The weather was great, the sun was shining and as I sit here typing the first signs of the noreaster are tapping on my windows. Must have been someone up there watching out for the walkers today.

You are all too kind. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I have no idea how much money was raised in total, but I was able to surpass my last year's fund raising by over 50%. With the generosity of my family, friends and my OCF family, I handed in $3,310 today. Add to a matching company donation and those made on the website, as of today, the total is $3,515. Barbara Boland added about $5,000 more and I have no idea what else was collected. I'm sure Brian will update us when the numbers are in.

Besides Barbara and me, the OCF was represented by Joanne and Jack from Priceton, NJ. (screen name JoAnne1981). We got to know each other a little today and I was overwhelmed with Jack's progress. Just 8 months after the completion of his treatment, he is doing extremely well. I had trouble keeping up with him at one point, but he is younger.

I was honored to address the group before the walk began and although a little nervous, as public speaking is not my forte, I was able to read my charge to the dental and hygiene students. My theme was that "Early Detection Can Save Lives". My message was that they continue to educate the public and that they must also educate the dental community, as far too many of our members had their cancers missed by their dentists and hygienists.

I was preceded by a 4 year survivor who I spoke to before the formal part of the event began. His name is Le Roy Saxon and he fits the profile of the segment of the population that this screening was trying to reach. He is a black male, late 30's to early 40's, former smoker and drinker. He had 50% of his tongue removed, a major neck dissection and radiation. He is a drummer and his band performed for the group and showed their support for someone that they obviously love. His message was punctuated by the emotion that he showed while speaking of how happy he was to be alive.

It was great also sharing this event with my wife Marilyn, 2 children and one of my grandchildren, my partner Jeff (also a cancer survivor with multiple myeloma) and friends whose mother is an oral cancer survivior. She is 95 years old. Our granddaughter, Julia, made sure we were the last ones in from the walk as she kept changing her mode of transportation from feet, to carriage, to my shoulders.

I'm not sure how many people were screened, but I did run into a man who had brought his wife to the walk because she had "something" on her tongue. This year, in addition to the outdoor screenings, NYU had a moblie dental van which allowed the use of the VELscope, which requires a darkened room.

Between Jeff and my wife and me, we have some pictures which I will get to Brian to post on the site. These pictures will also be going to a writer for the American Dental Association News which I hope will go through with their promise to me to do a story about the event and the OCF. Last year, they had only a captioned photo with no mention of the fund raising being done for us. I have been on their case about this since then.

Even with a 1.5 hour nap upon getting home, I'm exhausted, so I'm off to bed.

Again, thanks for your kind words.

Jerry