WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderWoman battling breast cancer gets unexpected help from stranger

Woman battling breast cancer gets unexpected help from stranger

By Samantha Ptashkin

ROCKFORD (WREX)- As the holiday season kicks in to full gear, a lot of people will donate money, or volunteer their time to help others. But the giving spirit doesn't just have to happen during the holidays.

The story of Sandi Johnson and Delana Ballard is more than two years in the making.

Johnson is the Harlem School Board President. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2007. Johnson began telling her story on a website a couple of years ago and now one of her readers wants to make sure that story has a happy ending.

Ballard owns Bermuda Tan Salon and Boutique at 2651 20th Street. She started reading Johnson's online blog. The story touched her so much that now she's raising money for Johnson by raffling off gifts at her store and donating part of the proceeds to the Johnson Family. "I'm doing this because I've had a hardship with my son and I had a lot of people make donations to me, so I'm trying to give back to someone who I followed for three years now," Ballard said. "I'm just trying to give something back to her."

"I'm really speechless. I'm sorry. I'm really speechless right now," Johnson said as she talked about Ballard's generosity.

Johnson said it's the kindness from people like Ballard that gets her through each day. "I don't know what I'd do without people like Ballard and the many other friends I've met along this journey," Johnson said.

The raffle runs from 8 a.m.  to 5 p.m. November 28 at Bermuda Tan Salon and Boutique.

If you'd like to learn more about Johnson visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/sandijohnson.