Wednesday, June 30, 2021

A dream coming true!!

 

In the final approval stage!!! Available around August 8-13th unless something pushes it back. 💙💙💙 


Quite and shy person no more. I am making things happen. I have been told I’m a legend with what I do. Not sure if that is a good thing or  a bad thing.  😁😁

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Proclamations 2021

 Elected officials supporting Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month in June and September. And the list grows daily.

States:

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Columbus, Indiana - received

Nashville, Tennessee


Representatives:

Representative Brian Stewart, 78th Ohio House District

Representative Diane Grendell, 76th Ohio House District

Representative Susan Manchester, 84th Ohio House District


Counties:

Belmont County Commissioners -

Champaign County Commissioners - received

Clermont County Commissioners 

Erie County Commissioners - received

Fairfield County Commissioners

Hamilton County Commissioners

Jackson County Commissioners - received

Lake County Commissioners

Lucas County Commissioners

Mahoning County Commissioners - received

Medina County Commissioners - received

Mercer County Commissioners - received Proclamation and Resolution

Montgomery County Commissioners - received

Morrow County Commissioners - received

Muskingum County Commissioners - received

Ottawa County Commissioners - received

Portage County Commissioners - received

Preble County Commissioners - received

Richland County Commissioners

Sandusky County Commissioners - received

Tuscarawas County Commissioners - received

Warren County Commissioners - received


Cities:

Athens 

Avon Lake - received

Berea - received

Bexley - received

Blanchester - received

Brook Park - received June Proclamation

Brook Park - received National Proclamation

Brooklyn

Brookville - received

Canton 

Centerville - received

Cincinnati

Columbus, Ohio

Dayton - received

Defiance - received

Delaware - received

East Liverpool - received

Englewood - received

Fairfield - received

Fairport Harbor - received

Fostoria - received

Gahanna - received

Granville - received

Grove City - received

Groveport - received

Hamilton

Harrrison

Hebron

Jackson

Kent - received

Kettering - received

Lebanon 

London - received

Lyndhurst - received

Macedonia - received

Mansfield

Marysville - received

Massilion

Maumee - received

Medina 

Miamisburg - received

Montgomery - received

Moreland Hills - received June Proclamation

Mount Vernon - received

Mount Victory

Munroe Falls

Napoleon - received

New Richmond

North Canton - received

Norwalk - received

Norwich Township - received June Proclamation

Olmsted Falls - received

Ontario

Orange Township

Oregon

Orrville - received

Parma - received

Perrysburg - received

Piqua

Powell

Reynoldsburg - received

Sabina 

Sheffield Village - received

St. Clairesville

Swanton - received

Tiffin - received

Van Buren

Vandalia - received

Westerville - received June Proclamation

Whitehall - received

Worthington

Wyoming - received

Xenia - received






Saturday, June 26, 2021

Petey’s


 An old picture but one day of making Petey’s! And the blisters told the story. People ask why the walnut. The walnut is the size of a prostate. When I created Petey 10 years ago after my husband was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Petey is now our mascot for this horrible disease. He goes with me to City Council meetings when there is a Proclamation reading and presentation with my mission of raising awareness for prostate cancer.  #caregiver #prostatecancer

Friday, June 25, 2021

Wyoming, Ohio 2021

Thank you Mayor Thaddeus Hoffmeister for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education.


Challenge accepted!


 I have accepted the challenge and doing my best to raise awareness. And to help educate men and their families about prostate cancer. 

Many times we will be talking with men and families about prostate health. And when you ask them about their PSA. They will say I had a colonoscopy and the doctor said I have no polyps. Or I don’t want that thing ran up my…you know where. 

We are talking about two different areas. The PSA test starts out with a simple blood test. And if you are already having a blood draw. Ask your provider to check the PSA box. At least start with a base line. If you have a family history ask for a PSA. If your adopted and are not sure of your family history. If your PSA comes back over 4 then further steps needs to be taken. A DRE…don’t fear the finger! 

Prostate cancer is not an old mans disease. Like any other organ in your body it can go bad at any time. If caught early enough there is a higher chance of survival. Ray’s diagnosis was an aggressive form. PSA was 8.42 with a Gleason of 9. He had a prostatectomy on October 12, 2009. At that time the Gleason was down graded to an 8. But the cancer had spread oitside the prostate and into the lymph nodes. Further treatments were needed and we got through it! 

