Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Happily Ever After...and Other Endings

Doug Jackson
Cancer has touched many of our lives, whether you have had cancer yourself or a loved one has had cancer.  Not every story turns out the same.  Some have a "happily ever after" and some have other endings.

In 2011, there were three people in my life diagnosed with cancer.  My best friend, Doug Jackson, and a co-worker of mine were both diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer.  Another friend of mine, Debbie Rollins, was diagnosed with cancer.

Doug was a vibrant man.  He owned his own business, Doug's Flowers and Gifts in Strong City.  He made flower arrangements for the White House, was one of FTD's top 10 florists in the world, designed and built Tournament of Roses parade floats, was one of a handful of florists for the Atlanta Olympics, and competed in global floral competitions.  He also was a volunteer for the chorus.  Doug saw his doctor regularly and thought his PSA levels were being checked...they were not.  When they discovered he had cancer, he was already in stage 4 and the cancer was spreading rapidly.  He fought the cancer for over a year finally succumbing to it on May 14, 2012.  He was 59 years old at the time of his death.  Medical costs consumed his retirement and savings.

My co-worker in the Wichita Public Schools was a teacher for over 30 years.  He spent his career teaching at-risk students and was popular with his students and co-workers.  He is also a local Wichita business owner.  His story turned out differently than Doug's.  He was able to beat the cancer and is cancer free today.

Debbie Rollins lost her battle with cancer a few months after Doug had passed away.  His death had hit her pretty hard.  She called Doug her cancer buddy.  They went with each other to their treatments.  Doug and Debbie had been good friends for many years.
Debbie Rollins

The work of organizations that provide support for cancer patients and their families and the research done to find cures and treatments for cancer are very important.  That is why the Heart of America Men's Chorus has partnered up with the American Cancer Society to bring awareness about the efforts of this organization in the fight against cancer.  With your help, we can help make more "happily ever afters" and lessen the pain of the other endings.

HOAMC will present "Red, White, and Cure" on June 27th and 28th at Newman University's Demattias Performance Hall.


HOAMC Beneficiary for Red, White, and Cure: American Cancer Society

Image+-+Index+-+AboutACS+-+Intro+-+20121022

Wichita Office

330 South Main Street Suite 100
Wichita, Kansas 67202
Phone: (316)-265-3400
Hours: 8:30 - 5:00 (C)
 
For over 100 years, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has worked relentlessly to save lives and create a world with less cancer. Together with millions of our supporters worldwide, we help people stay well and get well, find cures, and fight back against cancer.

Together with our millions of supporters, the American Cancer Society (ACS) saves lives by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.
The American Cancer Society is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the ACS has regional and local offices throughout the country that support 11 geographical Divisions and ensure we have a presence in every community.


American Cancer Society mission statement

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.

International mission statement

The American Cancer Society's international mission concentrates on capacity building in developing cancer societies and on collaboration with other cancer-related organizations throughout the world in carrying out shared strategic directions.
 

Facts about ACS

About Your American Cancer Society

As the largest voluntary health organization in the United States, the American Cancer Society is committed to saving lives and finishing the fight against cancer. We combine our relentless passion with the wisdom of over a century of experience to make this vision a reality, and we get results. Thanks in part to our contributions, more than 1.5 million lives have been saved in the US in the past two decades.
  
How the American Cancer Society Is Organized

The American Cancer Society, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation governed by a single Board of Directors that sets policy, develops and approves an enterprise-wide strategic plan and related resource allocation, and is responsible for the performance of the organization as a whole, with the advice and support of regionally based volunteer boards. 

The Society’s structure includes a central corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as regional and local offices supporting 11 geographic Divisions. The corporate office is responsible for overall strategic planning; corporate support services like human resources, financial management, IT, etc.; development and implementation of global and nationwide endeavors such as our groundbreaking research program, our global health program, and our 24-hour call center; and provides technical support and materials to regional and local offices for local delivery.

Our regional and local offices are organized to engage communities in the cancer fight, delivering patient programs and services and raising money at the local level. Offices are strategically placed around the country in an effort to maximize the impact of our efforts, and to be as efficient as possible with the money donated to the Society to help finish the fight against cancer.

Volunteers

The Society relies on the strength of approximately 2.5 million dedicated volunteers. Supported by professional staff, Society volunteers drive every part of our mission. They raise funds to support crucial research, provide cancer patients rides to and from treatments, and give one-on-one support to those facing a cancer diagnosis – and that’s just the beginning.

How the American Cancer Society Is Saving Lives

Together with our millions of supporters, the American Cancer Society saves lives by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.

Stay well: We help people take steps to prevent cancer or find it at its earliest, most treatable stage.

  • We develop guidelines for recommended screening tests, so people know what tests they need to help prevent cancer or find it at its earliest, most treatable stage.
  • We develop nutrition and physical activity guidelines to help people eat healthy and get active.
  • On cancer.org, individuals can create a personalized health action plan to use to talk with their doctor about what cancer screening tests and healthy lifestyle choices are right for them.
  • Through the Quit For Life® Program, brought to you by the American Cancer Society and Alere Wellbeing, we help people to quit smoking by providing them with the resources they need to make a quit attempt and stay tobacco-free.
Get well: We’re available around the clock to help people through every step of their cancer experience.

