long; they made 2 CDs, I have them. Went to their concert and so enjoyed it. Picture shows them performing in their Seattle concert. I also saw him in LA when I went to a brain tumor conference. I think I wrote about the evening at the conference when we were all rocking out dancing away, in wheelchairs and walkers and the performer stopped and said "They told me you was SICK people!"

David's gone on to have a successful performing and recording career. Just this year he has had a very serious recurrence. 8 cm cyst and another GBM tumor. Tough times. Really tough times. But please listen to his music. It plays at his website.

Pray for David's recovery.