Then & Now, or How-It-Was Testimonials
Note from Kim
It is now January, 2016. As we associate with new friends, and PALS all around the country, they see me as relatively healthy, and enjoying life. Those familiar with ALS and its devistating effects can hardly believe I was ever on the verge of an early demise from the disease. I have been asked if I have video evidence of my deteriorating condition in late 2011. At that time, I had not even considered being on the mission Kay and I are now, the mission to help others battling ALS. Our whole energy then was just trying to find ways to stop my down hill slide, and then to somehow climb back up..
A couple years ago, I asked a few friends/associates that knew me and associated with me during those terrifying early months after my diagnosis, to write testimonials as to their recollections of my condition then. This is in no way an attempt to make me appear to be anything better than what I am. But these people saw and knew me even before I had developed my own HOPE. These are good people and good friends. I will provide contact information to any who wish to contact them.
January 2014 Kevan Wheelock has been a close personal friend, as well as a business associate for many years. He owns and operates Star Crane, a Crane and Rigging Company in Star, Idaho.
Kevan Wheelock:
I have been friends with Kim Cherry for 20 years. I have seen him build a business from one employee (himself) to 15-20 employees. He also has been involved in our local cub scouts for that whole time. He has helped many young boys who are now fathers with their own families. He has had great success in the world. He is a very hard worker and driven to win in life. I know he wants to help people to have hope! He will never quit trying to improve!
I remember coming out of a church meeting that we attended early October 2011. Kim was out of breath and leaning on a tree to steady himself. We had not walked any farther than maybe 150 feet. I visited with him as someone brought a car to take him home. I had never seen him so exhausted. I remember thinking not sure exactly what was going on but I knew it was not good for Kim. It was probably a month later when I remember getting the phone call from Kim letting me know he had been diagnosed with ALS.
I immediately put all the pieces that I knew together. Major changes were going to take place in a short time. He started looking for other options. Kim doesn't like the notion “you cannot change this!” He is built to win.
I remember going to dinner (sometime early the next spring). He and Kay took my wife and I to Lindy's (a favorite restaurant in Boise, ID). We had a great dinner and talked about old times and the changes Kim had made in his diet. There was improvement from October, not major but improvement. They continued to work on their business sale and bought a Motorhome. (In the fall of 2012) they were off for warmer climates and lower elevations. I remember wondering if I would see him walking or talking when I saw Kim next.
They came home (May 2013) and I know that the changes he has made have blessed his life. Not only is he walking and talking, but he is working, sharing, and teaching what he and Kay have learned, and golfing 18 holes (which he loves ). Kim is no stranger to hard work and I know my friend is just a great man trying to help those around him whom he considers his brothers and sisters. He has no other motive but to share HOPE and Faith in the benefits of living a full life.
Kim Cherry is my friend and I trust him completely. I know him to be a man of Honor and to stand tall among men. He has and I know will continue to share the message of hope and NEVER give up for it is not in his nature.
May we all take some of the lessons and skills Kim and Kay Cherry have.
Sincerely,
Kevan Wheelock
Star, Idaho
_______________________________________________________________
January 2014 Kelly Shaw is a Commercial Business Broker and owner of Bristol Group, Boise, Idaho. I contacted Kelly in about September of 2011 to help me find a buyer for my business. I had suspected for several months that I had ALS, and even mentioned it to another close friend, who rightfully chastised me for my “self-diagnosis”. But I felt I was losing it, even before the diagnosis in November, 2011, and knew I had to let the business go.
Kelly Shaw:
I met Kim in the fall of 2011. We had the opportunity to interact almost on a daily basis. When I initially met Kim, he was mobile and could walk and drive but had some trouble with his balance. Over the course of the next 6 months, I watched as Kim deteriorated significantly. At one point he was unable to walk up a flight of stairs without stopping two or three times to catch his breath and his balance. Even after the slightest exertion he would cough and couldn't catch his breath. There were a number of times when I had a hard time understanding him because his voice would get so weak and rasping that is was difficult to understand. He was unable to stand or walk without holding on to something or someone to gain his balance before he could move his legs. I would see him in the mornings and he would tell me he was only able to sleep for a few hours the night before and he was up the whole night struggling for breath. I was concerned that he would not live long enough for us to finish our business project we had started together, and I had suggested to his wife that they make plans in the event she needed to help finish the business project (without Kim’s involvement).
