When Peter arrived in Beijing,....he wore a hat. He did not wish to remove his hat. Peter wore that hat to cover up one of the most conspicuous symptoms that comes with chemotherapy: hair loss. Less conspicuous was his constant nausea.
    In the spring of 2007, Peter was 60 years old, not yet retired, and living an active life as a business manager in the United States. When diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and liver metastasis, Peter wanted to do something more than just the routine surgery and chemotherapy offered in the United States. By coming to Beijing, he did exactly that, getting every treatment available.

   
“Where are we going to get her so much juice?” Joop asked me?     

“I’m not really sure, either, but I can go with you to find some.” That is how I joined Joop (pronounced "yope") on a search for 100% juice at the local grocery stores within walking distance of the hospital; not at all an easy feat.      

I got to know Joop one day when I found him in our internet lounge, trying (despite China’s sometimes painfully slow internet) to stay in touch with his family and friends, and to update the blog that he keeps on behalf of his wife. To be sure, Joop was a big man, with a big smile, and an even bigger love for his wife Marie. The trip for juice came when Joop learned that Marie's allergy to the needles hydrating her body. As a substitute, Marie needed fresh and healthy fruit juice....lots of it.