Petey's raising awareness for prostate cancer and saving lives!
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Monday, November 26, 2018
7 reasons to why I fight
These are 7 reasons to why I fight for prostate cancer awareness! June 19, 2009 my life changed as a wife to a wife.caregiver of a prostate cancer patient. This is the day my husband was diagnosed with an aggressive form of the disease. He chose to have a prostatectomy and on October 12, 2009 he became a Survivor of prostate cancer! Sadly the cancer had escaped the prostate and into the lymph nodes. He continued hormone treatment for 6 years and currently is in Remission! I will not say that this has been an easy road for us as there has been other issues from the disease. but it is like I tell everyone. Better he is 6 feet above ground than 6 feet below ground.
As a mom of 4 sons and grandmother of 2 grandsons I never want them to have to hear those devastating words in their lives.
You have prostate cancer!
It was hard enough hearing them as a wife, but to hear them from my sons or grandsons would be even worse. Especially when a cure for prostate cancer can be found.
Prostate Cancer Survivors and Caregivers Network on Facebook
Over 7 years ago I started this group on Facebook.
It first started out as a way to share information about prostate cancer that I was finding to help in my journey. Then I started meeting wives of prostate cancer and became friends with them. We started sharing our stories between us. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of this disease. Soon after that more and more families join the group. It was public at first but men were say that they were not ready for all to see. So I made it closed. Now we are over 3,000 members strong and more are joining on a daily basis.
Here we share what is going on and support each other in our journey. We laugh at this disease and we cry when it has taken a loved one from their family. We are made up of husbands, wives and significant others. Wives has asked me if they have to leave the group when their loved one passes away. Definitely not! Unless you want to leave the group, you still have so much to offer.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/216832695040660
It first started out as a way to share information about prostate cancer that I was finding to help in my journey. Then I started meeting wives of prostate cancer and became friends with them. We started sharing our stories between us. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of this disease. Soon after that more and more families join the group. It was public at first but men were say that they were not ready for all to see. So I made it closed. Now we are over 3,000 members strong and more are joining on a daily basis.
Here we share what is going on and support each other in our journey. We laugh at this disease and we cry when it has taken a loved one from their family. We are made up of husbands, wives and significant others. Wives has asked me if they have to leave the group when their loved one passes away. Definitely not! Unless you want to leave the group, you still have so much to offer.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/216832695040660
Proclamations and Resolutions
Soon it will be time to start asking elected officials for their support with Prostate Cancer Awareness. I will provide you with the text for Proclamations and Resolutions to share with them. When asking for a Proclamation or Resolution I share my personal story with them through email or by personal contact. There have been times I will receive an email back with. You did not know this when you contacted me but..... I have been impacted personally or some one in my family has. They are happy to be part of the Prostate Cancer Awareness movement and ready to share their story as well.
If you are interested in joining our Proclamation team please email me at pcamproclamations@gail.com
Let me know what state you live in as I will have the text for all 50 states including Washington, DC.
If you are interested in joining our Proclamation team please email me at pcamproclamations@gail.com
Let me know what state you live in as I will have the text for all 50 states including Washington, DC.
Supporters for Prostate Cancer Awareness month from 2014 - 2018
| Since 2014 there have been over 331 supporters for Prostate Cancer Awareness. If I listed all the names there would be over 500. I want to say Thank you all for your support! As well as Thank you for the opportunity to share my story at City Council meetings throughout the year with your presentation of the Proclamations and Resolutions. And to the Mayors and Council members who have shared you story with us and the residents in attendance of the Council meetings. I know it is hard to share this with others but you also give residents hope of survival with this horrible disease called prostate cancer. In doing this we have reached more men and their families about the need to get checked. After the presentation there have been men come to me as say Thank you for sharing. I let them know we are all family now! This year I had more County Commissioners support Prostate Cancer Awareness month. There are 88 Counties in Ohio and 26 of them joined in the fight to raise awareness. Sadly two if the 88 declined to support my mission. The reason was that I do not live in that County. But is what others sometime do not understand is that there are men living in that County and are not ready to speak up yet. For those who have not been impacted by prostate issues or cancer yet. This horrible disease takes way so much from the men. Some feel like it robs them of their manhood. Sadly some men can not handle the changes that takes place in their lives now and will ended their marriages, relationships and some have ended their lives. This breaks my heart so much as the wife/caregiver of a Survivor knowing that men feel this way. When I meet a man feeling this way I let them know that they are important to me and I need them to help join our team and share their story. Next year I hope to have all of Ohio's support with raising awareness for Prostate Cancer. Again I will be starting in January with the text for Proclamations and Resolutions. I know that September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month but for my family every month and everyday is Prostate Cancer Awareness. I live in Ohio and that has been my main focus, but as you can see there are a few other states listed. My husband is from New York. The connections to Columbus, Indiana and Columbus, Georgia. My Dad is from Columbus, Indiana and three of our sons were born in Columbus, Georgia. Our oldest son and I are from Columbus, Ohio. The other states just by me asking for their support. Truly a blessing for the support! **** Kasich & Lt. Governor Mary Taylor |
| ***Congressman Steve Stivers |
| ***Franklin County Sheriff |
