September is Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month

September begins Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month. 

Our journey began on June 19, 2009, when my husband was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Before he was diagnosed I had no clue what it was. You never heard about it on television, social media, or hear men talking about this horrible disease making an impact on men's lives. Since Ray's diagnosis, I have done whatever I can to raise awareness in Ohio and in Washington, D.C. For the past 8 years, we have attended the ZERO Summit in February On the last day of the Summit the attendees head to Capitol Hill to speak with our state elected officials. We ask our Senators and Congress Members to keep the funding for prostate cancer and vote for an increase of funding in the Fiscal Year Budget. We also share our stories with the elected officials. 

The elected officials in Ohio know our story as I share with them through social media or in District events that they have. In 2014 not seeing public service announcements or billboards like every other cancer. I wanted to make prostate cancer important as well. I sent out emails to elected officials sharing my story with them and asked for a Proclamation or Resolution. I started late but that year I did have a handful of supporters. In the following years, it has increased. We have also be invited to attend the City Council meetings to receive the Proclamation in a presentation and are able to share a few words with the residents in the gallery. There have been Mayors, Council members, County Commissioners who have been on their journey for years and have never shared before. They will share their journey after hearing mine. I will get emails of encouragement to continue raising awareness and they are more than happy to support my request. 

This is why I fight! 

Being the mom of four sons and two grandsons. I never want them to hear those horrible words said to them personally. My sons are in their 30's now. The picture of my husband and sons was taken August 20, 3009 on my husband's 57th birthday. 

Can you tell he had at that time he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer?

Currently, Ray is in remission. I will not say Cancer Free as there still is a possibility that prostate cancer can rear its ugly head again. On September 10th will be five years since his last hormone treatment. He gets his PSA test regularly to make sure the PSA is not rising.

 

Proclamation Text 2020

                                    September is 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 of prostate cancer and we encourage the citizens of (city) to increase the importance of prostate screening.

Canton, Ohio 2020

 Thank you Mayor Thomas Bernabei for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.

Woodville, Ohio

This is from last year! Mayor Rich Harman and the Village of Woodville is so amazing with their support for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month! Thank you, Village of Woodville!

Nashville, Tennessee 2020

 

Union, Ohio 2020

 

Seven Hills, Ohio 2020

 

Englewood, Ohio 2020

 

Virtual Celebration- Ohio 2020

ZERO Run/Walk Virtual Celeration -Ohio 

This year do the pandemic all the ZERO The End Of Prostate Cancer Run/Walks went all Virtual. Ray, Petey and I were asked to do a video for the Ohio Virtual Celebration.  Hopefully next year we can all be together in person. It's great having virtual contact but its nice to be in the physical company of others. 

$25.00 Skyline gift card giveaway

 ***Drawing for a $25.00 gift card for Skyline Chili**

Would you like to be entered in a drawing for a Skyline gift card?

Getting the 150 or more needed signatures is difficult to COVID-19 as there are no major in-person events happening around Ohio. The sooner we can get the signatures the sooner the license plates will be in production.

The requirement......

25 or more valid Ohioian signatures on the petition form that you will find on the ZERO The End OF Prostate Cancer Licens

e Plates Petition - Ohio.

A valid Signature is all lines filled out this is required by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. You can send the form to me in the mail, or by email. I can also possibly pick up to form from you.

Signatures needed As Soon As Possible!

Franklin County Commissioners 2020

Thank you Franklin County Commissioners for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month in September. 

 

Swanton, Ohio 2020

Thank you Swanton Mayor Neil Toeppe for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.

 

Marysville, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Henk Berbee for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.

 

Maumee, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Richard Carr for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.

 

Lancaster, Ohio 2020

 Thank you Mayor David Scheffler for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.

Woodville, Ohio 2020

Thank you Village of Woodville and Mayor Ty Tracey for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.

 

Hebron, Ohio 2020

We were invited to attend the Herbon City Council meeting last night.  Unfortunately, I was not able to go into the building due to my anxiety. Ray said that Mayor Layton said that he read my request while he was in his treatment for prostate cancer. Ray said when he was reding the Proclamation he was raising his had when there was a statement that he connected with. He also encouraged the residents of Hebron to get tested.  

