UAHuntsville Donates $12,000 in Memory of Paul Salmon

THETA PI (Alabama-Huntsville) — This week, a group of fraternity brothers from UAHuntsville made a special donation to the Clearview Cancer Institute.

The group paid for something that will give cancer patients a “big warm hug” in memory of a senior at UAHuntsville who lost his cancer battle in 2007.

The check presentation on Wednesday made for a warm moment for the brothers of Alpha Tau Omega.

“Paul Salmon, a member of the fraternity passed away from leukemia,” said James Parkes, who presented the check to the center.

It also warmed the heart of Paul Salmon’s mother, Nancy, who watched.

“Just so nice to know that his memory lives,” she said tearfully.

This year, Paul’s fraternity brothers held three philanthropic fundraisers.

“We do a basketball dribble in the winter, we do a battle of the buffalo, which is a wings festival in the spring and then we also do a car show, which is in the fall,” said Parkes.

The fraternity raised more than $12,000 and then donated it, in Paul’s honor and memory, to purchase a blanket warmer.

“We figured that this was something that Paul would want us to do,” said Parkes.

It’s for the infusion area, where people undergo chemotherapy.

Nancy Salmon says the blanket warmer will provide a “big warm hug” to people who are seeing their darkest, coldest hours. She knows, firsthand.

“Last year, I actually battled cancer,” said Nancy Salmon. “So I sat back in that infusion area and took chemotherapy and I totally understand the significance of a nice warm blanket. It’s a scary, just a really nerve-wrecking horrific experience, honestly, and just to have a nice warm blanket. It is so comforting.”

She says Paul didn’t have that when he battled leukemia for 370 days.

“So that’s why this blanket warmer means a lot to us as his family,” said Nancy Salmon. “And I know it will mean a lot to the patients in this facility.”

Paul Salmon was a computer engineering student, and very close to graduation. His mother said he was studying up to four days before he died on March 1, 2007, at age 24.