LIMA — What started as a devastating cancer diagnosis has now become a conduit of support for a number of causes in the Lima area through the recently formed non-profit Fight Like a Redhead.
Fight Like a Redhead founders and Lima natives Matt and Nicole Fish both grew up in poor, working-class families and were forced to deal with difficult situations growing up.
“My wife lost a sister to leukemia when she was growing up, and I lost a brother to degenerative brain disease,” Matt Fish said. “I, myself, am schizophrenic, and things just kept on happening.”
Being someone who deals with mental illness himself, Matt Fish was deeply affected by the suicide of comedian Robin Williams in 2014, and soon afterward, his wife was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
“We ended up going to the James Cancer Center in Columbus,” he said. “She was operated on the day after Christmas, and we had to be there very early. So at first, there were only a few people in the waiting room. As the day went on, I saw these families coming and going, and you could tell when the doctor came out who got relief and who got just devastating news.”
All of these events prompted the Fish family to see what could be done to help others in need.
“I started researching what it took to start a public charity,” Matt Fish said. “It started out as a group of volunteers putting on benefits for people.”
The name Fight Like a Redhead came out of Matt Fish honoring his red-haired wife and her struggle to overcome cancer. As the organization has grown and obtained its non-profit status, the organization has aimed its efforts in three directions.
“We developed what we called a Circle of Hope,” Matt Fish said. “We have a youth services program for kids who have a tough time at home. I’ve been a coach for 20 years, and that’s been my way of mentoring young men. We are going to have that part of youth services, but there are a lot of kids who are artists or maybe want to play chess, so we want to want to find that hot button for all of them. We also go to nursing homes and visit those who do not get visitors. We want to be able to use the kids as volunteers for the elderly services program and our community support and research program.”
Upcoming events for Fight Like a Redhead include a celebration of life event July 30, a euchre tournament Aug. 13 and a Halloween film festival Oct. 29. For more information on these events or to donate to the organization, go to www.fightlikearedhead.com.
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