Craig Lindvahl Plans to Keep Going in Face of Cancer Diagnosis

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Published on November 16 2015 8:58 pm
Last Updated on November 19 2015 2:02 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

(CRAIG LINDVAHL SHARES HIS SITUATION WITH LOCAL MEDIA WHILE WIFE BETH LOOKS ON)

Video of Craig's announcement is located here on our You Tube Channel

To use the parlance of the sport he loves, baseball, Effingham's Citizen of the Year has been thrown a curve.

Craig Lindvahl announced to the local media Monday evening that he has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Lindvahl, who turns 58 next week, said he had been experiencing pains and thought it might be appendicitis. When a doctor suggested a CT scan, though, a mass on his pancreas was discovered as well as spots on his liver.

Lindvahl asked to talk with media so we could share the information and get your questions answered.

Owing to being "youngish" and in good physical condition, Lindvahl said he has been okayed for the most aggressive type of chemotherapy available. He had a port put in Monday and will begin treatments on Wednesday. As a result, he termed Tuesday "a holiday". The treatments will last from two to four months.

The executive director of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, Lindvahl said he had logged 20,000 miles in the last three months traveling a large part of the nation encouraging the same sense of opportunity for young people that CEO has instilled in Effingham area students. He said this year's Effingham area CEO class got word of his illness on Monday morning.

As to his serving on the Illinois State Board of Education, Lindvahl said State Board officials said to consider himself a member of the Board as long as he wishes.

Lindvahl's life has had such a reach that, without being egotistical about it, he understands that his situation will impact literally thousands of people. He said that he will appreciate communications and pledged that he would read each one, but said "I might not respond right away."

Lindvahl's wife, Beth, who herself is a cancer survivor, was present and, as usual, took care of those gathered, meeting them at the door with a smile.

The Lindvahls are people of faith; they would appreciate your prayers.

The Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, singer, composer and entrepreneur still came back to teaching, though, as he did in the Teutopolis School District for 30 years before CEO came along. He shared, "take a moment today, and call two or three people and say, 'can I tell you something I really like about you?' Just take that moment to do that, and your life will turn from one of too easily focusing on complaints, and things that aren't right, and things that aren't what we want, to a life of 'how can I not be grateful?'"