  • Whether people have questions about cancer, need practical solutions to daily problems like finding a ride to treatment, or want support from someone who has been there, they can reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-227-2345.
  • Each year, we provide information, help, and support to the nearly one million individuals who contact us. Our website serves more than 32 million visitors each year, offering access to the latest information and news on cancer and helping people find programs and services in their area.
  • Through the American Cancer Society Clinical Trials Matching Service, we connect patients with more than 6,000 ongoing studies.  
  • Through our American Cancer Society Hope Lodge® network, we provide cancer patients and their families with free overnight lodging when they have to travel away from home for treatment. In 2013, we provided more than 265,000 nights of free lodging to nearly 43,000 patients and caregivers, saving them nearly $38 million in lodging expenses.
  • With 121 sites at hospitals and treatment centers across the country, the American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program provides one-on-one guidance to people facing cancer. In 2013, the program served more than 77,000 people.
Find cures: We fund and conduct research that helps us better understand, prevent, and find cures for cancer.

  • As the largest private, not-for-profit funder of cancer research, having spent more than $4 billion on cancer research since 1946, we’ve played a role in nearly every cancer breakthrough in recent history. 
  • Our own research and that of our funded researchers helped:
    • Confirm the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.
    • Establish the link between obesity and multiple cancers.
    • Develop drugs to treat leukemia and advanced breast cancer.
    • Show that mammography is the most effective way to detect breast cancer. 
  • We fund beginning researchers with cutting-edge ideas early in their careers – 47 of whom have gone on to win the Nobel Prize, the highest accolade in scientific achievement.  
Fight back: We work with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities worldwide to join the fight.
  • Together with our nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), we have helped:
    • Enact policies that prevent cancer, such as smoke-free laws and others that prevent and curb cigarette smoking.
    • Educate lawmakers on policies that provide access to quality and affordable health care, including cancer screening tests and treatments.
    • Encourage increased federal investment in cancer research.
  • As the world’s largest movement to end cancer, 4 million people across the globe participate in the more than 6,000 American Cancer Society Relay For Life® events held each year.
  • The American Cancer Society is the leader in the fight to end breast cancer. Our Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® events unite nearly 300 communities across the nation to help save lives from breast cancer – and together, to finish the fight against the disease.
 

Join the Movement for More Birthdays

Art Music Birthdays
For 100 years, the American Cancer Society has been working to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. We believe every birthday you celebrate is a victory. Another year that cancer has not prevailed. Your birthday means everything to us. That’s why we’re fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. This year nearly 14 million cancer survivors will celebrate another birthday, thanks in part to the progress we've already made. But we can't stop there. With your help, we can create a world with even more celebrations, more laughter, and more birthdays for all. Together we will achieve a day when cancer never steals another year from anyone’s life. Join us today!
 
 

The Heart of America Men's Chorus is Registered with ICTArtDOG (Art Day Of Giving) 2015

 

Support The Arts In Wichita

Art Day of Giving (ArtDOG) is a 24-hour charitable giving campaign designed to support area nonprofits related to the arts. Participating organizations have the opportunity to both increase their donor bases, as well as bring awareness to not only their nonprofit, but the arts in general.

What is ArtDOG?

Wichita ArtDOG is a 24-hour online fundraising event created to rally community support for local arts organizations. This unique one-day fundraiser is a project of the Wichita Community Foundation (WCF). The event will be on Friday, April 24, 2015, from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m
The Wichita Community Foundation brings this event to the area with several goals in mind, including:
  • To raise awareness of the current needs of arts organizations in the community
  • To encourage local arts nonprofits to learn how to use digital tools
  • To inspire donors to increase financial support of their favorite local arts organizations
ArtDOG 2014, held on Feb. 28, raised nearly $550,000 for 38 Wichita arts nonprofit organizations.

Heart of America Men's Chorus

This year, HOAMC is participating in ArtDOG 2015.  Heart of America Men's Chorus dedicates itself to warming hearts, building relationships, inspiring change, and transforming lives through the pursuit of excellence in the performance of men's choral literature. HOAMC was designed to provide a group of volunteer individuals the opportunity for cultural enrichment, musical education, and social interaction. With the community in mind, we also strive to collaborate with local charitable groups, raising funds and awareness through music.


To donate to the chorus or any participating arts organization, go to ICTArtDog.org.  Click on the Arts Organizations button at the top and click on the organization of your choice (Hopefully we are one of them).  Donations of any amount go toward singer scholarships, sheet music expense, accompanist and tech expenses, and general operations.  Thank you in advance for your support.


Donor participation

Any individual, family or business may donate to ArtDOG. Donations to nonprofit organizations are tax-deductible and irrevocable. Online contributions can be made via credit or debit card only. Those who wish to make a gift by cash or check may contact the organization to whom the gift would go directly.

About the Wichita Community Foundation



The WCF is the catalyst that creates lasting legacies by partnering with people, families and organizations to devote resources to causes that matter.
Founded in 1986 by community leaders dedicated to making Wichita a better place to live, grow, and give, the Foundation is a public nonprofit organization with nearly 300 charitable funds and agency endowments representing more than $69 million. WCF staff work as conveners, providing a point of contact between those in need and those who can assist.

Deck the Gardens Fundraiser May 9th


Bitchy Bingo Bitches in Bloom, Thursday April 16th at 7pm at Rain