 

Petey’s PSA

 

Virtual Run/Walk 2020

 

Fostoria, Ohio 2020

 

Portsmouth, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Kevin Johnson for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month. And Thank you Paul for attending the Council meeting. 

 

Vermilion, Ohio 2020

 

Columbus, Indiana 2020

 

Mahoning County Commissioners 2020

 

Lincoln Heights, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Ruby Kinsey-Mumphrey for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education.

 

Thank you!!

 I can never express my gratitude enough to the elected officials throughout Ohio, New York, Georgia, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Tennessee for your support with Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month in September. and why 

June 19, 2009, while sitting in the urologist office. You have an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Feeling like I hit a brick wall at full force the tears started to flow uncontrollably. This was not how our lives were supposed to be. I had so many questions. One which weighed heavily on my mind. Did do something to cause it? The doctor reassured me that I did not cause it. As you see I am the mother of four sons. With Ray having prostate cancer our sons have an increased risk of developing the disease. As a wife, it was hard hearing those words uttered to us. But if I had to hear those words from any of my sons that would be hard as well.

The two little ones in the picture are our grandsons. As you can see one is bi-racial and has prostate cancer on both sides of the family. So his risk of developing prostate cancer is even higher. 

Why I fight!

Eat It To Beat It Challenge

Register here 

Eat it to Beat it Challenge

This September, Prostate Cancer Awareness Month we are issuing a new challenge in hopes of improving lifestyles while raising the awareness of prostate cancer. Called the Est It To BEat IT Challenge, we are asking supporters to eat 30 healthy foods in 30 days. We will provide 95 different foods, explore why they are a part of a healthy diet and come together to share tips and recipes.

East Liverpool, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Gregory Bricker for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education.

 

Xenia, Ohio 2020

Thank you, Mayor Sarah Mays, for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education 

 

See What's coming to Ohio

Check out ZERO's Blog and see what is coming to Ohio roads

ZERO Cancer Blog 

Whitehall, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Kim Maggard for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education.

 

Springfield, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Warren Copeland for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education.

 

Munroe Falls, Ohio 2020

Thank you, Mayor James Armstrong, for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education.

 

Kudo Board

https://zerocancer.kudoboard.com/boards/Stm2YpkM?rid=0d900f8f&fbclid=IwAR0kwOkcAfsQevZLeJTQFEaLgW0rBlN-xb0B2FDojsaigMvbh-4cTobCfNc#view 

10 years

It was Christmas today in the mail today. 4 Proclamations came today. Three from Ohio and one from Pennsylvania. So far with the Proclamations received and commitments this year I will have 141. Fingers crossed they all come through! I am still sending out emails of support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education. With each email, the elected officials say...if you need anything else let us know. One has let me know that they are posting it to their social media page as well.

I posted all the 2020 Proclamations that I have received on my blog. I have been posting to this blog for 10 years now. Wow...hard to believe.

Lyndhurst, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Patrick Ward for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education.

 

Reynoldsburg, Ohio 2020

Thank you Reynoldsburg Mayor Joe Begeny for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education.

 

Sunbury, Ohio 2020

 Thank you Sunbury Mayor Tommy Hatfield for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education 

Connellsville, Pennsylvania 2020

Thank you, Connellsville, Pennsylvania Mayor Greg Lincoln for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month

 

Middletown, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Nicole Condrey for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.

 

Kent, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Jerry Fiala for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education. 

I've attached our proclamation for prostate awareness month for the City of Kent. We will post on our social media to get the word out. Please let me know if you need anything else.

Take care,

Amy

 

Mason, Ohio 2020

 Thank you Mayor Kathy Grossmann for your support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month!

Parma, Ohio 2020

 Thank you Mayor Tim DeGeeter for you continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month,

Orrville, Ohio 2020

 Thank you, Mayor David Handwrek for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Educaton Month.

North Royalton, Ohio 2020

 Thank you Mayor Larry Antoskiewicz for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.

Urbana, Ohio 2020

Thank you Mayor Bill Bean for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.