Early Beginnings: The Story Behind the Book

When the Walsh family returned home from St. Jude in January 2012, Tom resumed his work as an elementary principal in Sapulpa. One day a group of teachers approached Tom and suggested he compile his Caring Bridge posts and write a book detailing the family’s journey with cancer. At the time, they suggested Tom call the book “Meet Me at the Court,” in reference to Isaac’s love for basketball and the crossroads a cancer diagnosis left behind. However, seven years would pass before Tom picked up a pen to begin the process of writing the book.

Tom Walsh first started discussing a possible book venture with Mrs. Suzanne Shirey (President, Sapulpa Area Chamber of Commerce) in September 2019. The conversation came about due to Tom’s future plans especially in reference to the recent retirement of his wife Dacia. Tom told Suzanne he had aspirations to work for St. Jude in a fundraising capacity and possibly write his son’s cancer story in an effort to spread awareness of pediatric cancer and offer hope to those who had suffered loss from this dreadful disease. Suzanne remarked, “When you write the book, I want the first signed copy!” Tom’s response was “You bet – If I ever get a book published, you will get the first one.” Notwithstanding, it would be in January 2020 when Tom scribbled out what became the first chapter of the book.

Both Tom and Isaac had taken a trip to see family in the Washington DC area during the holidays of 2019. On a Southwest Airlines flight from Dulles International Airport to Memphis, Tennessee Tom took out some scratch paper and began writing about a time when he went back to his childhood home in Concordia, Kansas. Tom recalled the emotions he felt nearly seven years prior as he contemplated Isaac’s hopes and dreams while he visited his favorite spot as a child on the basketball court at McKinley Elementary School. In some respects, Tom was reluctant to share such a personal aspect of his life. Generally reserved of sharing his personal struggles, Tom had second thoughts about relinquishing the safety of his reserved emotions to the outside world. However, Tom remembered his conversation with Suzanne and thought maybe having an “outside,” observer other than family read his early draft copy might provide valuable feedback. Moreso, if Tom’s attempt to write Isaac’s story would ever be picked up by a publishing house. It was in early February 2020 when Tom mailed a paper copy of the first several chapters of the book to the Sapulpa Area Chamber of Commerce, “Attention Suzanne Shirey.”

Tom never heard directly back from Suzanne but rather three weeks later the President of Total Publishing and Media LLC (Tulsa, Oklahoma) contracted him about securing the rights to publish his book. The company president had been contacted by Suzanne. Peter Biadasz felt like Tom’s affiliation with St. Jude combined with his style of writing could capture the bruised emotions of a those facing such a crisis. It would be a week later when Tom signed his first professional publishing contract to secure the book’s editorial review, copyedit and ultimately see the book go to print.

It was during the editorial review, the name of the book was changed to “When Hope Overcame the Impossible.” The editors felt like the suggested book title “Meet Me at the Court,” might allude to a sports book and did not convey the true story within. Borrowing and tweaking the line from the book which read, “Isaac’s life represented something special to me. He was the child we were told we could never have on our own and a child of promise. His life represented through life’s most bitter disappointments there is hope for those who refuse to be defined by the impossible.” Thus, the name “When Hope Overcame the Impossible,” was titled to the book.

Lastly, Tom told the graphic artist who designed the cover of the book he wanted a design in which a person was staring over an abyss longing to make it to the other side. Further, he told the graphic artist he wanted the “other side,” to resemble the campus of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as it was through their work the Walsh family ultimately found hope and healing. Tom once told a large audience of corporate executives at St. Jude he considered sharing Isaac’s cancer story the greatest privilege ever bestowed upon him. Moreso, writing a book for the world to read brings full circle his desire to bring hope to the brokenhearted and healing to those whose lives have been upended by the ravages of cancer.