| ***Speaker of the House Ryan Smith |
| **Department of Veterans Affairs |
| **Former Representative Heather Bishoff HD 20 |
| **President of the Senate Larry Obhoff |
| **Representative David Greenspan HD 16 |
| **Representative Joyce Beatty HD 3 |
| **Representative Richard Brown HD 20 |
| **Representative Scott Lipps HD 62 |
| **Representative Tim Schaffer HD 77 |
| **Senator Troy Balderson SC 20 |
| **State Senator Hoaland SD 30 |
| **State Senator Jay Hottinger SD 31 |
| **State Senator John Ekland |
| **State Senator Kevin Bacon SD 3 |
| **State Senator Peggy Lehner |
| **State Senator Steve Schiavoni |
| **State Senator Tim Schaffer |
| *Adams County Commissioners |
| *Athens County Commissioners |
| *Auglaize County Commissioners |
| *Belmont County Commissioners |
| *Carroll County Commissioners |
| *Clark County Commissioners |
| *Clinton County Commissioners |
| *Cuyahoga County Commissioners |
| *Darke County Commissioners |
| *Defiance County Commissioners |
| *Fairfield County Commissioners |
| *Franklin County Commissioners |
| *Greene County Commissioners |
| *Hamilton County Commissioners |
| *Harrison County Commissioners |
| *Jackson County Commissioners |
| *Lake County Commissioners |
| *Mahoning County Commissioners |
| *Medina County Commissioners |
| *Meigs County Commissioners |
| *Morrow County Commissioners |
| *Muskingham County Commisssioners |
| *Perry County Commissioners |
| *Portage County Commissioners |
| *Richland County Commissioners |
| *Ross County Commissioners |
| *Sandusky County Commissioners |
| *Seneca County Commissioners |
| *Shelby County Commissioners |
| *Tuscarawas County Commissioners |
| *Warren County Commissioners |
| *Williams County Commissioners |
Franklin County Community Star
Today I received the Franklin County Community Star for my work with raising awareness for Prostate Cancer. It is an Honor!
What I do is not only for the men in my family, it is also for those men who have been impacted by prostate cancer and who are not ready to speak up and share their story. I have been sharing mine since Ray was diagnosed June 2009. Sharing my Journey lets the men and families know that they are not alone in their Journey. There has been men who have told me they have never shared their story but now they are ready to share. It is a feel good moment knowing that they are ready to do so.
One Survivor told us that he never talked about his diagnosis out side of this family until he met us. He is now a 19 year Survivor and is sharing his story.
Thank you Sheriff Dallas Baldwin for this Honor!
Saturday, November 10, 2018
And the work continues
Next year will be my 6th year of contacting elected officials for Proclamations and Resolution for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month in September in Ohio. This year I contacted State Representatives asking for their help as well. With overwhelming support they added their names of support. I also asked County Commissioners. Ohio has 88 counties 26 of the 88 joined in as well. Some have said they want all 88 supporting and that is what they are going to work on.
If anyone is interested in contacting your elected officials let me know the state you live in. I will have the text for the Proclamations and I make them state specific. When asking for the Proclamations I add my personal story! Many times I will get a return email or phone call with the impact prostate cancer has had in their lives. Or I hear...I never knew there was a month for prostate cancer awareness. But I do now!
This year I had 199 Proclamations commitments still have a few that are coming in. Going back through the years I have over 300 Cities, Villages and Townships who have participated. One other thing that they have done is added it to their Websites and Newsletters to increase awareness. Some have showcased their proclamation in their City Hall for the month. 🙂 One Of those feel good moments when I hear. Thank you for including us in your mission! My hope and dream is that it is making a difference with prostate cancer.
One County Commissioners was diagnosed with prostate cancer 2 years ago and never talked about his diagnosis with others. I contacted him not knowing he has prostate cancer and shared my story with him. A few days later I got an email that he was doing one and he wanted to present it to us personally at a Commissioners meeting. Of course we will be there. It was on Rays Birthday August 30th. We get to the meeting and see news cameras there. We did not know the Commissioners asked them to be there! As we are at the meeting the Commissioner has us share our story and why I am doing this. And then he shares why the news is there. He wanted for the first time after being diagnosed he was sharing his Journey with his district. And because of my story he wanted to share his. So my eyes started leaking a little! Happy tears of making a difference with prostate cancer.
My email is pcamproclamations@gmail.com
If anyone is interested in contacting your elected officials let me know the state you live in. I will have the text for the Proclamations and I make them state specific. When asking for the Proclamations I add my personal story! Many times I will get a return email or phone call with the impact prostate cancer has had in their lives. Or I hear...I never knew there was a month for prostate cancer awareness. But I do now!
This year I had 199 Proclamations commitments still have a few that are coming in. Going back through the years I have over 300 Cities, Villages and Townships who have participated. One other thing that they have done is added it to their Websites and Newsletters to increase awareness. Some have showcased their proclamation in their City Hall for the month. 🙂 One Of those feel good moments when I hear. Thank you for including us in your mission! My hope and dream is that it is making a difference with prostate cancer.
One County Commissioners was diagnosed with prostate cancer 2 years ago and never talked about his diagnosis with others. I contacted him not knowing he has prostate cancer and shared my story with him. A few days later I got an email that he was doing one and he wanted to present it to us personally at a Commissioners meeting. Of course we will be there. It was on Rays Birthday August 30th. We get to the meeting and see news cameras there. We did not know the Commissioners asked them to be there! As we are at the meeting the Commissioner has us share our story and why I am doing this. And then he shares why the news is there. He wanted for the first time after being diagnosed he was sharing his Journey with his district. And because of my story he wanted to share his. So my eyes started leaking a little! Happy tears of making a difference with prostate cancer.
My email is pcamproclamations@gmail.com
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
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