During his life, Wesley Andrew “W.A.” Dingler’s generosity made a positive impact on those who knew him. Today, countless Tanner cancer patients who will never know the Carrollton veteran are benefitting from his belief in helping others.
“He would do whatever he could,” said his son, Tim Dingler. “He’d give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it.”
An employee at Southwire for 20 years, Dingler was known for offering help whenever he saw a need. After proudly serving his country in the U.S. Army military police during the Vietnam era, Dingler made regular contributions to organizations including the Wounded Warriors Project and St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
So, it came as no surprise when Dingler told his son and “daughter-in-law,” Sheila Richie, that he wanted to help others by donating some of his belongings after he was gone. Specifically, he wanted his car, a pristine blue 2013 Nissan Rogue, to help local cancer patients.
“He wanted to make sure that it was used for someone who needed treatment, but who didn’t have a way of getting to appointments and couldn’t afford to pay for help,” explained Richie, who helped carry out his wishes. “He wanted to make sure they could get their treatments.”
What did surprise the couple was that he wanted to honor his late ex-wife, Pat Dingler Driver, with his donation. She died from breast cancer nearly eight years earlier in 2010.
“My mom actually passed away on my dad’s birthday,” Tim Dingler explained. “That was devastating for him. It kind of struck home with him. I think that had a lot to do with the donation.”
Dingler Driver was living in Pensacola, Florida, when she received her cancer diagnosis but her many friends in Carrollton followed her journey, praying for her recovery. Yet after several years, her battle was lost.
“She was kind, sweet, and would do anything for anybody. Just like Wesley,” Richie said. “This donation will make a difference in the lives of so many people it is really a fitting tribute to her.”
The donation will help patients throughout the region overcome one of the largest hurdles to receiving care: transportation.
“Unfortunately, for many patients, reliable transportation is a serious barrier to receiving the cancer treatment that is urgently needed,” said Randall Pierce, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist with Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers and a member of the patient care team at Tanner Cancer Care. “Getting to and from appointments is a patient need that is not always visible to others. It’s wonderful to have community members show their support in this way.”
Radiation treatments for cancer patients can take days or weeks to complete, and chemotherapy for breast cancer patients can be months. For those without a support system to help and who cannot afford transportation, trying to keep medical appointments is a struggle.
In 2012, Tanner Foundation launched a fund to assist Tanner Cancer Care patients who needed transportation assistance. A special gift two years later helped ensure the program could continue.
Jim Weaver donated a minivan outfitted to accommodate a wheelchair that he had purchased for his late wife, Sandy. When she passed away from breast cancer in 2014, he donated the van to Tanner Foundation to help local cancer patients. Since then, the van has made thousands of trips, bringing Tanner cancer patients to and from treatment and medical appointments
Having helped Wesley Dingler throughout his illness, Tim Dingler and Richie also know the toll it can take to care for a loved one, especially someone in need of regular treatment and medical appointments. They offer words of encouragement to make it through those difficult times, as well as encouragement to give to others.
“Be strong. Have faith. And know that God is going to take care of you,” said Richie.
“Thanks to this tremendous gift from the Dingler family, and the support from everyone who has donated to Tanner’s Cancer Patient Assistance Fund, many local cancer patients have had reliable transportation for their medical appointments,” said Brian Dill, executive director for Tanner Foundation. “This simply wouldn’t be possible without community support.”
“It is an incredible gift, and we are very grateful to Wesley Dingler and the Dingler family” said Shellie A. Sherrod, director of oncology services for Tanner Health System. “This beautiful vehicle sends a powerful message to our patients that others are thinking about them and they are not alone as they work toward recovery.”
“I’m really excited about the donation, and I know he would be too,” said Richie. “He’d be glad to know that his donation will help not just one family, but lots of families. It just shows what a loving man he was and how he thought of others.”
“Who knows how many lives it may save?” added Tim.
Donations to Tanner Foundation’s Cancer Patient Assistance Fund are gratefully accepted at 770.812.GIFT (4438) or by secure online donation at www.TannerMedicalFoundation.org.
Captions:
[Top photo] The family of Wesley Dingler (center), Tim Dingler, Sheila Richie, Callie and Ryann Jordan, donated a 2013 Nissan Rogue, to help Tanner cancer patients who cannot otherwise afford or arrange transportation for medical appointments. The car, from the estate of Wesley Dingler, was received by (from left) Brian Dill, executive director of Tanner Foundation; Brad Larson, MD; (second from right) Randall Pierce, MD, and Shellie A. Sherrod, director of oncology services for Tanner Health System.
[Bottom photo] Local veteran Wesley Dingler (center), left a 2013 Nissan Rogue to Tanner Foundation in his will to help local cancer patients reach medical appointments. Dingler’s family (back), Sheila Richie and Tim Dingler presented the car to Tanner in August. “He wanted to make sure that it was used for someone that needed treatment, that didn’t have a way of getting to appointments, and couldn’t afford to pay for help,” said Richie.