Shortly thereafter Kim and his wife Kay began to pursue alternative medicinal methods for treating his condition. It was (a few months) later that I began to notice improvement. It wasn't immediate but it was certainly obvious as he gradually began to improve. His voice was the first to recover. Then I noticed he started to put some weight back on and his strength improved, and he could do the stairs without a problem. Before long the balance improved and he was walking with confidence.
I visited with him in the fall of 2013 (about a year after our last contact) and I couldn't believe what I saw. He was stronger and more healthy looking than at any other time I had ever visited with him. It has been amazing to watch the improvement and see him enjoy life again. It is nothing short of amazing to watch him now and see the recovery.
Kelly Shaw
Boise, Idaho
________________________________________________________________
January 2014 - Kerry Stimpson is a design and sales engineer that I hired for my Extendo Bed business in 2002. He was my right hand man, and continued to work for Extendo Bed Company after the business sold in June of 2012.
Kerry:
I started working for Kim Cherry at his company, Extendo Bed, Inc., in 2002. We worked side by side on a daily basis.
Kim started having severe medical issues in the summer of 2010. It was first diagnosed as a heart condition, for which he underwent open heart surgery in December of 2010. We thought things would be better after the surgery, but the improvement was only a slight for a short period of time.
Before his ALS Diagnosis in November of 2011, we all knew he had serious problems. He had trouble climbing the stairs to our offices, which were located in a mezzanine area above the manufacturing facilities of his business.
After the diagnosis, Kim continued working just as before, but it was obvious to me, as well as all the employees, that it was a struggle, and his health was continuing to deteriorate. I remember clearly - he would come to work, and start up the single flight of stairs to the offices. He would stop midway, rest, then continue to the top, which was right by my desk. He would stop and hold on to the cubicle wall or the file cabinet right by the door, until he could get enough breath to continuing another 50 foot down to his office. He seemed to be barely getting any air, and was losing his ability to talk. He would have me go down to the manufacturing area of the shop to check on things that he would normally do.
When Kim told us about his diagnosis, he said the doctors had given him a very limited amount of time to live, and Kim knew that he was going to have to sell Extendo Bed Company. But we also knew that Kim and his wife, Kay, had decided to seek alternative medical treatments to fight his disease.
The first few months after the diagnosis were not good. But in the spring of 2012, a few months after Kim had made some drastic changes in his diet, supplement and vitamin use, and other unorthodox holistic medical treatments, we started seeing significant improvement. Kim even started playing golf again in the summer of 2012. Though the sale of the business went through, and I started seeing much less of him, when he returned from wintering in Texas in the winter of 2012 & 2013, we saw a remarkable change. He was now often walking the golf course, sometimes for a full 18 holes. He could talk and climb the stairs. He looked very nearly like he did before any of these symptoms started.
I can’t believe the progress Kim has made. He wasn’t supposed to be here by now. Kim and Kay have been very smart in their approach to better health, and it is paying off big time. I am expecting him to be around for a long time. I admire him/them for not giving up, which many people do.
Kerry Stimpson
Boise, Idaho
______________________________________________________________
January 2014 - Dr Ann Huycke is a medical doctor in Boise, Idaho, and operates Metta Health Care. Dr Huycke served many years in the emergency ward of a Boise hospital. She also incorporates naturopathic and holistic medicines in her practice. She has treated my wife, Kay, as Kay has continued to stay ahead of her battle with breast cancer. I first visited Dr. Huycke in her Clinic in late winter of 2012.
Dr. Ann Huycke:
I have known Mr. Kim Cherry about 2 years. He is a patient in my Family Practice clinic. When I met Kim, (~ March, 2012) he was having difficulty speaking, breathing, swallowing and walking. A Boise neurologist made the diagnosis of ALS (a few) months before I met Kim. His physical exam in my office was consistent with ALS.
He invited me to his house, because he was installing a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and incorporating ozone therapies. I didn’t know about this area of medicine. Mr. Cherry had gone to visit (some naturopathic doctors) in the eastern US. He came back from there feeling stronger. Kim learned how to reproduce the therapies in his home.
Over the next several months, I was amazed to see Kim’s improvements. His severe shortness of breath had abated and he was becoming more physically active. He was able to swallow better, and was able to improve his nutrition. His new energy made his walking problems (less) noticeable.
I have been so impressed that I have studied and now incorporate in my practice the therapies that have helped Kim.
Patients with ALS need to listen to Kim! He’s had the courage to not accept his diagnosis. When I first met Kim, I didn’t think he had over 2 years to live. When I last saw Kim, his ALS seems a very minor problem to a very active man.
Please note what you don’t see on Kim’s website. He is not trying to sell you anything. He is merely disseminating information and hope.