As of his last PSA test he is still in remission!! I won’t say cured as I know that since it was in his lymph nodes. Prostate cancer can rear its ugly head at anytime. 

Education about prostate cancer is Key!!

Monday, June 21, 2021

Xenia, Ohio 2021

 #100

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


Saturday, June 19, 2021

My story 2009

 June 19, 2009 our lives changed forever! We were at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base sitting in the Urologist office. And then the words were uttered by the Urologist that no family ever wants to hear. I am sorry you have prostate cancer, and to make it even worse it’s an aggressive form. We heard those words on this day! Tears, disbelief, anger, fear, Information Overload, etc!! It felt like I hit a brick wall full force. 

I could have chosen to sit back and say...poor me, but I chose to be an Advocate of prostate cancer awareness! They say there is a reason for why we were chosen for this mission in life. I might not understand it all right now but one day I might!

Ray had a Prostatectomy on October 12, 2009, after the surgery the doctor came out to give me an update. I was praying for good news, but that was not the case. The cancer spread outside the prostate into the lymph-nodes. My heart sank again and that brick wall was back! The most important thing he survived prostate cancer. We both are dealing with changes in our lives. Some will understand what we are going through on our journey. Prostate cancer is a couples' disease. Every three months Ray gets his PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test done. Until the results return Undetectable it's stressful, for both of us. Thankfully Ray has been in Remission for awhile now. I will not say he is cured as we know the cancer can at anytime return. Which scares me, with the unknown. One day at a time! Why us? It has been said, God gives us what we can handle.  It will either make me stronger or make me weak. I have been on both sides! 

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. Working with ZERO has given me so many more opportunities to help raise awareness and to be part of ending prostate cancer. 

In 2018, we started working with our Representative Richard Brown and Representative Scott Lipps in Ohio having Prostate Cancer license plates Bill introduced in the Ohio Statehouse. It passed both the sides of the Ohio Statehouse June 11, 2020. And now is awaiting the signature from Governor DeWine. The bill was signed October 22. 2020! All the signatures we collected and the artwork has been approved for the first in the Narion ZERO The End Of Prostate Cancer License plates. Should be available late July early August! 


Ray is a 20 Veteran of the Air Force. We need to prove that the herbicides and chemicals that he was exposed to in the Military contributed to his prostate cancer. Veterans who are exposed to herbicides like Agent Orange are at increased risk for developing prostate cancer, and are more likely to have an aggressive form of the disease. Education regarding prostate cancer and early detection strategies is critical to saving lives, preserving, and protecting our families. The economic and social burden of prostate cancer is huge. Prostate cancer is estimated to cost over $8 billion in direct medical expenses.

Petey is 10 years old now and still goes with me everywhere! I have done many different scenes with him. Just another way to have a visual of how this little nut is related to prostate cancer. The walnut is the size of a normal prostate.


Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Perrysburg, Ohio 2021

People ask me why do I request Proclamarions and Resolutions from the elected officials in Ohio. They don’t bring in money. That is correct! But the most important thing they do is raise awareness to prostate cancer awareness. For me it is about starting with education! They have taken it upon themselves to also post the Proclamarions on their social media accounts without me asking! Many times we will start talking about prostate cancer and the men will chime in. I’m good, I had my check up 5 years ago. The doctor said no polyops. Or I don’t want to have that ran up my (you know) anytime soon. Our answer… we are not talking about colon cancer. Red flag that some men are missing the education of where and what the prostate does. There are men who have contacted me after council meetings and said until I met you. I never had a PSA test but I am now! Even elected officials at council meetings have shared their stories with the residents of the cities. Be it for the first time or many times in the past. They are talking! Getting men talking ends up with future funding! If we stay quite our elected officials on Capitol Hill will not increase funding. They maybe see it as no need for it. But there is a need!

Monday, June 7, 2021

Lancaster, Ohio 2021

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

Thursday, June 3, 2021

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Medina County Commissioners 2021

Thank you Medina County Commissioners for your continued support for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education Month.

Thank you Stephanie Mueller for attending the Proclamation reading and presentation!