Imagine waking up one morning, experiencing a single symptom, visiting the doctor and soon after being told cancer is the diagnosis. Unfortunately, this became a reality for lifelong Medford resident Richie Jr. Abrams, who was diagnosed with colon and liver cancer in October 2013. Yet now, after 2.5 years of treatments, he has won the battle, and, in response, his family threw him a huge party on Saturday, Oct. 15, to commemorate his determination.
“It was one of those things that you can’t believe it can actually happen to you,” Abrams said. “I knew I just had to do whatever the doctor told me to do and keep myself moving.”
Fearing the worst, when his family first heard news of the diagnosis, they promised Abrams they would throw him the biggest party when he had finished treatments. They hoped this incentive would help their beloved relative fight harder. However, looking back over the past few years, Abrams’ family members recall his constant optimism and continuous push to maintain his daily life as what really helped him to overcome the disease.
“[Overcoming cancer] is a big weight off my shoulders, and it’s good to see everyone who has been there for me,” Abrams said. “I want to thank everyone for their support.”
Pushing past more obstacles and defeating more odds than ever projected, Abrams moved forward with his fight with stage four cancer despite having dialysis every two weeks in Philadelphia at Jefferson Hospital and eventually going home with a portable bag that is hooked through a port that was put in his chest and feeds the chemo for an additional 48 hours. He even took the portable chemo on a hunting trip — nothing could stop Abrams’ fight to get better and retain a sense of normalcy.
Despite being tired, his taste buds changing and food tasting different, being colder than most people during the winter and having his skin become extra dry and cracking all due to side effects of chemo, he pushed through and kept fighting.
Although he was able to overcome the disease, the hardest part of his journey was having people ask him how he was all the time and having to give up his activities of shooting pool and hanging out with his friends. Regardless, throughout it all, Abrams continued to work at both the township and his family’s farm.
Born in 1958, Abrams has been an employee of the Public Works Department for more than 15 years, remaining committed to his work and only missing days on which he had treatments. He even got permission from his doctors to go back to work with the portable chemo device, and continued to run his family’s farm. Abrams also continued to make sure his parents and family were OK, as he very close to his mother, father and other family members who all live in Medford within blocks of each other.
For all the service Abrams has provided to Medford Township and for beating cancer, Mayor Jeffrey Beenstock agreed to attend the party and to do a proclamation in honor of Abrams’ dedication during his fight with cancer.
“Being able to be a part of this is exciting. It’s one of the nicer things I get to do as mayor,” Beenstock said. “It’s definitely a terrific occasion and a reason to celebrate.”
Although Abrams knew about the party, and even helped put together the guest list, he did not know about the mayor’s appearance or that he would receive a proclamation. Additionally, a few people spoke at the celebration including Abrams’ best friend, Clint String, and his doctor, Jerome R. Pietras.
“His persistence in fighting the cancer and his unrelentless ability to take chemo despite having secondary effects is what makes [Abrams’] case so remarkable,” Pietras said. “I’ve never seen a patient go through all the chemo without missing a treatment, let alone working through it. He’s an inspiration.”
At the party, approximately 150 guests arrived at 2 p.m. and enjoyed food, music, a DJ, dancing, a photo booth and good company.
“I believe he is so deserving of the party and proclamation because the challenges he was up against and the odds he was given,” Abrams’ sister-in-law, Marisa Groves, who largely organized the party, said. “To continue to work at the township, work on your family’s farm and stay so positive is commendable, and I admire him for what he has done and gone through over the past three years.”