Dr. Ann Huycke
Boise Idaho
Note from Kim
It is now January, 2016. As we associate with new friends, and PALS all around the country, they see me as relatively healthy, and enjoying life. Those familiar with ALS and its devistating effects can hardly believe I was ever on the verge of an early demise from the disease. I have been asked if I have video evidence of my deteriorating condition in late 2011. At that time, I had not even considered being on the mission Kay and I are now, the mission to help others battling ALS. Our whole energy then was just trying to find ways to stop my down hill slide, and then to somehow climb back up..
A couple years ago, I asked a few friends/associates that knew me and associated with me during those terrifying early months after my diagnosis, to write testimonials as to their recollections of my condition then. This is in no way an attempt to make me appear to be anything better than what I am. But these people saw and knew me even before I had developed my own HOPE. These are good people and good friends. I will provide contact information to any who wish to contact them.
January 2014 Kevan Wheelock has been a close personal friend, as well as a business associate for many years. He owns and operates Star Crane, a Crane and Rigging Company in Star, Idaho.
Kevan Wheelock:
I have been friends with Kim Cherry for 20 years. I have seen him build a business from one employee (himself) to 15-20 employees. He also has been involved in our local cub scouts for that whole time. He has helped many young boys who are now fathers with their own families. He has had great success in the world. He is a very hard worker and driven to win in life. I know he wants to help people to have hope! He will never quit trying to improve!
I remember coming out of a church meeting that we attended early October 2011. Kim was out of breath and leaning on a tree to steady himself. We had not walked any farther than maybe 150 feet. I visited with him as someone brought a car to take him home. I had never seen him so exhausted. I remember thinking not sure exactly what was going on but I knew it was not good for Kim. It was probably a month later when I remember getting the phone call from Kim letting me know he had been diagnosed with ALS.
I immediately put all the pieces that I knew together. Major changes were going to take place in a short time. He started looking for other options. Kim doesn't like the notion “you cannot change this!” He is built to win.
I remember going to dinner (sometime early the next spring). He and Kay took my wife and I to Lindy's (a favorite restaurant in Boise, ID). We had a great dinner and talked about old times and the changes Kim had made in his diet. There was improvement from October, not major but improvement. They continued to work on their business sale and bought a Motorhome. (In the fall of 2012) they were off for warmer climates and lower elevations. I remember wondering if I would see him walking or talking when I saw Kim next.
They came home (May 2013) and I know that the changes he has made have blessed his life. Not only is he walking and talking, but he is working, sharing, and teaching what he and Kay have learned, and golfing 18 holes (which he loves ). Kim is no stranger to hard work and I know my friend is just a great man trying to help those around him whom he considers his brothers and sisters. He has no other motive but to share HOPE and Faith in the benefits of living a full life.
Kim Cherry is my friend and I trust him completely. I know him to be a man of Honor and to stand tall among men. He has and I know will continue to share the message of hope and NEVER give up for it is not in his nature.
May we all take some of the lessons and skills Kim and Kay Cherry have.
Sincerely,
Kevan Wheelock
Star, Idaho
_______________________________________________________________
January 2014 Kelly Shaw is a Commercial Business Broker and owner of Bristol Group, Boise, Idaho. I contacted Kelly in about September of 2011 to help me find a buyer for my business. I had suspected for several months that I had ALS, and even mentioned it to another close friend, who rightfully chastised me for my “self-diagnosis”. But I felt I was losing it, even before the diagnosis in November, 2011, and knew I had to let the business go.
Kelly Shaw:
I met Kim in the fall of 2011. We had the opportunity to interact almost on a daily basis. When I initially met Kim, he was mobile and could walk and drive but had some trouble with his balance. Over the course of the next 6 months, I watched as Kim deteriorated significantly. At one point he was unable to walk up a flight of stairs without stopping two or three times to catch his breath and his balance. Even after the slightest exertion he would cough and couldn't catch his breath. There were a number of times when I had a hard time understanding him because his voice would get so weak and rasping that is was difficult to understand. He was unable to stand or walk without holding on to something or someone to gain his balance before he could move his legs. I would see him in the mornings and he would tell me he was only able to sleep for a few hours the night before and he was up the whole night struggling for breath. I was concerned that he would not live long enough for us to finish our business project we had started together, and I had suggested to his wife that they make plans in the event she needed to help finish the business project (without Kim’s involvement).
Shortly thereafter Kim and his wife Kay began to pursue alternative medicinal methods for treating his condition. It was (a few months) later that I began to notice improvement. It wasn't immediate but it was certainly obvious as he gradually began to improve. His voice was the first to recover. Then I noticed he started to put some weight back on and his strength improved, and he could do the stairs without a problem. Before long the balance improved and he was walking with confidence.
