Solid support
Published 8:03 pm Monday, May 18, 2015
After battling cancer for six months, a Suffolk family was treated to some home remodeling by a volunteer organization supporting children who suffer from the disease.
The Roc Solid Foundation’s three-day project for the Greene family started Thursday. Jackson Greene, 11, has been in remission since April after treatments for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, according to Ashley Greene, his mother.
A limousine collected the family — including Jackson’s younger brother Parker, 9, and older sisters Arynne, 15, and Addy, 13, as well as dad Andy — and whisked them off to Great Wolf Lodge for two nights.
The limo left from the siblings’ school, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, after school officials called students together for the big announcement with Roc Solid representatives.
“About six or eight months ago, we started getting phone calls and emails,” said Brandy Ward, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit organization.
People in the Suffolk community were reaching out about Jackson’s battle. Roc Solid contacted the Greenes, according to Ward, learning more about the family’s fight and coming up with the idea of remodeling the children’s bedrooms.
Ashley Greene said her son was diagnosed with cancer on Nov. 12, five days after he was admitted to the emergency room.
He’d had chronic flu-like symptoms, she said, and had not responded to two rounds of antibiotics.
Jackson had six rounds of chemotherapy between Nov. 14 and the end of March. His port was finally removed on April 22.
“It really is your entire world changes, and it changes with the flip of a switch,” Ashley Greene said.
Getting Jackson well again has always been the family’s No. 1 priority, according to Greene, and Roc Solid’s project was an “amazing gift” after a tough time.
The Greenes were barely ensconced in their limo and headed for Williamsburg when “the pros” came out for the heavy lifting part of the remodel, according to Ward.
Cherry Carpet & Flooring replaced carpet in the bedroom the boys share, she said, and installed hardwood in the sunroom, “which was a surprise for Ashley — an oasis for her to go and relax.” The sisters’ bedrooms were also remodeled.
Volunteers from sponsors BB&T, All First Industrial Contractors, Massimo Zanetti and the North Suffolk Rotary Club, as well as Roc Solid, arrived on Friday for things like painting, furniture assembly and cleaning, according to Ward.
“Seeing them wake up in those rooms the last couple of days has been awesome,” Ashley Greene said of her children.
“These are people who care,” she added, paying tribute to the many volunteers.
The Greene family had a busy Saturday — before the Roc Solid reveal, they attended a Suffolk Youth Athletic Association benefit, and Jackson helped hold the banner during the Survivors’ Lap at the Suffolk Relay for Life afterward.
As he continues regaining his strength, Jackson is looking forward to getting back to being the athletic kid he was, Ashley Greene said.