Mary C. Beery, 62, of Sequim, turned a negative into a positive.

Beery was diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer on May 14.

She received 10 days of chemotherapy but the cancer spread to Beery’s brain and bones.
Doctors gave her less than a month to live.

Point to the positive
Despite the grim outlook, Beery wanted to focus on the positive and help others. She’s a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign War Post 4760 in Sequim. She contacted Men’s Auxiliary President Bill Sutherland to establish a fund to help families of veterans with cancer get through the tough times.

They named the ongoing fund for her and gave $500 to the cause.

“We’ll help families who need it,” Sutherland said.

Beery began raising money when her son Chris, 32, shaved her head, attracting $100 for the fund.

She didn’t want the hair loss from chemotherapy to be a shock, so she had Chris shave her head.

Chris left Sequim shortly after to serve a second tour in Iraq.

Family dedicated to service
Her son Will came home May 21 after serving four tours in the Middle East, ending his Air Force military service as a senior airman loadmaster for C-130s. She decided it was a good time to shave her head again, for more donations, and Will shaved it on May 28. 

“It’s going to go bald anyways,” Beery said.

Beery will live with her sister Donna Quale in Everett while a decision is made on more chemotherapy.

How to help
Donations to the Mary C. Beery fund to help veterans whose family members have cancer may be made through any U.S. Bank branch or the Sequim VFW, 169 E. Washington St., Sequim. Call the Sequim VFW at 681-0434 for more information.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.