For the past seven years, I have been contacting elected officials for their support with a Proclamation or Resolution for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month in September. I had mainly been focusing on Ohio because this is where I live. I did contact Columbus, Indiana and Columbus, Georgia and ask for their support as my dad is from Indiana and three of my four sons are from Georgia. My oldest son and I are from Columbus, Ohio and our Mayor has declined to support. My husband is from Kingston, New York, and the mayor there has supported my efforts for many years now.
This year I have been sending out emails to elected officials thinking they are in Ohio. Only to find out they are in another state. A few that have sent back a response are from Illinois and Michigan with their support and words of encouragement. Currently, I have commitments from 66 cities and County Commissioners in Ohio and New York. People ask why am I doing this, it's not bringing in any money. True it's not! But sharing my story with others is getting men and families. I have had male elected officials share with me that they never thought about getting a PSA test until now. Some have had a family history and have been getting tested and will share with their Co-workers about the importance of early detection. One County Commissioner had never shared with his co-workers for two years that he had been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. I shared my story with him not knowing that he was in treatment and he decided to share with the citizens in the County his story on the news that day. I do have to admit it brought tears to my eyes.
I will continue to keep advocating for early detection and awareness in hopes that one day men will not have to hear those horrible words uttered to them. You have prostate cancer.
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