Nothing reveals true character more than adversity, and cancer undoubtedly ranks among the worst adversity that life can throw at us. But you’d never know this if you had the good fortune of meeting David N. April, who battled renal cancer with unmatched grace and virtually zero self-pity for nearly ten years before it eventually took him from us in December of 2023. David’s uncanny positivity was abundantly clear to me when I first met him to shoot his portrait for Legacy of Hope. I would never have known that he’d had cancer treatment earlier that day if his [chemo] port hadn’t created a bulge in his tee shirt. He didn’t make it a big deal at all, and was all smiles and grace, so much so that I had to work hard to get him to look a bit tougher to fit the vibe of the ad campaign.
David is perhaps best known (and most beloved) for being a founding member of Fishtown Beer Runners (FBR), whose ranks and influence have grown exponentially since its inception more than 15 years ago. FBR now boasts numerous chapters both nationally and abroad; on April 27th, 2024 more than 250 friends and family members gathered at Philadelphia Brewing Company to honor and celebrate his life with a palpable mix of love, emotion, and shared stories. Apart from being a founding member of FBR, David was also a Legacy of Hope board member so it was fitting that, prior to the celebration’s kick-off run, Legacy of Hope CEO, Michael Rowe announced a new initiative—building the David N. April Emergency Patient Support Center, which will be a hub of essential services for cancer patients and their families, who are facing multifaceted challenges, including hunger and homelessness because they are too sick to work. Services will include mental health counseling, financial counseling, physical and occupational therapy. “David’s legacy will reverberate and live on for generations, and through the support center we can honor his legacy in perpetuity,” Rowe said. “David, I love you, and we’ll never forget you.”
FBR has been a force of nature in raising funds for the David N. April Emergency Patient Support Center. Funds raised at this year’s PHL24 will also be dedicated to the center.
Fellow Fishtown Beer Runner, Johanna Heskamp-Goode shares that “David was the ultimate community builder. He made friends in everything he did, whether it was running, playing music, or just walking down the street—and he created opportunities for all those miscellaneous friends to become friends, as well. With the Fishtown Beer Runners, David’s biggest priority was being welcoming to everyone, whether they were veteran runners or had never run a step. He made a point to greet every new runner each week and learn their individual story, and he was always recruiting. He saw the power of running and community and just wanted everyone to have access to that. David’s long fight against cancer gave him tremendous empathy for cancer patients and their families. The David April Emergency Patient Support Center is a fitting way to continue his legacy of supporting those in need.”
Having experienced cancer firsthand, and being part of the Legacy of Hope team, was incredibly meaningful to David, as it has deepened his appreciation of supporting each other through tough times. In his own words David explained that “Legacy’s volunteers have highlighted the value of coming together to help those who are fighting illness and navigating life’s challenges. Legacy of Hope is much more than delivering groceries to fellow cancer patients, helping to pay the bills, or having a place to stay when having treatment —it really shows how we all need somebody. It was a real honor to be awarded the Legacy of Hope 2022 Medal and meet some of the doctors whose research is literally saving lives and giving patients like me more time to spend with my dear family and friends. Meeting people like Mike Rowe, Greg Garber, and my oncologist, Dr. Kevin Kelly, made me realize that it takes a village to help a cancer patient navigate their journey.”
David’s wife, Carmen shares “My dear husband, David, used to say when cancer got to him he felt ‘it was a family affair.’ I always shared the feeling, and later realized it also became our extended family affair. As I got to meet other cancer patients, I understood that it takes more than a family and friends to keep you going. For us it was Fishtown Beer Runners and Legacy of Hope, and all the good they do for others. Now that David is not with us anymore, my mission is to do anything I can to keep fighting cancer, for patients, families and friends like mine.”
One thing that was shared by several people who shared memories of David at the celebration of his life was that towards the end of his life he asked if he thought he’d be remembered. If the packed house and the abundance of love at Philadelphia Brewery wasn’t testament enough to the huge impact of David’s well-lived life, the creation of the David N. April Emergency Patient Support Center will ensure that his memory is honored through the critically important work to which he was so dedicated.
Donate to the David N. April Emergency Patient Support Center fund