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What are you doing to support PCa awareness this month, our month!

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Posted 9/2/2013 1:58 AM (GMT 0)
I don't start many post around here so listen up!

This is it, September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Time for us to all do our part to get the word out to others about PCa.

What did you know PCa before you were diagnosed? If you were like me, probably not much.

The gals have their big month next month in October with Breast Cancer Awareness Month and they wil be kicking a** and taking numbers. They are so far ahead of us with their pink ribbons, pink this and pink that. I am mad as h*ll and I am not going to take it any more!

There have been many heated discussions the past few months on this forum about PSA testing at 50 years old and over treatment. I had to stop reading the post I was so tired of hearing the discussions. What are WE accomplishing by giving our 2 cents worth on this forum? How is this helping other men to rant and rave on this forum?

This month WE need to get the word out ourselves. : yeah

Most of us know about Purgatory speaking at the Clemson football game this coming Saturday. He will be reaching out to thousands of souls which may save many lives in the future.

I will be in Clearwater, FL participating in the Miles for Men 5K/10K race the same day, Sept. 7th. Hopefully we will have hundreds in attendance and news coverage of the event on TV and the newspapers. I will also be in the Zero - The End of Prostate Cancer sponsored 5K race on Sept. 29th in Hollywood, FL. I was in last year's event 8 weeks after my
surgery. Most of these races have runners, walkers, strollers and even kid's events.
The Zero- The End of Prostate Cancer has almost 20 races across the US this month. You can go to zerocancer.org to see if there is a race near you. Cincinnati, Dallas and Fort Wayne, IN, you are up this weekend, Sept. 7th.

I am in retail sales and I am wearing my blue ribbon pin and wrist band and I am planning to talk to my customers about PCa and having a PSA test.

Time to get out your recliners and get out the word! yeah

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/2/2013 3:07 AM (GMT 0)
Good for you, Bill.

Each year I try to do something. This year I'm putting a team together for the Zero PC race in Harrisburg, PA on the 27th. Anyone that wants to join us, please email me...love to have you.

Jerry
Posted 9/2/2013 3:22 AM (GMT 0)
Alright Jerry, that's what I'm talking about. Strap on those sneakers and get out there. Put a team together and collect some donations for free PSA test. yeah

Don't sit around and let others do the work. nono

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/2/2013 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
I will be traveling from FL to NY for the GFMPH NY gathering which starts on Sep 26th. Last year I had a special graphic made for my RV and it is still in place. I have traveled almost 11,000 miles since I put it on and it has started countless conversations that has allowed me to talk to folks about Pca.

The graphic is still in place and I look forward to many more conversations started on my trip to NY. Just the other day I took my coach in for servicing in preparation for the trip and the graphic started a conversation with another customer in the parking lot. Just my way of spreading the word. One conversation at a time.

s1147.photobucket.com/user/HWPCa/media/GFMPHRV.jpg.html?filters[user]=126269884&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

Sonny
Posted 9/2/2013 5:19 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Bill, thanks for starting this thread.

So from me, besides my whole "Pay Forward" attitude and approach to all of this, I'm also signed up for two PCa Awareness Run/Walks coming up this month in the Chicago-land area.  I started a thread for these awhile back and didn't get much of a response, so I'm taking advantage of your thread and putting the link to that thread here:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=2790029

BTW I also see that Aaron Rodgers is sporting his "stash" for our cause!

Posted 9/2/2013 11:29 AM (GMT 0)
Sonny that is cool! You really have a sense of humor. Great way to jump start a conversation about PCa. I especially liked the est. 2009 and the Blue Ribbon. I hope to have my picture taken with it in Orlando in March.

Yooper, thanks for adding your post. Get those guys walking and running in the Chicago area. I always thought these 5K events would be for runners only. I have COPD so I couldn't run or I would be in the hospital later. Besides, you get some really cool shirts to wear. The Miles for Men event I am in have special "Survivor" shirts.

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/2/2013 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
Sonny that graphic on the RV is awesome.

Bill at this time I don't do any organized events but I can assure you I have been a one man information center at work, I have more people stopping by my office to chat about the prostate, that some days I don't get much else done.
Posted 9/2/2013 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
Good job Steven. Just getting others to open up and discussing PCa is a big step in the right direction. Talking to other men helps get the discussions going and talking to female employees will help get them to discuss with their men about getting tested.

I see you are in the decision making mode yourself. Good luck with your choice. Once you make it, believe me, you will feel so much more relief.
The anxiety of not knowing what treatment plan you are going to make can eat you up.


Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/2/2013 3:20 PM (GMT 0)
Bill, sure hope you make it over here in March 2014. We are located in the Space Center area and it already looks like this event will be well attended.

The Est. 2009 date was easy. It was the year of the first GFMPH gathering that took place at Worriedguy's house in NY. The event took place 4 days following my surgery in Detroit and that prevented me from going. That first gathering had three attendees. The last one in Baton Rouge was attended by 40+ men and their partners. The gathering scheduled for September 2013 will be the 8th and I have attended 7 of them.

The graphic on the RV is the same graphic I print on the back of the commemorative T-shirt for each event

And it is no coincidence that Worriedguy schedules it for September either.

Sonny
Posted 9/2/2013 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
Sonny if I come up there in March, I will have to deal with my wife. When she sees your RV I am never going to hear the end of it. She has been after me to buy one when I retire in a few years and yours looks pretty cool. Are you in Brevard County? I live down here in Palm Beach County. I used to live in Melbourne back in 2003. You should get pretty good attendance. I am sure I will be talking to you further in the coming months about it.
My surgeon, Dr. Patel is having a fund raiser in March also that I may be attending, seminars all day and black tie event in the evening.

