Manchester Police officer receives ‘substantial’ gift to help with cancer treatment expenses

ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KMOV) -- A 15-year veteran of the Manchester Police Department is facing her greatest challenge. Sgt. Meredith Absolon is battling stage three breast cancer.

“I am going to win this fight. That’s no doubt. Never in the back of my head did I think I’ll lose it,” Absolon said inside Manchester City Chambers Wednesday.

There is no other option for Absolon than to fight. But this isn’t for her community, it’s for herself and her family.

“It’s hard,” Absolon explained. “I have very good days and very bad days. Chemo takes it out on you physically and emotionally but I’m stronger than that.”

Last April, the mother of two’s mammogram revealed she had stage three breast cancer. It was a fluke because she only went to be screened because of an offer from her insurance.

“It’s not in my family at all,” Absolon shared. “Never had someone in my family have cancer. This was definitely an eye-opener.”

Despite her diagnosis and the changes in her health, Absolon has not stopped reporting for duty.

“The fact that she is with us and still reaching out to the community is truly amazing, how she goes out and still wants to help these folks,” Manchester Police Chief Scott Will said.

A sign of her resilience and comment to her community is evident to officers from other departments like Ballwin’s Lt. Robert Wetzel.

“She’s tough,” Wetzel shared. “I wouldn’t want to make her mad. She’s a good police officer, and more importantly a really good person.”

“That’s why we are here today,” St. Louis native Jim Schubert said.

Absolon’s fight got a big boost thanks to the Gary Sinise Foundation, the actor’s group that helps veterans and first responders.

“We know how she has saved lives,” Schubert said.

Schubert, is on the board for the Gary Sinise Foundation, serving as treasurer. He shared at a surprise gathering for Sgt. Absolon that the foundation, through its Hope Program, is covering her expenses as she continues treatment.

“This is something she’s not comfortable with,” Chief Will shared. “She wants to be the giver, not the receiver.”

There is a fundraiser scheduled to support Absolon this weekend. Check out the tweet from the City of Manchester below for more information.

“I can’t even start to say thank you. The community, friends, family of friends, businesses, people out of the woodwork listening to me talk, it has helped me through this whole process,” Absolon said.

There is a GoFundMe for Absolon to help cover the extraordinary costs of her cancer battle.

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