My name is Linda Hoetger, It has become my mission to raise awareness and help educate everyone the impact prostate cancer has on the millions of families across the nation. We are just one of these families. I am asking for your support to assist me in letting those living in your community know they are not alone and someone cares. Many who live in your community and are not ready to speak up yet and share their journey. 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. Thankfully he remains in remission in 2019. Ray is a 20-year Veteran of the United States Air Force with no known family history of prostate cancer. We are the parents of four sons and grandparents of two grandsons. However, 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. In 2012, I began working with ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer, a national nonprofit with the mission to end prostate cancer. ZERO advances research, improves the lives of men and families, and inspires action. In 2013, I started contacting Elected Officials for Proclamations and Resolutions supporting Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month in September. This is my sixth year of advocating for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education. I asked the Governors office if there was a Resolution for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in Ohio. Sadly there had never been one. I made sure to change that. I am happy to say that the first Resolution for Prostate Cancer was written in 2014. 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 for prostate cancer. My goal in getting Proclamations and Resolutions from all the Elected Officials throughout Ohio is to let the men and families impacted by prostate cancer will let them know that someone cares. Also my hope is that with me sharing my story they will share their story as well. And get more men talking so that one day there will be a cure for prostate cancer and more lives will be saved. As I share my story more men and families are speaking up as wanting to attend Council meetings to share their story and receive Proclamations and Resolutions as well. I hope to one day have a Prostate Cancer Survivor from all areas of Ohio. I would love to see you encourage 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 currently 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
There are men living in your communities who are also affected with prostate cancer and are not speaking up as this disease has a devastating effect on them and their families. It is so important to let them know they are not alone. We care and we are ready to support and educate communities across the nation about Prostate Cancer Awareness month in September and throughout the year! It has been an honor to receive Commendation letters from Representatives from the Ohio Statehouse. November 2018 I received the Community STAR from Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin for the work that I am doing to raise awareness for prostate cancer. The overwhelming support from elected officials from Ohio, Kingston, New York, Columbus, Georgia, Cleveland, Tennessee, New Bern, North Carolina, and Columbus, Indiana and Connellsville, Pennsylvania has been amazing. Some of them has shared the impact prostate cancer has had on them and their families. Join us with this epic movement across the nation. 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.
1 in 9 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Someone in your family or you may know someone impacted by prostate cancer. Your support is needed as education and awareness for prostate cancer is limited across the nation. Prostate cancer awareness month is in September, I am asking for your support in hopes that you too can challenge and encourage your surrounding communities to join us in raising awareness and education so men can make an informed decision if treatment is needed in their lifetime. Your support means the world to those battling this horrible disease and gets men talking and veterans sharing their story as well. While men are sharing their story, other men and families know they are not alone in this fight and in turn encourage others to share too. Please share the Proclamations on your City, Village, and Township Social Media pages as another way to help raise awareness in hopes to also get men to speak up and share too.
Each September, the nation recognizes prostate cancer awareness month elected officials have shared this with newspapers and newsletters as another way to help promote prostate cancer awareness help defeat the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men. An estimated 31,620 husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, and grandfathers will lose their lives to prostate cancer in 2019. An Ohio resident has been hard at work to ensure that these proclamations are renewed annually. Linda & Ray Hoetger has spoken with local leaders to remind communities of the pain and suffering of prostate cancer. As a result, Mayors, Legislators, City Council Members, Town/Village manager, County Commissioners and Ohio Statehouse Representatives will issue a Proclamation, Resolution and Letters of Commendations declaring September Prostate Cancer Awareness and education month. And invite members of the Proclamation Team to Council meetings to share their stories and information about prostate cancer. We ask that you send a copy so that our Proclamation Team across the nation can share your community support. The copies are taken to prostate cancer events and to Capitol Hill. Below is the information for Proclamations & Resolutions.
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Whereas, this year approximately 174,650 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States alone every year – that’s one man every 3.2 minutes and roughly 31,620 die this year from the disease – which is 87 men everyday; and
Whereas, in Ohio an estimated 5,340 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed and an estimated 1,130 deaths will occur in 2019; 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 most commonly diagnosed cancer in American Men and the second leading cause of cancer death behind lung and colon 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; and
Whereas, Nearly 3 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment