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at home

Mike Heimerdinger in June 2011

Titans former head coach gets help lining up his putt from Mike Heimerdinger and friends. A Road to Healing Drive for Dinger Golf Tournament hopes to aid cancer patients BY STEPHANIE STEWART-HOWARD

EVERYONE IN MUSIC CITY KNOWS MIKE HEIMERDINGER’S “We realized we needed to do everything we could to make the name, unless they’ve been living under a rock for the past 12 or 13 body as strong as possible to help combat both the disease and the years. The legendary quarterbacks coach and for treatments he was receiving,” says Kathie Heimerdinger. It started with the and worked closely with Steve limiting red meat, alcohol, sugars and soft drinks; soon the family was McNair, , , and Rod Smith, spending hours researching cancer and planning meals, shifting to making a name for himself as a guy who got things done. The city was wholly organic eating practices and building a body of information by shocked when Heimerdinger was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer speaking with health practitioners traditional and alternative, as well as that attacked the lymph system in November 2010, and praised him as friends who had cancer. a hero when he opted to continue coaching even as his aggressive It all appeared to be working, and two months into treatment, his chemotherapy treatments began. tumor markers fell. He continued Now, his family has decided The Drive for Dinger Celebrity Golf Tournament the chemo for an additional two to give back to cancer patients, takes place June 28-29, beginning with a kickoff months. The research drug was their families and caregivers in a dinner and silent auction on Thursday evening administered for a further month, unique way, with the start of the and concluding with the golf tournament on and the family, including Dinger’s Heimerdinger Foundation and the Friday at the Vanderbilt Legends Club. adult children Brian and Alicia, Drive for Dinger Golf Tournament hoped for the best. As with all such June 28-29. treatments, the chemo and drugs took their own toll on Dinger’s body. “We were told that there wasn’t a lot of research done for his Unfortunately, the tumors stopped shrinking, and the family vowed particular type of cancer,” says Heimerdinger’s wife Kathie. “They were to prove the doctors’ scenario wrong. They made endless calls to other only using the old chemotherapy drugs for his disease. He trusted his medical professionals and alternative medicine sources, doubling down doctors; being a football coach he usually dealt with game plans, on research, eventually discovering and turning to a different and new winning, losing, facing the odds and adversity.” list of alternative practices to help Dinger deal with the debilitating “Dinger” started chemotherapy, along with the first phase of a chemo and drug treatment, rebuild his damaged immune system, and The Tennessean. The Tennessean. research drug and hoped for the best. The chemo, as it always does, add to his battle against the fearsome disease. took its toll, especially as Dinger opted to keep his insanely busy “A whole new world of treatment options were presented to us,” coaching schedule as much as he could. Knowing the draining nature says Kathie, reflecting on the potential complementary alternative of chemotherapy, as well as other aggressive treatments, he met with therapies offered, including acupuncture, lymphatic massage, vitamin

the folks at the Minnie Pearl Foundation a nd discussed ways in which IV supplements, nutrition counselling and more. The family was courtesy Photos his diet could help him deal with the chemo. frustrated knowing that there was so much out there they hadn’t been

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Vince Young and Mike Heimerdinger in 2008

told of, knowing it might have helped. “Why the side effects. wasn’t all the information about these options That’s quite possibly because she’s been presented at the beginning so we could make working with Coley and his current mentor an informed decision?” they wondered. since her diagnosis, but no study has been done. Tragically, no treatment was enough, and Nor did her Western medicine doctors dis- Mike Heimerdinger passed away in September cuss with her what she’d done to alleviate her 2011, nearly a year after his diagnosis. Whole discomfort, let alone propose acupuncture cities mourned his passing, but the family as a method to help her deal with it. This knew something important had to be done in disappoints Coley, and it underlines the his memory. hopes the Heimerdinger family has of helping In the wake of their grief, Kathie, together cancer patients find the best ways for them with children Alicia and Brian, formed the to combat the awful disease, including mar- Heimerdinger Foundation, Inc. The foundation rying conventional and alternative therapies to aims to support both cancer patients and create the best possible road to recovery and to their caregivers as they search for detailed comfort during rough treatments like radiation information on a variety of treatment options, and chemotherapy. and additionally provide crucial information “The diagnosis of cancer affects the whole regarding nutrition, plus the possibility of family, not just the patient battling for their healthy meal options, delivering nutritious lives,” says Kathie Heimerdinger. “It’s our organic meals to patients free of charge. hope that our services and support will allow The reality is that there are many patients caregivers, family and patients to spend in the community who have found alternative more quality time together and less time treatments aid and relieve them from the side searching for answers.” effects of the more common conventional Want to help out the Heimerdinger treatments. Patients often report for them- Foundation? Dinger truly loved golf, and the selves that getting additional treatments, from Drive for Dinger Celebrity Golf Tournament massage therapy to acupuncture, as well as takes place June 28-29, beginning with a kickoff changing their eating habits, has an extremely dinner and silent auction on Thursday evening positive effect on the way they feel, energy at the McConnell house in Franklin and con- levels and speed of recovery. cluding with a golf tournament on Friday at For example, Keith Coley, L.Ac, an the Vanderbilt Legends Club. Discount ac- acupuncturist who practices at the Rejuve- commodations will be available at the Marriot nation Group in Brentwood (317 Seven Springs Cool Springs. Way, (615) 830-2343), works with cancer pa- This is a perfect opportunity to help out and tients and those in remission on a regular make a difference for the patients, families and basis. One of his patients at the moment suffers caregivers who must deal with this fearsome from a rare case of multiple myeloma. She’s disease on a daily basis. Co me out and support just had one of the more severe conventional the Drive for Dinger! Find more information treatments, in which bone marrow is harvested at drive4dinger.com. For more on the and reintroduced, but doctors have been Heimerdinger Foundation and how you can pleased because she’s barely suffered any of help, visit heimerdingerfoundation.com.