I visited with him in the fall of 2013 (about a year after our last contact) and I couldn't believe what I saw. He was stronger and more healthy looking than at any other time I had ever visited with him. It has been amazing to watch the improvement and see him enjoy life again. It is nothing short of amazing to watch him now and see the recovery.
Kelly Shaw
Boise, Idaho
________________________________________________________________
January 2014 - Kerry Stimpson is a design and sales engineer that I hired for my Extendo Bed business in 2002. He was my right hand man, and continued to work for Extendo Bed Company after the business sold in June of 2012.
Kerry:
I started working for Kim Cherry at his company, Extendo Bed, Inc., in 2002. We worked side by side on a daily basis.
Kim started having severe medical issues in the summer of 2010. It was first diagnosed as a heart condition, for which he underwent open heart surgery in December of 2010. We thought things would be better after the surgery, but the improvement was only a slight for a short period of time.
Before his ALS Diagnosis in November of 2011, we all knew he had serious problems. He had trouble climbing the stairs to our offices, which were located in a mezzanine area above the manufacturing facilities of his business.
After the diagnosis, Kim continued working just as before, but it was obvious to me, as well as all the employees, that it was a struggle, and his health was continuing to deteriorate. I remember clearly - he would come to work, and start up the single flight of stairs to the offices. He would stop midway, rest, then continue to the top, which was right by my desk. He would stop and hold on to the cubicle wall or the file cabinet right by the door, until he could get enough breath to continuing another 50 foot down to his office. He seemed to be barely getting any air, and was losing his ability to talk. He would have me go down to the manufacturing area of the shop to check on things that he would normally do.
When Kim told us about his diagnosis, he said the doctors had given him a very limited amount of time to live, and Kim knew that he was going to have to sell Extendo Bed Company. But we also knew that Kim and his wife, Kay, had decided to seek alternative medical treatments to fight his disease.
The first few months after the diagnosis were not good. But in the spring of 2012, a few months after Kim had made some drastic changes in his diet, supplement and vitamin use, and other unorthodox holistic medical treatments, we started seeing significant improvement. Kim even started playing golf again in the summer of 2012. Though the sale of the business went through, and I started seeing much less of him, when he returned from wintering in Texas in the winter of 2012 & 2013, we saw a remarkable change. He was now often walking the golf course, sometimes for a full 18 holes. He could talk and climb the stairs. He looked very nearly like he did before any of these symptoms started.
I can’t believe the progress Kim has made. He wasn’t supposed to be here by now. Kim and Kay have been very smart in their approach to better health, and it is paying off big time. I am expecting him to be around for a long time. I admire him/them for not giving up, which many people do.
Kerry Stimpson
Boise, Idaho
______________________________________________________________
January 2014 - Dr Ann Huycke is a medical doctor in Boise, Idaho, and operates Metta Health Care. Dr Huycke served many years in the emergency ward of a Boise hospital. She also incorporates naturopathic and holistic medicines in her practice. She has treated my wife, Kay, as Kay has continued to stay ahead of her battle with breast cancer. I first visited Dr. Huycke in her Clinic in late winter of 2012.
Dr. Ann Huycke:
I have known Mr. Kim Cherry about 2 years. He is a patient in my Family Practice clinic. When I met Kim, (~ March, 2012) he was having difficulty speaking, breathing, swallowing and walking. A Boise neurologist made the diagnosis of ALS (a few) months before I met Kim. His physical exam in my office was consistent with ALS.
He invited me to his house, because he was installing a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and incorporating ozone therapies. I didn’t know about this area of medicine. Mr. Cherry had gone to visit (some naturopathic doctors) in the eastern US. He came back from there feeling stronger. Kim learned how to reproduce the therapies in his home.
Over the next several months, I was amazed to see Kim’s improvements. His severe shortness of breath had abated and he was becoming more physically active. He was able to swallow better, and was able to improve his nutrition. His new energy made his walking problems (less) noticeable.
I have been so impressed that I have studied and now incorporate in my practice the therapies that have helped Kim.
Patients with ALS need to listen to Kim! He’s had the courage to not accept his diagnosis. When I first met Kim, I didn’t think he had over 2 years to live. When I last saw Kim, his ALS seems a very minor problem to a very active man.
Please note what you don’t see on Kim’s website. He is not trying to sell you anything. He is merely disseminating information and hope.
Dr. Ann Huycke
Boise Idaho