Friends, neighbors harvest fields of rural Dows farmer battling brain cancer

Brian Butt this month has seen first hand the strength of rural communities when a neighbor is in need.

Brian’s brother, Jerry, who is a farmer in rural Dows, was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, an aggressive, fast-growing terminal brain tumor, on Sept. 17. The diagnosis came after the discovery of a tumor on the left side of Jerry’s brain on Sept. 9 and six hours of surgery on Sept. 15 to remove the tumor.

Jerry, 54, is currently at Brio of Johnston, in Johnston, Iowa, undergoing physical, occupational and speech therapy and will begin chemotherapy and radiation soon.