Jeff and Janna interview Mindy Bess the CEO of the James Bess Foundation which fulfills the dreams of terminally ill adults. We hope you enjoy this story.
About the James Bess Foundation
On April 13, 1998 my dad, James Bess, was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiform (a rare type of terminal brain cancer) and was given 6months to live at best. At that time my dad was only 38 years old and in the prime of his life; I can only imagine what went through his head when he was given the news! I mean a 38-year-old male having to fight the battle of lifetime and having to support a family at the same time must have overwhelming for him. Once the initial shock wore off, he decided to fight the disease with everything he had, and we as a family came together and helped him fight. For the next four years all of us sacrificed whatever we could not only to assist my dad in the things he needed, but also to help keep the family from going under. Needless to say, it was an extremely difficult test for all involved and it was only because of God’s grace and mercy that we not only survived but also conquered the day to day battles.
However, the battle ended for my dad on June 18, 2002 when he died. The most impacting thing about my dad’s illness was his unwavering faith, even when times
were at their worst, he remained strong. Looking back, the eternal legacy my dad left behind for my siblings and me is powerful, one I am extremely grateful for and one that I will never forget. His faith and sense of family was just the tip of the iceberg of that legacy; his love for others and his love of music, especially Country music, only adds to the significance. Amidst all the trials my dad faced, he lived a full and exciting life inspiring many people along the way. It is because of him and the life he led that the James Bess Foundation was started. I have been blessed with many things in my life, and the desire to love others is just one of those things. Looking around I see many adults struggling with a terminal illness who want nothing more than to experience life to the fullest while they are still living by having a bucket list dream
fulfilled, but due to a lack of resources, those dreams often times go unfulfilled. For example, one of my dad’s passions was listening and grooving to the sounds of the famous Garth Brooks, well I made it a mission to arrange a meet and greet with Mr. Brooks, but without the resources needed I was unable to make that happen; my dad later died without getting to experience that dream. The James Bess Foundation is a solution to this problem. I want nothing more than to see adults be able to experience life to the fullest, especially when life has thrown them a massive curveball. Everyone deserves to have their dreams fulfilled, especially those adults who are terminally ill, and that is the heart of this foundation.
Mindy Bess is the founder and CEO of the James Bess Foundation. This foundation is a unique organization that grants a fervent wish to adults (21-65) living in the United States and struggling with a terminal illness with a life expectancy of eighteen months or less. After spending nearly five years watching her father struggle with terminal brain cancer, M ndy knows what that having hope and joy in that situation is needed for survival and recovery. By granting a fervent wish to a terminally ill adult, Mindy is helping to give back hope and joy to both the person and their family. Over the last twenty plus years Mindy has been building her leadership abilities. At the age of
sixteen, Mindy had to become the second adult in her house as her father suffered with terminal brain cancer. She ran the house, took care of her two younger siblings and her father all while her mother went to nursing school. Even though Mindy had a lot of extra respons
