Those who know Deborah Oyer will tell you that she is a ball of energy. Anything she does in life is done with gusto. She dives in head first! 

So, it’s no surprise that when her grandson Henry started to take an interest in the Cincinnati Reds two years ago, Deborah did too. She always enjoyed sports, but it was a special bond with Henry that turned her into the Reds No. 1 fan. Going to see a Reds game with her grandsons was high on her bucket list.

A social worker on Deborah’s care team, along with the help of a generous donor to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, made sure her bucket list item became a reality. On June 19, Deborah, her daughter, Jeanette Stidham, and Jeannette’s two sons, Henry, 8, and Will, 7, took in a game at Great American Ball Park where the Reds defeated the Astros in the bottom of the 9th inning.

While Will was most excited about the all-you-can-eat ice cream in the Club Level Lounge, Henry and Deborah’s eyes were glued on the field, sharing player stats, discussing the manager’s tactics and savoring the moment together on a sunny summer afternoon.

Deborah turned to care from Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton after deciding to stop chemotherapy treatments, though she hasn’t lost any of her fight. The doctors and support staff see that spark in Deborah and have worked with her to adjust her medications, giving her more energy and peace
of mind. 

The change in her has been noticeable to her loved ones, especially her daughter Jeanette. “Prior to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, Mom would have never been able to make it out to see a Reds game,” she said. “She wants to get out there and enjoy herself. Now she’s asking to go to Kings Island with the kids!”

If that’s on her list, it is the pleasure of the staff of Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton to try to make it happen. Because of generous donations from donors, our staff is able to go above and beyond and check items off of our patients’ bucket lists. 

We had no part in making the Reds win that special day, but we did help take Deborah out to the ball game!