SUMTER, S.C. — “It's overwhelming,” Sumter resident Steve Turk explains about the support he feels from his community after being diagnosed with cancer a second time.
Turk says he received treatment for throat cancer. After being in remission for over a year, Turk explains doctors recently found a spot on his lung.
“I mean, I never realized that, you know, I would have so much support, you know, period,” Turk says. “From family, friends, people I don't know. It's just been overwhelming.”
The community showed up to Gramma's Kitchen, where Turk's wife Gail works, for a barbecue chicken fundraiser.
“We had to pay out of pocket and, you know, we've got bills stacked up and it's insane,” Gail explains about Steve’s last round of treatment. “It's just insane.”
People like Gary Poston and his wife Betsy wanted to buy a plate of food to help with medical expenses.
“Something that me and my family both feel real special about is taking care of people who need help and you know, sometimes the systems just didn't do it so people will have to come together and do it for them,” Poston tells me. “It's extraordinary. Everybody just comes together and they take care of each other.”
“It's a really good feeling to know that. It's really nice,” event organizer Cecil McCaskill smiles.
McCaskill is a lifetime Sumter resident. Every year for more than three decades, McCaskill tells me he chooses a family in need around Christmas time to host a fundraiser for.
“It matters a lot,” McCaskill shares. “Because there's so many people in need and you know they need some help.”
He gets some help through recruiting community members like Robert Bedard.
“It's very personal,” Bedard explains about getting to know Steve and Gail Turk through running Gramma’s Kitchen, a local restaurant.
When it came to helping out with a fundraiser, Bedard tells me his crew jumped into action.
“We got started at six o'clock this morning firing up the grills, putting the chicken on. My wife and I started yesterday. She made a whole bunch of coleslaw. It's just…it's been…everybody's been non-stop,” Bedard details. “It's very overwhelming, to be honest with you. You know, I mean, the show of support. I mean, from High Hills…to, you know, I mean, just so many faces that I haven't seen to new faces that we're seeing today and old faces from a long time ago. It's just real nice.”
While the barbecue wrapped up earlier on Wednesday evening, Bedard tells us that he is still accepting donations for Turk. If you’re interested in helping with medical expenses, Bedard says you can come into the restaurant and make a donation, which they will collect and pass on to Turk.