Woodbury resident Glen Moon has cancer.

Talking to him, you’d never know it.

It’s Moon’s sense of humor and positive attitude that has helped him cope since he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in September 2011. He’s undergone chemotherapy, radiation treatment and failed surgeries.

“I’m at peace with it,” Moon said. “You can cry or you can laugh. I choose to laugh.”

When one of Moon’s surgeries didn’t go as expected, he asked the doctor for a refund. “He laughed at that one,” he said.

Moon, 50, is known in Woodbury as an ardent supporter of youth sports, and coached his three children as they made their way through local programs.

“To this day, he goes to his players’ younger siblings’ games,” said friend John Wallgren. “He’s certainly someone that you’ll see at all sports, all fields.”

After a Patch interview on Tuesday, Moon was headed to a JV baseball game at Woodbury High School.

“He’s a terrific guy,” Wallgren said.

A benefit to help the family with medical bills is scheduled for 1-5 p.m. on May 19 at Woody’s Roadhouse (the old Throwbacks). Admission is $20 for adults (14 and older) and $10 for kids. Tickets can be ordered online at www.BrownPaperTickets.com—search for Moon Blast. There will be food, live music, a silent auction and cash bar.

“I’m OK with people wanting to help me out,” Moon said. “It’s not a cheap little disease.”

Having grown up in Albert Lea, Moon said seeing the community come together on his behalf is “very cool.”

“It makes Woodbury more of a community to me, to know that it is like every little town across the country,” he said.

Depending on the day and his treatment schedule, Moon’s condition varies. He was feeling good earlier this week.

“Then they’ll zap me again Friday and it starts all over again,” Moon said.

He’s open in talking about his cancer, which didn’t come about because of smoking or diet or some other factor. “I was susceptible,” he said.

The outlook for his recovery is unclear at this point.

“It’s all guesswork,” he said.

Moon said plenty of people want to treat him with “kid gloves” because of his cancer.

“Then I’ll throw out a joke about dying,” he said. “You’ve still got to have fun.”

For more information about the benefit contact Jamie Hegna at 612-308-1979 or Wallgren 651-485-2202. You can also visit his CaringBridge site.

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