Advice – Brian P. Dowd's Blog

2012 LIVESTRONG Assembly Summary & New Projects

As most of you already know or have seen the pictures on my facebook page I recently represented the great state of New Jersey and Region 1 (NJ, CT & RI) as a Senior LIVESTRONG Leader at the annual LIVESTRONG Assembly in Austin, Texas.

The 200 LIVESTRONG Leaders from 26 countries are highly engaged constituents identified by the Lance Armstrong Foundation to be representatives within their communities, where they support and promote the Foundation’s mission to serve people affected by cancer and empower communities to take action against the world’s leading cause of death.

During the Assembly, we were trained and educated on the goals and priorities of the Foundation and learned our role in supporting the organization’s mission here at home. We were also able to meet and share best practices with other LIVESTRONG partners who run programs in cities across the nation and around the world.

I was given the opportunity to sit on a panel and discuss how I work with our community organizations and hospitals to ensure they have the material and information about LIVESTRONG free One-on-One support, Navigation services and programs. It was a great experience to share my successes and challenges over the years and I received great feedback afterwards. It is a great feeling knowing you were able to help others.

Upon returning home, I have recently joined the New Jersey DHSS – Office of Cancer Control and Prevention work group on Advocacy and participated in my first meeting with them this week. Focus of this group is Advocating in NJ for specific bills, awareness, etc. I can see there will be a lot to learn and a lot I can offer.

I have also started to work with Camp Kesem UPENN. Camp Kesem UPENN is a student-run summer camp for children who have or had a parent with cancer and they are a LIVESTRONG Partner Program. I will be assisting them with raising awareness about the camp, fundraising and visiting the camp in August. I am also in discussions about joining the Camp Kesem UPENN Advisory Board.

On the awareness front I am working with the Lakewood BlueClaws to hold a LIVESTRONG Theme night in late July. I met with their Director of Special Events this week and we all agree we can do a theme night. Now we need to select a date and do the planning. This gives us an opportunity to reach between 7000-8000 people and let them know about LIVESTRONG and their free services.

In the area of fundraising I focus my effort on my participation in the LIVESTRONG Challenge Philly August 18-19. Currently I have raised over $2,600 and my goal it to raise $10,000. I formed a team called Jersey Shore Area for LIVESTRONG and I am working with other NJ LIVESTRONG Leaders to try and raise $20,000.

All of us in attendance made new connections that we will build up over the next few weeks and months to help make a difference in our communities. I plan to continue to advocate and fundraise on behalf of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, as well as educate the residents of New Jersey about the Foundation’s many free resources and programs that help improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

LIVESTRONG!

Websites:

LIVESTRONG: http://www.livestrong.org

Jersey Shore Area for LIVESTRONG: http://jerseyshorearea4livestrong.wordpress.com/fundraising/

New Jersey DHSS – Office of Cancer Control and Prevention: http://www.nj.gov/health/ccp/

Camp Kesem UPENN: http://www.campkesem.org/upenn

Lakewood BlueClaws: http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t427

Vote Online to help The Cancer Institute of NJ get a LIVESTRONG Grant

Please take a minute to read the following post and vote for CINJ. Help us bring The Cancer Institute of New Jersey a new Arts in Healthcare program.

http://vote.livestrong.org/applicants/102-the-cancer-institute-of-new-jersey-robert-wood-joh/

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School: CINJ is a robust clinical enterprise with over 83,000 patient visits in 2009. For our 2010 Survivors Day Celebration, Robin Glazer, Director of the Creative Center: Arts in Healthcare was the key-note speaker at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ). Attendees of this program (patients, family members and health care providers) loved the Creative Center’s approach and philosophy. Several attendees contacted our office and the Creative Center’s to learn more about this program.

Promoting healing experiences is crucial, and with an Artist in Residence Program we will have the opportunity to institutionalize this value into our existing operations.

The Creative Center, Arts in Healthcare: The Creative Center was founded in 1994 on the belief that “medicine cures the body, but art heals the spirit”. The Creative Center has been a LIVESTRONG Community Partner since 2003 and in 2010 has been chosen as a Model Program selected for replication in communities across the United States through LIVESTRONG Community Program funding.

Selected as a “best practice” model by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Creative Center’s Artists-in-Residence program will work bedside and in small group settings with men, women, and children − in oncology units, bone marrow transplant units, intensive care/respiratory units, hospice and palliative care programs. The program offers their patients the opportunity to learn about and become absorbed in their own creative resources as they meet the challenges of diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.

Selected sites for this Model Program will receive $5,000 to cover the cost of supplies for the program, & one year of direct support from The Creative Center to ensure the successful implementation of this program; all costs associated with the artist’s stipends along with consultation costs associated with The Creative Center will be covered by LIVESTRONG.

