The American Cancer Society will be leaping into its fourteenth year of Dancing with Our Stars, on February 29th. The event will be held at the Paducah McCracken County Convention Center. Community Development Manager with ACS, Janel Tate, tells the highest amount raised for the event was three years ago when Jay Smith pulled in $71,300.00. Two of this year’s competitors, attorney Eric Straub and Dr. Allison Rains hope to surpass that amount.
Both participants have raised over $50,000.00 so far, and each of them have personal motivation for reaching their goal. And, unlike the television show, winning the DWOS competition is not judged by the better of dancers. The winner is based on the one who raises the most money for this great cause.
Eric Straub was approached by dancer Kelly Davis last year, asking if he would participate. It was only one month after his mother Kristine’s passing from the disease and just too soon, but Eric told her to keep him in mind.
Kristine was diagnosed three days before Eric was to take his Bar exam. “In just one weekend, Mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with a year to live,” Eric says. After his personal experience of the devastation and the destruction this disease had on his family, Eric wanted to honor his mom by raising money and competing in the DWOS event.
“In raising money,” Eric says, “we are helping extend the life of those fighting and to have better quality of life. My mom was able to receive treatment that added a few more months to her life.”
An avid golfer, Eric was grateful that his mom was able to see him play in the 2018 Club Championship at the Country Club of Paducah. Kristine passed away one month later. “She would not have been with us, had it not been for the clinical trial drugs she was given,” Eric says. He and his wife named their new daughter “Emilia Kristine”.
“People don’t realize the toll it takes on a family,” Eric states, “my dad was the most amazing husband supporting her and my brother had to move from Lexington to help take care of her.” This is why Eric is passionate about raising money for ACS. It isn’t just to further research, it helps the patients and their families have more time together.
“Cancer is unfair, and it’s cruel,” Eric says, “and I want to show people, ‘you’re not alone’ and we have to keep moving forward.”
When Allison first heard of the competition, it was through her mother in-law who knew she liked dancing and told her about this event, but Allison was living in Lexington. Allison never took dancing but she loved dancing at every wedding or event she attended (and even dances in her bathroom).
Allison and her husband Martin moved to Paducah and one the first friends she made was Ella O’Bryan. Ella was the mother of a four-year-old and of newborn twins when she lost her battle with cancer. Allison had also lost her grandfather Gene Hagan a few years ago, to Melanoma. He passed away just a month after being diagnosed.
“I am dancing in hope that no more children grow up without their mothers,” Allison says, “I’m dancing because I miss my friend and my grandfather and I don’t want even one more person to die from this disease.”
As a physician at Baptist Health, Allison has a window to the devastation for those who suffer, along with their families.
Eric was partnered with dancer Trish Steckenrider of Ampa Performing Arts. “It was fun getting to know her and finding that we both attended Missouri State University, and that she was on the Sugar Bear Dance Team,” Eric says. “At first, I did step on her feet a few times,” he laughs, “and my wife will laugh at me when I try to show her what I learned.”
Allison is partnered with Tressa Harrison, owner of Ampa. They will perform a fusion style dance. When they began practicing and working on timing, Allison paid more attention to the words of the songs. “I realized all this time I had been singing the wrong words to most of these songs,” Allison laughs.
The two duos began practicing in the beginning of January and will be ready to perform on February 29, 2020 at the Paducah Convention Center. To help them raise funds through this event, or to purchase tickets or reserve a table, please visit the website www.acsdwos.org