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/2/2013 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
Sonny,

That picture is awesome...
Posted 9/2/2013 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
Great post, Big Mac,

While I will not be going to ZERO Summit this year to lobby congress, my list is still a good one I think:

1> I will take the drive to Los Angeles and attending the annual conference for PCRI leaving next Friday. I have also motioned and had approved using our UsTOO chapter funds to sponsor one member to attend and he will be riding with me.

2> I will be on the radio and television multiple times for prostate cancer awareness and promote educated decisions for men regarding screening and awareness.

3> We are holding our third annual "This One's for the Boys" prostate cancer awareness walk/run at the UNLV campus later this month. I am a co-director and emcee at this function.

I'd like to do more but I also start teaching again in my parish and will also be letting my classes know of our efforts. Time is pretty much taken for this month moving forward and hopefully, even if in a minute way, I hope we can get more men to take care of their health issues and be aware that together we can make a difference by talking about these issues.

Tony
Posted 9/2/2013 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
Tony,
Your plate is always full Tony. PCa awareness is a full time job for you. Thank you for all you do for the cause. I love the name of of the UNLV walk/run. Have a great month!

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/3/2013 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
Wish I was at homeonVegas to meet you Tony and join the walk..
LuAn
Posted 9/3/2013 1:57 PM (GMT 0)
Well, Bill. Great thread you started.

You already mentioned my deal, and its all systems go, though I am still lacking some pertinent details about the agenda for the even, got to get on phone this morning.

While in Charleston this weekend, sitting in a cigar bar with my daughter (she insists we go every visit), had the opportunity to talk with 2 random men in their early to mid 40's. Conversations came up about my health, and that led to an impromptu talk of PC awareness. Neither man ever had a PSA before, one had heard of them, the other was clueless. By the time I got done with them, both were committing to an immediate baseline test.

I don't care if I can only reach one man at the time, its still could be one man at the time saved.

david
Posted 9/3/2013 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome back David, thanks for jumping on board.

I am a recovering alcoholic, sober 24 years. The only way I got sober after many tries was going to meetings and talking to other alcoholics. They knew what I was going through, they knew what it was like, they could tell me what I could expect.

That is what we can do here, one man talking to another man (or his partner). Tell them your story, what happened, what it was like and what it is like now. We all learned about PCa by being diagnosed, some later than others. If we can get one man at a time establish a baseline for themselves we can hopefully prevent that man from finding out to late in the game that he has PCa.

I don't know about you but I had no symptoms when I found out I had PCa. I just had a yearly physical with a PSA test run. Hadn't had a PSA test in the previous 6 years. Many men here say the same thing. We are so used to our automobiles telling us when something isn't right with the motor but our bodies sometimes don't give us a clue that there is something wrong.

Do us proud Saturday, you will have 85,000 screaming fans listening to your message. Hopefully ONE really listens and acts on your message.

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/3/2013 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
LuAn,
You would be most welcome. Maybe someday?

Thanks Mac. It's always good to work with folks on a good cause. And this is a great cause...

Tony
Posted 9/3/2013 6:01 PM (GMT 0)
Every year our paper has a special pullout on Breast Cancer awareness, I believe in October. Last year I convinced them to include Prostate cancer also and I wrote two articles for the pullout on PC and they included some info also.

Since I write the articles for one of the local schools sports along with photos, it was an easy sell for them to include PC also. Will be doing that again this year in the Breast cancer awareness pullout or tab as they called.

I also program the video board at the football field that shows ads before and during the game, and for the last 4 years have mentioned Sept being PC awareness month and get checked.

Ron
Posted 9/3/2013 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Nice job Ron. That will help get the word out. Sometimes if you are in a position like you all you have to do is ask.

I wish we could get the football refs to use blue flags and blue shoes for the month of September, high school, college and the NFL.
What is with the NFL? They go all out for Breast Cancer Awareness but not Prostate Cancer Awareness.
Look how many men we could reach!!! yeah

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/3/2013 8:10 PM (GMT 0)

 

Edited by me because I broke the quote.

Post Edited (Steven D) : 9/3/2013 2:45:54 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/3/2013 8:37 PM (GMT 0)
Steven D, and your point is?

You reposted some of my comment but not all of it and changed the Emoticon to skull and cross bones.

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/3/2013 8:45 PM (GMT 0)

Big Mac said...
Steven D, and your point is?

You reposted some of my comment but not all of it and changed the Emoticon to skull and cross bones.

Bill from Florida cool

Sorry Bill don't know how that happened.

What I tryed to post was.

Bill W is my friend also, although sometimes lately I wish he weren’t. skull

Posted 9/3/2013 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
MIU( Michigan Institute of Urology ) is having a free health clinic for men that includes free PSA screenings on Sept. 21 at Ford Field, Detroit ( Home of the Detroit Lions ). I have been posting up flyers for this event and sending emails to family & friends. I also plan on wearing more - my blue Run for the Ribbon T Shirt that I got for doing that pc event. I would like to get a blue wrist band to wear as well. Good job guys ! Keep up the awareness all year, it's so important as you know.
Posted 9/3/2013 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
DonaldJ,
That sounds really neat. I hope you have a big turn out to have their PSA tested.
I wonder how many will come up with a high PSA. The Zero Run I am in 9/29 has free testing also.
Congrats on your own Zero PSA!

Steven D ,
Thanks for the clarification. As I said in your previous post, good luck with your decision.
Hang in there, get all the information you can get to make an educated choice, there are no do overs. It looks like you have many options to choose from. I chose surgery, wanted it out, NOW!
Take it one day at a time!

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 9/3/2013 10:41 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like a lot of good PC events going on at this time. Makes me happy.

If we each keep doing our small parts, it can and will make a difference.

David
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