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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPPT4 - City Council Announcement7 If the cancer had not spread to the lymph nodes in the abdominal area there would be no Chemo. A peritoneal node dissection was done and it showed no spread. The decision was to watch - crrmer erne! the marker and if it went out of range the Chemo would begin. I made through the 5 years with no complications and my Oncologist stated that I was 99% cured. SURVIVOR JERRY STROM My story is one of early detection, luck and the grace of God. In late September, 1981, I began to experience pain in the area of my groin. My first thought was a sports injury and of course I didn't think much of it. The pain continued and did not go away it just got worse. I then decided to see my doctor in early October, 1981. My doctor quickly sent me to an Urolo- gist, who had just returned from a conference in Austin, Texas, the topic was on testicular cancer. The Doctor immediately ran some tests, which included a full blood panel including a tumor marker test for testicular cancer. The marker test came back way out of range. More tests, scans and then surgery. The surgery was at Hoag Hospital where they removed the right testicle. Another tumor marker test and the marker fell back into the normal range. The next step was whether I would be given Chemo- therapy. The Doctors decided to do another series of tests and then surgery to see if the cancer had spread. Although there is no cure for cancer, there is survival. To survive it is very important to detect cancer early before it metastasizes. I was very lucky and detected my cancer early. 26 years later I continue to thank the Lord for this second chance of life. Testicular cancer usually happens to males between the ages of 18 and 38. That period of life a young man feels that he is infallible. Remember to listen to your body it may save your life. May 16TH -17TH, 2009 RELAY FOR LIFE NEWPORT BEACH Newport Harbor High School 600 Irvine Ave. Newport Beach www. relayforlife.org /newportbeachca Creative Services Donated by Enlarge Media Group, enlaigemedia.corn e RELAY FOR LIFE IN AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE z SURVIVOR MARSHALL & MARAGRET Marshall and Margaret Freeman had no idea what Relay For Life was when they agreed to travel from San Francisco to participate in the Survivor's Lap last year. Their daughter asked them to come, so they did. They'll be back this year and for years to come. "It's a big happy event and it really transports you into a feeling that you have fought or are fighting cancer as part of a community of others who are dealing with the same issues," says Marshall, a prostrate cancer survivor who will celebrate his 77th birthday at this year's Relay. "You feel not so much alone in dealing with cancer." His wife Margaret, three years clear of aggres- sive type II B ovarian cancer, was equally touched by the Relay. "The experience of walk- ing around that track amidst all those happy, purple - shirted survivors powerfully demon- strated how many people now survive and can go on to lead joyful and productive lives," she observes. "The experience of walking around that track amidst all those happy, purple - shirted survivors powerfully demonstrated how many people now survive and can go on to lead joyful and produc- tive lives," she observes. With three of their grandchildren and hundreds of strangers cheering them on, the short Survi- vors Lap generated lifelong memories for the couple. "I can't remember the last time someone I didn't know openly clapped and cheered for something I was doing!" Marshall comments. "I think we can go through life these days without ever having that happen, but it happened to me because of Relay For Life." Margaret loved the "glistening eyes of my teen- age granddaughter as she pointed to the letters 'HOPE' being spelled out in the grandstands surrounding the track." The high -fives from her grandsons weren't bad either. "Those moments, and many more, will live in my heart forever," she says. The Relay was an eye- opener for Marshall. "I'd been caught in the older generation's concept of any discussion of one's cancer being a very personal thing which was really not fit for discus- sion beyond your family," he explains. "Being part of the Relay helped put me more squarely into the healthier modern view that there is nothing to hide or be embarrassed about in having cancer." Look for Marshall and Margaret at this year's Relay, getting and giving inspiration as they proudly strut their stuff among family, fellow survi- vors and new -found friends. "it is a true privilege to be able to help raise monies" Hello my name is Steve Lewis and I presently work for the Newport Beach Fire Department. I was asked to share a few words about how cancer has touched my life. I was like many kids of my generation when we used to go to the beach and lay around under the sun trying to get the golden tan we all wanted. In fact to help enhance that tan we would use baby oil and coco butter to help cook us a little faster. As you may know skin cancer ranks right up near the top as one of the leading killers in America. It may take years to mani- fest itself but as in my case it does surface. I was one of the many who have had malignant mela- noma removed three times from my body. My first reaction when I heard I had some skin cancer was "big deal" everyone gets a little of it. I was sure no one ever died from it. My physician was quick to remind me at the first incident of the cancer the numbers that die every year from skin cancer. Needless to say, she got my attention. I have since realized that it is the one form of cancer that we can truly help eradicate through education and prevention. `7t is a true privilege to be able to help raise monies for the research and education against this insidious disease. I hope you join us in participating in the Newport Beach Relay for Life coming in May.