And the work continues 2020

My Name is Linda Hoetger, I am asking for your support for the 7,030 men impacted by prostate cancer and their families just like mine. Some who live in your community and are not ready to speak up yet and share their journey. I ask for your support yearly so that one day we can be part of a cure and zero out prostate cancer. Did you know the Ohio Revised Code 5.227 states that June is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month? The nation recognizes Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month in September. I have become an active advocate and helping them along the way. On June 19, 2009, my life forever changed when my husband Ray and I were given the devastating news that he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Ray is a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Force. After he graduated from Kingston High School in 1970. He enlisted in the Air Force as a Firefighter and served 4 years in that career field stateside and in England. Being a firefighter there were countless contaminates used to distinguish fires and also used to decontaminate the military airplanes. Also, herbicides were sprayed around the military installations to control the weeds and foliage. We believe that Ray's military career caused his prostate cancer. He is the oldest of three sons in the family and he is the only one of three sons with prostate cancer. Though Ray never stepped boots in Vietnam, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and the children have been affected with birth defects. Two marriages and seven children, of which five children were born with birth defects. His first son died at 8 days old from a heart condition, his first daughter was born premature. Their second daughter was born with no defects. When Ray and I got married in 1983, I had dreams of always having a healthy happy family. Our first son was born in 1984, with a VSD (Ventricular septal defect). A year later our second son was born with webbed toes on both feet. Our third son was born with no defects, our fourth son was born with 1-4 heart murmurs and lung issues. All of our sons have grown up now. The older sons are in their thirties and our youngest is twenty-nine. I know that there is an increased risk of prostate cancer and never want them to have to go through the journey my husband and I have as a couple. The two older sons have started families of their own. Since Ray's diagnosis, I was not about to sit back and do nothing! I started advocating and raising awareness for this horrible disease that no one seems to want to talk about. As of October 2019 there are over 489,000 Veterans with Prostate Cancer in the Veterans Health Administration system. Over 16,000 of them are Metastatic. As the wife/caregiver of a retired Veteran, and military brat. This is unacceptable and the need to screen and educate the Veterans about prostate cancer is important in 2020 and beyond..

In 2013, I started contacting elected officials for Proclamations and Resolutions supporting Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month. Since starting my mission there have been over 2,000 elected officials supporting my efforts in raising awareness in their Districts, and Communities. My husband and I have been invited to attend Proclamation readings and presentations during City Council meetings. Which is an honor to attend to share our story and raise awareness. My goal in getting Proclamations and Resolutions from elected officials throughout Ohio to let the men and families impacted by prostate cancer and let them know that someone cares. Also, I hope that with me sharing my story they will share their story. And get more men talking so that one day there will be a cure for prostate cancer and more lives will be saved. I hope one day to have a Prostate Cancer Survivor from all areas of Ohio. Encouragement from Legislators, Commissioners, Mayors and other elected officials to support the families of prostate cancer and to educate residents about this horrible disease with a Proclamation and Resolution. We are working with Representative Richard Brown and Representative Scott Lipps, to have ZERO The End Of Prostate Cancer license plates passed, funds from the license plates would stay in Ohio to provide free patient navigation serviced to reduce financial toxicity among prostate cancer and free transportation for prostate cancer patients to doctors appointments. On June 19, 2019, it has passed in the House 97-0 It was referred to the Senate Transportation, Commerce and Workforce Committee on September 11, 2019, waiting to be heard in the Senate for a vote. Working with ZERO has given me so many more opportunities to help raise awareness and to be part of ending prostate cancer. Each year Ray and I speak to our elected officials at the Annual ZERO Prostate Cancer Summit in Washington, D.C., and work locally in Ohio and across the nation to secure proclamations from each local government. I keep track of all the Proclamations and Resolutions on Google map and would be honored to add yours to it as well. Please send a copy to my address below. Please write Do not bend on envelope.

Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education

Whereas, this year approximately 191,930 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States alone every year and roughly 33,330 will die this year from the disease; and

Whereas, in Ohio an estimated 7,030 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed and an estimated 1,200 deaths will occur in 2020; and

Whereas, Men with relatives – father, brother, son – with a history of prostate cancer are twice as likely to develop the disease; and

Whereas, Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer; and

Whereas, Men who served in the military who have been exposed to chemicals and herbicides are at a higher risk for developing prostate cancer; and

Whereas, 1 in 9 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. African American men are at the highest risk for the disease with the rate of 1 in 6 and 2.2 times more likely to die from the disease; and

Whereas, Education regarding prostate cancer and early detection strategies is critical to saving lives, preserving, and protecting our families. The economic and social hardship it has on the families is huge; Prostate cancer is estimated to cost over $8 billion in direct medical expenditures: and

Whereas, Nearly 3.1 million men in the U.S. are living with a prostate cancer diagnosis; that number is estimated to climb to 4 million by 2024 as men in the baby boomer generation age; and

Whereas, all men are at risk for prostate cancer and we encourage the citizens of (City) to increase the importance of prostate screenings.