Inspirational Family announced
CRANBERRY TWP — The news of the Cranberry CUP selecting Paul Bliss and his family as its 2017 Inspirational Family came at just the right time.
“It was definitely unexpected. It's great. They've just done so much for us,” Bliss said. “If we hadn't found out about them, things would've been really bad for us right now.”
Bliss, of Cranberry, is battling liver cancer just three years after first being diagnosed with cancer in his eye and brain lining.
His family of six was selected to be the Cranberry CUP's Inspirational Family for the year. Since 2000, the Cranberry CUP, which stands for Community Uniting People, has raised more than $1.7 million for local residents experiencing financial distress due to medical or other hardships.
What began as a friendly neighborhood softball tournament grew into a weekend of different fundraising events, including a golf tournament and 5K run/walk, said Anthony Bertolino, Cranberry Cup president.
The Golf Classic will start things off at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 4. A Kickoff Party to introduce the Bliss Family will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 4 at the Cranberry Highlands Golf Course.
The Cranberry CUP 5K Run and Walk will start at 8 a.m. Aug. 5 at Graham Park. Softball games for the tournament will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday and finish up Sunday with the championship games around 5 p.m. There are 18 neighborhood teams and 19 open division teams registered for the event, Bertolino said.
Bertolino said they typically raise more than $100,000 each year through the weekend's events. Proceeds from the weekend and other events the CUP hosts throughout the year will benefit the Bliss family and the Cranberry CUP's other families in need.
Bliss said a neighbor told him about the Cranberry CUP's mission, and he decided to apply. The Inspirational Family must be from within the Seneca Valley School District.
Bliss was first diagnosed with cancer in 2014, when a tumor behind his eye turned out to be malignant. He had tumors removed from behind that eye three times beginning in 2008, but they were benign each time.
When the doctor removed his right eye, he found there was also cancer in the lining of the brain.
After a reconstructive surgery and radiation, Bliss was free of cancer. He had to get regular scans on his head and a yearly full body scan to ensure the cancer had not reappeared. He was in the clear until last summer when they found a cancerous mass on his liver.
He underwent chemotherapy and recently began a new type of treatment that directly targets the blood vessels that feed the tumor. Bliss said the new procedure has been working well so far, turning the masses into cysts, which means the tumors are dying.
“They're a great Cranberry family that is in need of some help,” Bertolino said of the Bliss family. “They're very outgoing, very nice people. They're invested in the neighborhood.”
Bliss and his wife Jennifer have four children, Caitlin, 17, Shawn, 16, Natalie, 12, and Carter, 10. Paul Bliss said they try to be honest and upfront with their children about his health issues.
Keeping things out in the open and keeping them informed helps them to appreciate everyday moments and each other's company even more. Things have taken on a deeper meaning, Bliss said.
“To me, I feel like these are opportunities to provide life lessons, like just putting your phone down and talking to the people in the room with you,” Bliss said. “Every day is a great day to me because I'm alive.”
For more information on the Cranberry CUP, visit www.cranberrycup.org.
