Relay for Life has special meaning for BBES student

By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
With its mission of raising money for cancer research, Relay for Life has become an important event in many people’s lives. Few, however, feel the importance of the event more than one Hartselle family who’ve dealt with the disease up close.
Josh Pohl is a 10-year-old student at Barkley Bridge Elementary School. He just celebrated his fifth anniversary of being cancer free, after being diagnosed at age 5 with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, a disease most often found in adults. After being diagnosed, the Pohl family went to Birmingham to be treated at Children’s Hospital.
The Pohls - Josh, Beverly, dad Jay and brother Jacob, 12, – are joining in this year’s Relay for Life planned for April 25 in EARTH Park. The overnight event starts at 6 p.m. and involves teams walking to raise money for cancer research.
Josh sent out letters to his friends and family asking for donations to help in the fight against cancer. With their church, Hartselle Church of Christ, they are also taking part in a rummage and bake sale planned for April 5 from 6 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Pleasant Place building. All proceeds will go to Relay for Life and the event will go on rain or shine.
Josh also knows that it’s possible to live an active and full life after cancer, especially now that he’s reached the five-year cancer free mark.