Hi Everyone,
I wanted to make you all aware of a wonderful thing we have going on here in Virginia. Through this website I met a lady about my age, her name is Hero, whose father had oral cancer last year. He had the same exact surgery I had, same hospital, same wonderful doctors. He came through the surgery fine but developed a staph infection that eventually led to a fatal heart attack one month after the operation. She contacted Brian about using her dance studio to do a benefit for OCF and Brian had her contact me. The event is called "Pappou's Kids" and is November 20th at the Roper Theater in Norfolk. We are garnering the attention of local news and radio stations and hoping for it to be a success.
Pappou is a common name for a grandfather here in the South and that is what most of the kids at the dance studio called Hero's father, his name was Arthur Kotarides. He built this studio for Hero, from the floor tiles to putting up walls, and he was a fixture at the practices always encouraging the kids. He was a surrogate grandfather to many of them.
My daughters and I met Hero last week and the common threads were amazing. Her dad had the same doctors, hospital, surgery. One of her dancers is one of my former cheerleaders. One of her adult dancers and one of the main organizers of the event is a youth ministry leader at my church, she headed up the youth ministry gymnastics team that my daughter Kelly was a member of last year. SOOOOOOO, the ties were startling and it fueled me even more.
After this dance recital is over Brian, myself and anyone who wants to be a part of it will be having a Walk for Oral Cancer the weekend of April 9-10, 2005. That is the same weekend as the National Oral Cancer Screening Day. I WISH IT COULD BE ANOTHER REUNION DATE FOR ALL OF US!!! It would be awesome to have a large group of survivors in attendance. Virginia Beach is an AWESOME place to visit.
I will let you all know how the recital goes and hopefully this will give everyone a model to go from when you start something similar in the state you live in!
Minnie

Minnie,

Way to go, girl! That is wonderful. I just might mention to my husband that we take a little trip for the walk next April. Virginia isn't that far for us and I have a friend in West Virginia that I need to visit anyway. Could kill 2 birds with one stone.

Good luck with the recital. I hope it is stupendous!

Rosie

Minnie-

Count me in! My husband and I won't be cruising after this last one in December with the girls until after we move and get established in Florida. He plugged the dates into his calendar and I will be there! Might even bring some of my supporters from Kansas with me, namely my sister, but will mention it to my Dr at KU Med and see if we get something going for the Kansas City area in the future. I am SO looking forward to finally meeting you. That will be right at our 2 year mark!

Sincerely,
Lisa

Hello, My husband Bob & I do not post on this site too often, but have found it helpful. Minnie, we just read your posting & we plan on being there for the walk. We have friends in Virginia Beach that we can stay with. I can't express to you how much your posting the idea of a walk meant to us. When I told Bob about the walk, tears came to his eyes & he said "We're going!" He is one month out of radiation, but not back to work yet. Lately, we have been feeling like we are just now catching our breaths! Please keep going with the idea of the walk!

Minnie, that is awesome!!! Count me in for the April 2005 walk (God willing)...Love ya! Carol

Wow, now I'm even more excited about the walk, if that's possible. It would be so wonderful to have a large group of us there to spread the word about our disease. There is POWER in numbers and voices raised as one are heard around the world. Putting many faces on this cancer is the most insulting thing we can do to it and by lending our faces and stories we are saving lives. Can't ask for much more then that after what we've all been through.
Anyone got any new, exciting ideas for our Walk??? If you can't get to Virginia, how about hosting one in your own neck of the woods on the same weekend?? I will gladly help from a distance. I've never met Brian yet his presence is well known with the benefit we are doing the 20th of this month, he's been an enormous help to us.
Let's leave our mark on this world people, who knows, maybe it's our destiny.
Minnie

Hi Minnie,
My name is Rosalie. I was diagnosed with Oral Cancer in October 2002 and Thyroid Cancer in January 2003. I had 30 percent of my tongue removed.
I have spoken to Brian about the walk you are doing because I am also interested in doing a walk in Philadelphia. After reading your story I am now thinking maybe I should come to Virginia Beach and also do a walk in Philadelphia. It would be great if we can do these walks a couple times a year and help raise money to find a cure and an awareness for Oral Cancer. How are you getting this walk together. I would like to know how I can organize a walk for Oral Cancer in Phila. I found it so inspiring to read what you are planning to do.
Please reply.
Rosalie Stern Oral Cancer survivor never staged

Hi Rosalie,
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to reply, it's been a busy month in my household.
The walk I am working on is taking shape quite nicely, I'm excited. The Eastern Virginia Medical School has taken an interest in the walk and will be offering it's media sources/assistance. Doctors are lined up already to do free oral screenings. I am 99% sure that I have my first "big" sponsor, a very wealthy local man that my husband met who is a cancer survivor. Brian is guiding me with everything so it's bound to be a success. Lot's of OCF members want to come so I'm hoping it will also serve as a sequel to the Las Vegas trip that I missed.
With Christmas over I can get back to focusing on this event and I'll keep everyone posted.
Minnie

HiMinnie,
The events you planned sound so exciting. Please tell me how you organized the walk. I was treated at University of Pennsylvania Hospital. There is a support group there, which I have never been to any of the meetings. I was thinking of talking to the group about organizing a walk. I'm not sure about where to begin. I can also talk to my doc about it. Do you have any suggestions.
Also, can you name a couple of hotels in Virginia Beach that I can call to make reservations for the walk. I really want to be there.
Rosalie

Rosalie,

I was/am also being treated at HUP. I didn't know Penn had a support group. The only group I am aware of that meets there is SPOHNC which meets in Penn Tower at some ridiculous time like 9:30 am on Weds. Guess they don't think cancer survivors work.

Minnie,
That's too far in advance for me to commit to now. When you give hotels, tell me which ones are beach front. How amy hours drive in VA Beach from mid NJ?

Take care,
Eileen