Hellertown American Legion Rallies Around Commander

Members of Hellertown’s Edward H. Ackerman American Legion Post 397 are rallying around their Commander, Geoffrey Baer, who is battling cancer.

Baer, a Vietnam veteran and Lower Saucon Township resident, was initially diagnosed with kidney cancer a year ago, according to family members.

Although he had surgery to remove a cancerous mass and one of his kidneys, recent tests showed “it had spread to parts of his spine,” Baer’s daughter Kristen Baer Schneider wrote Saturday on the website GoFundMe, where a fundraising campaign to help cover out-of-pocket medical costs has been launched.

Baer is currently hospitalized following surgeries to target the cancerous lesions on his spine and to insert a rod and pins to support his damaged vertebrae.

“A fairly full recovery is expected, but there are a lot of out of pocket medical expenses that they will be struggling with,” Baer Schneider said. “His family and fellow legion friends/family have been a wonderful support, and have set up a donation to help get them through this time by helping to offset the cost.”

In addition to the online fundraiser, a donation jar has been put out at the Legion, 935 Main St., Hellertown.

Less than two weeks ago, Baer led the Legion’s annual Veterans Day ceremony at Union Cemetery of Hellertown.