Real people: Man wraps vehicle with messages of hope

The news hit Chris Baxter and his wife, Virginia, like proverbial bricks: Within a few weeks of complaining she didn’t feel well, Virginia was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. What started as a trip to the urgent-care center ended with emergency surgery and months of chemotherapy.

Amid the upheaval, Baxter clearly recalls the day almost two years ago when they received a “bag of hope” from the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance. It turned out to be a bright beacon in an otherwise bleary situation.

“It was full of things you wouldn’t normally think of when you’re going to chemo - especially if you don’t know what to expect,” said Baxter, 45. “It had socks, a cap, a blanket, a water bottle, a pen and even a diary to document your journey.”

The bag got the Winder resident thinking about other women who shared his wife’s story but who might have had a different experience if they’d talked to their doctors about an ovarian cancer test. He seized on the idea of encouraging women to get tested by putting information about the disease across the side of his truck and boat. He emailed the inspiration to the Alliance whose organizers said, “Do it!”

“I go to fishing tournaments all over the country, so the light bulb just went off on my head to wrap info on the boat,” said Baxter. “And why not the truck, too? If we’re affected by this deadly disease, think how many other people are experiencing the same symptoms and not seeking treatment.”

For the last year, Baxter’s “Tour of Hope” truck and boat have been raising awareness about ovarian cancer, and he’s found himself talking about it with strangers he meets on the road and on the water.

“Usually when I’m pumping gas, someone will ask me how I am affiliated with the Alliance,” he said. “I immediately pull out symptom cards and tell people, ‘Give this to your wife or a loved one - it can save a life.’ I talk to everyone I come across about getting to the doctor and specifically asking to get checked for ovarian cancer.”

Baxter laughed about being on a beach vacation last summer when he pulled up to a red light in his “Hope” truck. A nearby carload of riders started pointing and talking.

“My daughter said it was so embarrassing, but I said the truck is doing its job, even sitting still,” he said. “It’s making an impression, and that’s what we want. Even if it makes one of them log onto the website to see what it’s all about, that’s great. It’s just one truck and one boat, but it’s the cheapest form of advertising it is.”

The other element that makes Baxter’s campaign stand out is that it comes from a guy. “I know people are somewhat surprised that I’m a guy doing this,” he said. “And I’m a reminder that this disease is hard on the caregivers, too. And like a guy, I want to solve this problem now. I’d like to get enough people behind this mission to solve the problem.”