FORT SILL, Okla. (Jan. 23, 2014) -- The events of life sometimes bring different people together to rally for a cause. The people: a Wounded Warrior, a Boy Scout and a 2-year old girl. The cause: collecting pull-tabs from aluminum cans to try and save the little girl's life as she battles brain cancer.
The Soldier is Pfc. Joseph Moore, assigned to the Fort Sill Warrior Transition Unit (WTU). Moore saw a news story about Natalie Berzas, 2, from Meridian, Okla., who was diagnosed with inoperable tumors at the center of her brain. The only treatment for the cancer is chemotherapy, which is expensive. The story touched Moore close to his heart.
"A little over three years ago my own daughter died from a birth defect a cardio disorder. And our WTU gave me a lot of help during that trying time," Moore said. "One morning in the fall I saw a mother talking on the news about her daughter, who had been diagnosed with brain cancer. And I just knew I had to do something to help that little girl."
At the monthly WTU Town Hall meeting Moore asked if wounded warriors could do something to give back to the communich by helping Natalie.
"The community around here always gives back to the wounded warriors. So I raised the question to the RACH commander and the WTU commander about collecting tabs for Natalie's treatment and they said they would support me in what I wanted to do," Moore said.
So he began promoting the idea of collecting pull-tabs for Natalie at Fort Sill. In process, he found out that WTU 1st Sgt. Eric Cooper's 13-year old son Brandon had been collecting pull-tabs for many years as part of his Eagle Scout achievements. Through that, Moore and Brandon decide to join forces.
"I've been collecting pull-tabs for about two months, versus Cooper's son, who has been collecting them for a great length of time," Moore said.
Brandon explained why collecting the tabs is so important. "The tabs on the top of the can are made out of a higher grade of aluminum, so the charities get more money per pound when we turn them in. They can only use the pull tabs from the cans and it helps pay for chemotherapy treatments," he said.
"Brandon collected the tabs when we were at Fort Hood because there was a place there to donate them," said Cooper. "When we came to Fort Sill, the nearest place to donate was in Oklahoma City. So we continued to accumulate pull-tabs over the past two years and have quite a lot."
"Each day a Scout is supposed to do a good turn, like helping someone out, doing something good for others. Collecting the tabs is important because it goes toward helping people who have needs," Brandon said.
In December, the WTU invited the Berzas family to daily formation to present their tabs. Cooper thanked the wounded warriors for collecting 50 pounds of tabs.
"For every pound of tabs that you provide, Natalie gets an hour of chemotherapy. They are worth about 50-80 cents per pound, depending on the market," Cooper said. "It's a really good way to do something for your community just by popping the tabs off."
Moore and Brandon presented the Berzas the tabs for Natalie's chemotherapy. Justin Berzas, Natalie's father, spoke to the Soldiers.
"We're grateful for all the help. There's still good people out that have come together to help us in times like this. We're staying strong and taking it day by day. That's all you really can do. As long as Natalie is happy we're happy," Berzas said.
"This is a healing process for me because I was able to focus more on the little girl who has cancer, so I could give back to the community and not focus on my injuries and my emotional wounds from combat," Moore said. "Giving to Natalie has helped me deal with all of the combat situations I have been in Bosnia, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. It helps take away a lot of the pain I have endured and concerns about how I'm going to get better. That's a distraction that is a positive one," Moore said.
The duo will continue to collect the tabs and encourage others at Fort Sill to do so for patients who face serious illnesses.
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