Relief from anxiety
Distraction from pain
Respite from boredom
A safe outlet for their emotions
Extended contact with a caring and supportive individual, which can augment the hospital’s patient support services
An experience of mastery at a time when they have little control over their daily lives
Strengthened communication with the hospital staff, especially when patients’ artwork is displayed and the staff has the opportunity to interact with the patient as a creative and unique individual
An enhanced perception of the hospital as a nurturing and healing environment

Facilitators of this program will work closely with the Creative Center and assist with managing the artist’s time, ensuring appropriate supplies are purchased by following the lists provided by the Creative Center, , and connecting the artist in residence with cancer survivors that are interested in participating. Additionally, facilitators will be responsible for returning a facilitator survey to LIVESTRONG, along with handing out LIVESTRONG provided surveys to participants in the program.

The application process is now closed. Voting will begin the week of October 12.

Call Your Doctor

Today is World Cancer Day—a global day of awareness created by the International Union Against Cancer. As you might already know, cancer is about to become the #1 cause of death in the world. This is why it is important that we use World Cancer Day to make our family and friends aware of cancer and encourage everyone to “CALL YOUR DOCTOR” and make an appointment to get a physical and ask questions.

Everyone knows of the emotional roller coaster which is caused by cancer, but most people do not realize that most cancers can be prevented or at least, if caught early, cured. This can only happen if everyone takes a proactive stance against cancer. This proactive stance today is “CALL YOUR DOCTOR” and make an appointment. It is that simple!

Make your appointment to get your yearly physical and ensure you speak to your doctor about cancer and the different types which you, at your age, should be aware of. Make sure you tell your doctor about any abnormal lumps, irregular feelings in parts of your body or even in how often you go to the bathroom.

Let’s face it, it is not easy for a person to open up about how they are feeling but if there is one person who you should make sure you talk to that is your doctor. If you have health related concerns or questions you need to talk to your doctor. Maybe you get light headed every once in a while, maybe you get blurred vision when driving, maybe you have a hard time going to the bathroom or maybe you feel a lump on your breast. What ever your concern make sure that your doctor hears your voice.

Trust me when I say I can relate. Three years ago I felt a lump on my right testicle and did not tell anyone for a few days and in retrospect I should have told my wife immediately and made a doctors appointment. As it turned out, I had cancer. I was lucky to have caught it early. The only reason I am hear today is because I “CALLED MY DOCTOR” and got checked out.

Do yourself, your wife or husband, your son or daughter, your mom or dad a favor and “CALL YOUR DOCTOR” today.

LIVESTRONG!

Brian P. Dowd

Fundraising Advice: Create Team Sponsorships

If you participate in a fundriasing event (LIVESTRONG Challenge, Relay For Life, MS Walk, March of Dimes, etc.) An easy way to raise a few hundred or even few thousand dollars is to create a team for the event and then get businesses (local or national) to sponsor your team. You would be surprised to learn that a lot of businesses want to sponsor your team.

Here are some pointers on getting sponsors.

Create a sponsorship form – give information on the sponsorship opportunity, create different levels of sponsorship($100, $250, $500, 1000 or more) with recognition for each level, include payment information (online or mail in) and agreement. To see a sample sponsorship form got to http://teamdownone.com/uploads/Team_Sponsorship_Form.pdf Please feel free to use as a template.

Create a cover letter with information on the event, why you are doing it and information on the organization you are fundraising for. If you are a survivor or a loved one is make sure to hit on the personal points of why this means so much to you. Personalizing it will go a long way in gettign the support you require.

Go out to your local businesses and national chains to get them to sponsor you. For local businesses go door to door. For national chains go to their Community Relations departments. Remember to network with family, friends and coworkers.

You will find sponsors and this does not take a lot of work. All sponsorships should go directly to the organization via online or mail, but remember to get credit for it. I hope this helps at least one person as it will ultimately help raise funds.

Category	Numbers
Weight Loss GOAL	90	Weigh In
Starting Weight	0	340
Week #1 Weight Loss	11	329
Week #2 Weight Loss	6	323
Week #3 Weight Loss	3	320
Week #4 Weight Loss	4	316
Week #5 Weight Loss	2	314
Week #6 Weight Loss	2	312
Week #7 Weight Loss	2	310
Week #8 Weight Loss	1	309
Week #9 Weight Loss	2	307
Week #10 Weight Loss	3	304
Week #11 Weight Loss	2	302
Week #12 Weght Loss	2	300
Week #13 Weight Loss	2	298
Week #14 Weight Loss	1	297
Total Weight Loss	43
Weight Loss % of GOAL	47.78%

Current Weight	297
Weight % Loss of Starting Weight	12.65%