Hi everyone! I've been away from the boards for a while (death in my family and I'm working on an oral cancer public awareness project that is taking up a lot of my free time) but I didn't see any postings about this upcoming walk in New York on April 15th that will benefit the Oral Cancer Foundation. Forgive me if I missed it and there has already been a big discussion.

I would like to encourage any OCFers who can get to New York on April 15th to get out and walk and raise some money for the foundation. Last year Minnie, Danny Boy, Carole, Tom and Nikki, Rosie, and I (sorry if I forgot anyone), and some of our families got together for the walk in Virginia and had a great time. It was pretty windy, but we still had fun.

This year, the walk is being organized by some dental students from NYU and co-sponsored by OCF, The Yul Brenner Foundation, the Oral Cancer Consortium, NYU Collge of Dentistry and ABC Channel 7. I am working to get dental practices from New Jersey and New York to come walk that day.

Last year my family and I raised a lot of money for OCF and we plan to do it again this year. Anyone interested in joing my family and I in New York?

Barb

Here is a link to the event information, and also to the web store if someone cares to sponsor a walker in the event. http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/events/current_events.htm

I am unable to attend this year's walk, but would love to sponsor a walker in the event. I will send the money in because I cannot download the sponsor sheet for some reason. Who needs a sponsor? Carol

I cannot download the sponsor sheet either. My family and I would love to sponsor a walker or two. Please let me know how I can help.

John

I have checked the sponsor sign up sheet and it is dowloading properly. If you are a PC user with an older operating system, try right clicking on the link. Also this sheet is for WALKERS to go out and sign up people who will pledge money for them. If we have pledges available here, I will give you an email for one of the walkers in NY that you can contact, or you can sponsor them directly through the OCF store for $20.00

Brian, just want to let you know that I will be there and hope you are planning on being there, too. It would be great to meet you.

Jerry

Wish I could be, but I will be in Houston during that period. While you are there please look up Dr. Ross Kerr at NYU who is heavily involved with the students that are putting on the walk event. He is a really great guy and a huge oral cancer advocate. Ross was the one that saw that I was honored with a membership in the American Academy of Oral Medicine this year. I think the two of you will really hit it off. If you want his contact info before you go just let me know but without doubt he will be at the registration booth on the day of the walk. Also please make it a point to introduce yourself to Dean Mike Alfano who will be around. I owe Mike more than I can detail here, and he has been a long term and huge supporter of both OCF and me personally. You can see a couple of awards that I was on the receiving end of in the about us section, press releases. Both were presented to me by Mike. He has been a major factor in helping me find the original direction of OCF and making key introductions for me.

For you, Barb, and any other OCF walkers that are attending.... please contact me by email for free OCF shirts to wear at the walk if you like.

Brian,

Although I have never met Ross, he and I have spoken on the phone and emailed each other for about the last 6 months. I will hopefully be speaking to his class of students next year. He is supposed to be sending me a copy of Nexus with your editorial in it. I hope he follows through as I am very interested in seeing it.

I have already made contact with Ross about meeting at the walk. Sorry you can't be there I was looking forward to finally meeting you. I would have been at your award presentation last year at NYU, but it was close to my surgery and I found out about it late.

I have had no contact with the dean, but I will definately look him up.

I believe they are giving "Oral Cancer Walk" tee shirts out at the event to the first 500 registered walkers. Wondering how it would go over if we wore an OFC shirt instead of theirs.

Jerry

I don't know that it would be an issue, after all, all the proceeds from this event are to benefit OCF, and one student and I conceptualized and started the ball rolling on all this last Oct. I just thought that given the number of dental students walking it would perhaps allow you to stand out from them and engage in dialogs that might not come up otherwise if you were just another walker.... and you clearly are not. You are a survivor, and uniquely one in the profession they aspire to graduate into. But please, do what you think is appropriate.

I have sponsored a walker, and hopefully will have someone there to walk in my place. (BIL lives in NYC, and daughter's friend is in school there) I think our Florida contingent should work on getting a walk in Tampa, Miami or Jacksonville where they have H&N programs. I am willing to work on this with some direction of how to start. Not sure of dental schools in the different areas to push early detection, I'd love it if Orlando had one! With some guidance, I am a woman with a mission!

After a year of total change, I am finally getting in a position to give back, and plan to do so annually on my dx/surgery date. Completing year three is just the beginning.

Sincerely,
Lisa