Linda Hoetger
Omnibus House Bill 262
I am honored to give my testimony for the Senate Transportation and Public Safety Committee in support of Omnibus House 262. Our House Bill 570 was creating ZERO - The End Of Prostate Cancer license plates. Funds from the ZERO - The End Of Prostate Cancer license plates would stay in Ohio to provide free patient navigation services to reduce financial toxicity among prostate cancer patients to doctor appointments.
My name is Linda Hoetger and on June 19, 2009 my life forever changed when my husband Ray and I were given the devastating news that Ray had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. 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 non profit 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 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 to secure proclamations from local government declaring September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. I also want to thank you for the support from the Ohio Statehouse in raising awareness as well.
I support Omnibus House Bill 262 because prostate cancer, despite being the most diagnosed non-skin cancer in men. and the second deadliest is seldom talked about. Raising awareness for prostate cancer is so important if caught early, prostate cancer has a 99.9% five year survival rate. However if not caught in time, that survival rate drops to roughly 30%. Our nation's veterans are 1.6 times more likely to get diagnosed and African-American men are 2.3 times more likely to die from it. This year in Ohio alone, roughly 6,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and over 1,100 will die from this horrible disease.
Ray and I have been blessed to find after a difficult and emotionally draining five year process of seemingly endless treatments. Ray's cancer is still undetectable 10 years later. I will not say he is cured as I know that this disease can rear its ugly head at anytime. I support Omnibus House Bill 262 because I do not want my four sons, or two grandson to have to go through this same fight at any point in their lifetime.
I'd like to again thank the Senate for the opportunity to testify today. On behalf of my husband Ray and my four sons, two grandsons, myself and the one in nine men who will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. I ask you to support Omnibus House Bill 262 so that we can raise awareness of this awful disease in Ohio and to our part in ending prostate cancer once and for all. I will do my best to answer your questions.
My name is Linda Hoetger and on June 19, 2009 my life forever changed when my husband Ray and I were given the devastating news that Ray had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. 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 non profit 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 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 to secure proclamations from local government declaring September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. I also want to thank you for the support from the Ohio Statehouse in raising awareness as well.
I support Omnibus House Bill 262 because prostate cancer, despite being the most diagnosed non-skin cancer in men. and the second deadliest is seldom talked about. Raising awareness for prostate cancer is so important if caught early, prostate cancer has a 99.9% five year survival rate. However if not caught in time, that survival rate drops to roughly 30%. Our nation's veterans are 1.6 times more likely to get diagnosed and African-American men are 2.3 times more likely to die from it. This year in Ohio alone, roughly 6,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and over 1,100 will die from this horrible disease.
Ray and I have been blessed to find after a difficult and emotionally draining five year process of seemingly endless treatments. Ray's cancer is still undetectable 10 years later. I will not say he is cured as I know that this disease can rear its ugly head at anytime. I support Omnibus House Bill 262 because I do not want my four sons, or two grandson to have to go through this same fight at any point in their lifetime.
I'd like to again thank the Senate for the opportunity to testify today. On behalf of my husband Ray and my four sons, two grandsons, myself and the one in nine men who will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. I ask you to support Omnibus House Bill 262 so that we can raise awareness of this awful disease in Ohio and to our part in ending prostate cancer once and for all. I will do my best to answer your questions.
