Graduation is an emotional time for seniors. They’ve worked hard, tested, completed internships or work studies and are closing on an important chapter of their lives, ready to face the future. But for the Bish family, the Class of 2019 is missing a student- their son, Sam, who passed away from bone cancer in 2010.
Sam was a happy, easy-going kid who had a close-knit group of friends at French Run Elementary School, so it surprised his parents when he started complaining of pain in his leg towards the end of his second grade year in 2009. “That was really the only symptom,” said Cindy Bish, Sam’s mother. “We thought it was growing pains, but it started waking him up at night. We then noticed he developed a slight limp which impacted playing with his friends. We took him to an orthopedic in August of 2009, where an x-ray showed a tumor on his right femur. He was diagnosed with stage 4 osteosarcoma.”
The cancer was in both of Sam’s legs, his lungs and his spine.
Because Sam’s class was together from Kindergarten through third grade, he formed a tight group of friends, who supported him and his family through various chemo treatments and surgeries and made sure he was caught up on schoolwork if he had to be absent for long periods of time.
Mrs. Brower, Sam’s first grade teacher, praised Sam’s big heart. “Sam truly cared about people,” she said. “He loved his little sisters, and was amazing at building relationships. He was kind to everyone and was a good friend.”
He was such a good friend, that his best friend, Andrei, who is set to graduate from RHS’ eSTEM Academy, pays tribute to Sam as often as he can.
“He loved Star Wars, so in my Senior pictures, I had his Star Wars hats,” Andrei said. “When I was in fourth grade, we planted a tree at the bus loop at French Run. I went to visit the other day and it’s growing really well.”
Andrei said that at the time, he didn’t understand Sam’s illness. “I knew it wasn’t good, but I had to have my mom explain it to me. Even as a nine-year-old, I would visit Sam, we would talk and play video games,” he said.
After the most aggressive forms of chemo and treatments,
Sam was able to complete his Make A Wish trip, and the doctors thought he was
responding well, so it was heartbreaking to learn at his next scan, the cancer
had returned. Sam had relapsed.
“There was nothing left to do,” said Mrs. Bish. “We prayed and the community rallied together to make sure Sam could go to school when he was able, the teachers were amazing. They would visit, bring him school work and sit with him and work with him on reading.” One of his teachers made sure he could attend Field Day at the end of third grade, and pushed Sam’s wheelchair to all the different stations.
Four weeks after returning home for hospice care, Sam
passed away at the age of nine years old. It was August 20, 2010.
The Bish family keeps Sam’s memory alive through the Sam Bish Foundation. The foundation helps families and children and offers support, hope and smiles to those affected by pediatric cancer.
“The foundation is run strictly by volunteers and all of the money we raise goes towards helping families,” said Mrs. Bish. “We work closely with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to offer families financial assistance. Maybe they need help paying some bills, or they need gas or groceries.”
Sam loved celebrating, especially holidays like Halloween. Every year, the Sam Bish Foundation provides meals to the oncology floor at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and throws a party for kids who aren’t able to go trick-or-treating. “Sam loved trick-or-treating,” said Mrs. Bish.
In addition to their work with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the foundation hosts two fundraisers each year, Bish Bash and an annual flower sale. Bish Bash will be September 14, 2019 at Westerville Christian Church from 10a-3p. It is open to everyone and the admission fee is $8. Children under the age of two receive free admission.
“Sam’s teachers and friends have come to Bish Bash for the last eight years,” said Mrs. Bish. “It’s great to have their support.”
The Flower Sale benefits the foundation as well, and will
be May 4, 2019 from 9a-1pm with flowers for sale from Cuthbert Greenhouse. The
sale is held at the same location as Bish Bash, 471 E. College Ave. in
Westerville.
The Reynoldsburg community rallied around Sam during his illness, and his story went viral, with local radio stations providing updates. Even Chris Daughtry (Sam’s favorite singer) and the band Lifehouse knew Sam’s story and Sam and Andrei were able to meet the rock stars after a concert in Columbus. Members of the community also planted a tree in Sam’s memory at JFK Park.
RHS’ Leo Club hosts Raiderthon every year, and proceeds go towards pediatric cancer. For several years, Sam has been one of the club’s “honored children” and money was raised in his memory. “His friends and his father shaved their heads to raise money for pediatric cancer,” said Mrs. Bish
On May 21, at the Schottenstein Center, there will be an empty seat reserved for Sam between his friends Zach and Andrei in the eSTEM Academy. “He was always in to science fiction and math, so I believe he would have gone to the eSTEM Academy with me,” says Andrei. Sam’s first, second and third grade teachers will present his family with an honorary diploma.
Even though Sam is no longer with his friends and family, Andrei believes that he is living life for Sam. “A bunch of my friends and I got dog tag necklaces that say ‘In Memory of Sam Bish’ and when I wear that necklace, I feel like he is with me,” he said.
In addition to being remembered by his friends and family, Sam’s journey will continue after graduation as Andrei heads off to Bowling Green University to study Marine Biology. He continues to support fundraising and research for pediatric cancer in memory of his best friend.
For more information on Bish Bash, to volunteer for the Bish Foundation or to donate, please visit their Facebook page.