A dying father known as 'napkin dad ' for his daily heartfelt notes to his daughter , has celebrated seeing her achieve another milestone : making her high school varsity softball team . Garth Callaghan , 45 , from Glen Allen , Virginia , has been writing short messages on napkins for his daughter Emma , 15 , since she was in kindergarten - and now she looks forward to them every day . The heartwarming ritual has scored him a book deal and a movie is said to be in the works too . This week the doting father-of-one - who has stage four kidney cancer - uploaded a snapshot to Facebook revealing his latest note , reading : 'Dear Emma , I 'm so proud that you made the varsity softball team . I ca n't wait till your first game ! ' Scroll down for video . Doting dad : Garth Callaghan , 45 , from Glen Allen , Virginia , has been writing short messages on napkins for his daughter Emma , 15 , since she was in kindergarten - and now she looks forward to them every day . Heartwarming ritual : This week the doting father-of-one , who has prostate and kidney cancer , uploaded this snapshot to Facebook revealing his latest note . Garth says doctors do not know how long he has to live but he 's determined to remain strong . 'My goal is to actually write notes for my grandkids and I ca n't think of a better thing to fight for every single day . ' Emma says that she also maintains a positive attitude when it comes to her father 's illness . ' I do n't even really think about the fact he has cancer too much because he 's so present and always there . ' The note-writing has long been a tradition in the Callaghan household ; it began when Garth worked a busy sales job in Emma 's elementary school days and would n't see her often . Battling on : Garth says doctors do not know how long he has to live but he 's determined to remain strong . Source of support : Emma says that she also maintains a positive attitude when it comes to her father 's illness . Long-running : The note-writing has long been a tradition in the Callaghan household . Thoughtful gesture : It began when Garth worked a busy sales job in Emma 's elementary school days and would n't see her often . Daily dose : So that she always knew her father was thinking of her , Garth would write the notes - which were then just hearts , stars and simple words - and include them in her lunch box . Still going strong : But over the years , the notes have developed into words of advice or of encouragement on test days , and by the time she was about eight , Emma had come to expect the memos . So that she always knew her father was thinking of her , Garth would write the notes - which were then just hearts , stars and simple words - and include them in her lunch box . But over the years , the notes have developed into words of advice or of encouragement on test days , and by the time she was about eight , Emma had come to expect the memos . Some days , she would look at her lunch before he had placed on inside , and she 'd demand to know where it was . 'That 's when I realized , this is something that really matters , ' Garth said . Garth 's wife , Lissa , said the task also means he 's taken over the chore of making his daughter 's lunch , which he tries to keep healthy . ' I think it 's great , ' she said . 'It 's nice that he keeps that connection with her . ' Lunchtime treat : He pops the notes in with her lunch , which he tries to make as nutritious as he can . Determined : After learning he had cancer , Garth sought to write 800 notes so that his daughter would have one every day throughout high school - even if he was no longer alive to put it in her lunch box . But in 2011 , Garth was diagnosed with cancer and his desire to write the notes became even stronger because , 'at the end of the day , these notes might be the only thing my daughter has left of me ' . His tumor was successfully removed - but he has since been diagnosed twice more , and his doctor has told him that he will lose his life to the disease . A loss of taste , tiredness and nausea are among the symptoms which blight Garth . He says his ultimate hope is to inspire parents to write notes to their children . His book , Napkin Notes : Make Lunch Meaningful , Life Will Follow , has been published in several countries and half a dozen languages . In the tome , Garth introduces each chapter with a napkin note and then shares a story connected to it and to his life . The cancer patient is now writing notes ahead of time and storing them away so his daughter can still receive them after he is gone . Devoted to Emma : Garth is pictured with Emma , his and his wife 's only child , in her younger years . Impact : Tiredness and nausea are among the symptoms which blight Garth ( seen here with Emma )
Virginia dad Garth Callaghan has been diagnosed with cancer three times in past two years and doctors said it will take his life . He has been writing notes for his daughter Emma 's lunchbox since she was little and it has become a tradition between father and daughter . This week the doting father-of-one uploaded a snapshot to Facebook revealing his latest note , reading : 'Dear Emma , I 'm so proud that you made the varsity softball team . I ca n't wait till your first game ! ' Garth is now writing notes ahead of time and storing them away so his daughter can still receive them after he is gone .