Beth Chapman has Throat Cancer
I say “Bounty Hunter,” you say “DOG!” Most everyone knows about the famous Hawaiian bail bondsman and his eccentric family of bounty hunters. Duane Chapman and his wife of 11 years, Beth Chapman, are now facing one of the worst trials of their entire life together.
Beth has stage 2 throat cancer. In a letter addressed to her friends, she shared how she was diagnosed and her thoughts on her condition.
Words From Beth Chapman
“I’ve been dealt my share of unexpected blows over the course of my almost fifty years but nothing as serious as the one I heard from my doctors two weeks ago when they uttered those dreaded three words, ‘You have cancer,'” she wrote.
“After months of a nagging cough, a routine checkup resulted in a diagnosis of stage II throat cancer. I have what is referred to as a T2 Tumor in my throat that is blocking my breathing. My doctors are suggesting immediate treatment and surgery before the disease progresses,” she continued.
Despite this illness, she is remaining positive. Many people say that attitude is everything when it comes to beating a cancer diagnosis and surviving, and Beth is moving forward with the same dogged determination that has earned her a place at her husband’s side.
The family’s spokesperson, Mona Wood-Sword, told Hawaii News Now that Beth was scheduled for emergency surgery within the next few days. “…it’s a very scary time for them and their family….they are being strong, praying, and following doctor’s orders.”
Beth Chapman is the president of the National Bail Bonds Associations. She and her husband are lobbyists for the bail bond industry.
“Our industry is under attack,” Beth has said in the past. “There are bail reform movements springing up across the country that would end the cash bail systems. This would be a disaster.”
One of these reform systems, in New Jersey, seems to have experienced great success with their elimination of cash bail. They report fewer failure rearrests and failures to appear, but there is still criticism of how many alleged criminals are able to get out of jail on unsecured bonds after being charged with severe crimes. There has been an increase in failure to appear and people skipping out on their unsecured bonds on their more serious charges, but the overall ratings seem to indicate success with the bail system reforms.
More Than One Argument to be Made
There are many other arguments that could be made on this topic, but the end result would still be the same there is no true consensus on what exact reforms work, because every area that has tried has done it with variation. In other words, there is no control group by which we can gauge the relative merits or disadvantages of any one system. While many would agree that something should be done to fix the system, until we can agree on the best way to accomplish this across the board, the point seems to be relatively moot.
In any case, our thoughts and prayers are with Beth Chapman and the entire family, during this time of need. We hope she will make a full recovery, and continue to be an advocate for the bail industry and those who need her help and her husband’s.