2025 Report to the Community - Flipbook - Page 18
Patient Spotlight
Kidney cancer survivor raises
money for support fund to
help cancer patients in need
To be a Messervy in Summerville, South Carolina, is to be part of a family that values public service
and community involvement – so much so that Dorchester County renamed part of the county
administrative complex “Messervy Square” in honor of the family’s eight decades of service.
JJ Messervy has upheld the family tradition as the elected county auditor, a dedicated supporter
of Dorchester Paws, an announcer for the Summerville Green Wave and an indefatigable raiser of
funds for community causes.
But while he is a well-known figure around Summerville, his own diagnosis of cancer was not. Not
until he decided to do what he does best, that is – raise money for a community cause.
Messervy decided to use his annual birthday fundraiser to raise money for the patient support
fund at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. He raised more than $20,000 for the fund, which offers
assistance to patients with financial need, ranging from help with groceries and utilities to covering
the cost of transportation and lodging nearby.
He learned of the fund one day while chatting with another patient who had spent months in and
out of the hospital for a bone marrow transplant.
“He mentioned the patient support fund. So I read up on it and I’m like, ‘OK, well, I don’t need help
paying my bills, and I have insurance. I’ve got all this stuff going for me. But you know what? That
has inspired me to do this,’” he said.
In a series of Facebook posts, Messervy told the story of his diagnosis and treatment. With the help
of 150 donors, he raised more than $20,000.
Always a helper, this journey put Messervy on the receiving end of help. He’s eternally grateful to
everyone who stepped up, from the medical team to family and friends to those who donated to
the fundraiser. Without them, he couldn’t have gotten to this point, relatively healthy and focused
on spending time with his boys.
“I’ve made more of a priority to do things with my children that I hadn’t done before. I just really
want to devote myself to spending time with them.”
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MUSC Hollings Cancer Center
