MARCH IS National Colon Cancer Awareness Month

 Stop by MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando for a visit thru the Super Colon!

Wear BLUE to spread Awareness!

 When: Wednesday March 20^, 2013

 

Cancersucks.tv team picture

There are a million ways to get your kicks on Rte 66, but this one may well be one of your most satisfying. I know cancer and cancer, unfortunately, knows me, only too well. Colon cancer really is a pain in my butt. I am a 4 time colon cancer survivor. And I am a warrior. Please help me make this dream come true; my mission in life is to educate others about the importance of early screening. If I had gone for my colonoscopy screening when I first saw the signs and they had caught it early, I probably would not be as adamant as Iam now about early screening… I want YOU to get your kicks by helping ME do some kicking of my own. You see, I want to kick cancer, because cancer kicks far too many people. I am asking you to contribute to an odyssey that will take me from Chicago to Santa Monica over much of the “Great Mother Road.” My son has lovingly dubbed it ‘The Colon Cancer Power Tour’.

Why Rt. 66 you ask? You see, I had this dream… I woke up in the middle of the night a few days after my 4^th diagnosis, and felt like I had literally just been back from the future; I was riding in my 1950 Dodge, with my 2 buddies from childhood, and we were driving down Rt. 66 stopping all along the way talking with everyone about early screening. People were lined up on the side of the road waving and cheering us on. We stopped in towns along the route talking with people from all walks of life, with patients and caregivers and telling everyone they need to be screened, it may save their lives. Never in my 65 years have I ever been as passionate about anything, any cause as this. My son Peter has called this a ‘God-sized’ dream…. But I am telling you, I lived that dream – a vision so vivid that I have to see the dream come true…

Here’s the kicker; here’s where your trust comes in…I AM taking this journey… and I am looking to create a documentary of the whole trip with hopes of educating all my brothers and sisters who may potentially be stricken with this disease. With early detection you may be cured… but you have to be screened….. simple as that…and because I am doing this for you,my friends and family, and countless others who are unaware that early screening could be the key that saves their lives. This documented journey will, with the financial backing, have our crew stopping in major cities at scores of venues to advocate for early screening. I have spoken with the American Cancer Society and the Colon Cancer Alliance and they will help me set up stops at cancer centres, doctor’s offices, and hospitals to carry on our mentoring to patients and caregivers all across the route, sharing my story with them and listening to theirs… because everyone has a story to tell…everyone’s story is just as important. With your help, you will be contributing to the most worthiest of causes: saving lives.

Cancersucks.TV is my web site that actually my son Peter started for me after this dream to help tell my story. It chronicles my war with colon cancer that has, well, truthfully at times debilitated me. They first diagnosed the cancer in 2004, originating in my colon; they removed 18 inches of my colon, then followed up with chemo and radiation. The doctors gave me 4, 5 years at most to get my affairs in order and live life to as full as I was physically able. Things were looking up until 2008 when I just didn’t feel well. In the 3 years since then, it has metastasized 3 times to both lungs now; and 3 more surgeries later, I have lost the bottom lobes on both lungs and now have only 50% breathing capacity. With this latest operation though, when they sent the tissue off for possible matches for a chemo protocol, they tested the tumor for lung cancer and not colon cancer; when they told the ‘lab’ to retest it for colon cancer, they found the ‘lab’ had not kept any tissue for retesting… so now, my only option is sit.. and wait…and a CAT scan every 3 months waiting to see if the cancer will recur… what a heinous thought, right? But there are no complaints, here… I feel blessed to be living on borrowed time. I have my life and my kids and life is oh so good… I must keep a’ticking and a’kicking. And follow my dream…No bones about it, I am here for a reason: my goal is to educate everyone regardless if you are young, old, rich, poor, black, or white about the necessity of early screening; For cancer doesn’t care who you are – it has no boundaries or preferences. The second leading cause OF CANCER DEATHS, IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY PREVENTABLE WITH EARLY SCREENING…. who wants their family to suffer because they felt it could never happen to them?

You can help (and get your kicks) by helping in any way with your contributions. No contribution is too small. That’s right, No contribution is too small. It too often sound like a cliché but it’s so true. Your dollar is as important as any contribution. I want you to be a part of my journey; Follow me as I go along that road of earlier rebels, the Mother Road – Rt. 66. Really, my needs are pretty basic for the trip: food, gas, lodging. Whatever monies donated that are not spent on this journey, will go to help fund screenings for those who cannot afford to be screened… so many do not have the insurance coverage that allows for screenings… so many of our neighbors, friends and families that are predisposed to colon cancer but are unable to be screened because it costs too much…  This trip was originally to take place in May of this year, but due to health and a lack of funding, has now had to be pushed back. Funding is key, but I need more from you… I need your help keeping this campaign alive and getting the word out… share it on Facebook, Twitter, and help  keep the word going.  But that still isn’t all, greedy aren’t I??! Even if you can’t contribute, please please tell your friends and family, and anyone you know that colon cancer screening saves lives… please help by becoming an advocate and help others survive. In the time it took you to read this, at least 1 person has died from colon cancer…Thank You so much for taking the time to care… help me pass the word, won’t you?