This season Wisconsin Prep Hockey wanted to show how much our hockey
family cares and decided to do a fundraiser to benefit the following two organizations:

• McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research
• American Family Children’s Hospital – Patient Family Fund

We all know someone who has had to battle some form of cancer.  In September 2010 (www.livescience.com) Amanda Chan wrote, “The dread and fear that can come with a cancer diagnosis have their roots in its killer nature: It's the No. 2 cause of death in Americans, second only to heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even when diagnosed early and attacked with the latest treatments, it still has the power to kill.”

Medical News Today (www.medicalnewstoday.com) on September 30, 2014 listed that heart disease and cancer are still the top 2 causes of deaths.

We all have heroes in our lives and for many their main heroes are their parents.  I am grateful to have my parents and the examples they set for me.  I have other heroes, too.  Some have survived cancer, while some have lost loved ones to cancer.  Here are some of their stories:

Lauren Andersen

Lauren Andersen was diagnosed at age eight with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). She fought courageously through a long and difficult treatment to eventually triumph over cancer. Reflecting on that time brings back memories of the wonderful people that walked along side Lauren and her family during the fight against cancer. The list is long and includes doctors, nurses, classmates, teachers, pastors, friends and so many more. Her accomplishment would not have been possible without advances in treatment achieved through research being done right here in Wisconsin that is funded by generous donations. Lauren is now 21 years old and is studying to become a nurse. She would like to work in a pediatric setting someday and give back to others what she was so blessed to receive as a child. Hope.

Lauren enjoys watching her sister, Nina, play hockey for the USM Girls’ CO-OP.

Sharon Green

When I found out I had cancer, my first thought was of my 5-year old daughter and how she was going to cope.  The requisite surgeries and treatments needed to fight the disease left me with no energy and little opportunity to spend quality time with her.  As much as I tried to maintain stability and routine, that was nearly impossible while undergoing regular chemo treatments and then daily radiation.  Compound that with four surgeries in 18 months and I barely had time to do anything else.  Luckily, I have amazing parents who stepped up to provide my daughter with constant love and attention when I couldn’t.  This, along with honest open communication about my illness, allowed her to resiliently weather my health issues. 

Family and friends overwhelmed me with help and encouragement.  But, what really surprised and warmed my heart was the support I received from colleagues and strangers.  I am normally very independent and didn’t realize how much assistance I would need.  Allowing myself to depend on others was hard at first, I thought they’d see me as a burden, but I soon realized it benefited them as much as me.  Cancer has touched almost everyone’s life.  People I barely knew would come up to me with stories of their personal struggle with cancer or a loved one’s experience.  I drew strength from that and found I was not alone.  I connected with these people on a different level and allowed myself to express my fears and worries, which I avoided doing with close family and friends who I knew were not dealing well with my diagnosis.  Money was another worry I had.  Although I had insurance, my out of pocket expenses began to add up and being out of work so much affected my income. I found great support through resources at the hospital that were funded by donations.  Many of my medicines were subsidized, as well as my prosthetic, wig, and apparel.  One of the best things that has come out of having cancer (if that’s possible) is the realization of how selfless, giving and caring people can be in supporting the struggles of others they may not even know.

Oleta Kay Scanlon

Cancer?  That word seems to scare everyone.  It is so prominent that no one has not experienced it in some way... through family, co-worker, a friend or friend of a friend.  It just seems to be hidden in plain sight.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, it was certainly not unknown to me.  I had family, several friends and co-workers who had cancer.  Most of them did not survive cancer and some came through with bad effects from it.  I learned very early in life, that if you have a problem you cannot handle give it over to God.

I was more worried about how my family would handle this than I was about what it would do to me.  I was positive from the first that this was not going to leave me or my family scarred by the effects.  In fact, I had though about not going for my latest mammogram, because I had read that once you turned 70 and had not had any signs of cancer before that, you need not have any more mammograms.  But since I already had scheduled the mammo I decided not to cancel it, but let them know that this would be my last one.  My radiologist told me that I needed to come back in, because they saw something they needed to check out on my left breast.

On my return visit, sure enough I had three spots that needed to be cut out.  One cam back benign and the other two were malignant.  It was caught early enough that I did not have to take chemo, but every day for 8 weeks I had to take radiation treatments.  It made me weak and tired, but no other effects except for my hair thinning.  My family was there for me, my friends called wishing me well and I kept a positive outlook and turned all my worries over to my Creator.  He died for me once and I knew He was not going to let me down now. I'm almost 4 years out from my surgery.  I have one more year to take my cancer medication and I am positive that when I have my 5 year check-up I will then be cancer free.

I still get twinges and a little pain from the surgery where the muscles are trying to reconnect, but nothing like some people have to go through.  Sometimes I am almost embarrassed to say I had cancer, because I had it so easy.  Wherever I read that after 70 you didn't need any more mammos, I hope they found their mistake and retract it.  I have my radiologist, the wonderful team doing my radiology treatments, a loving family and a God who cares for me.

All I can say is to keep those mammos and other cancer detectors going, keep positive in what you are told and keep your family and friends in ears reach just for comfort and have faith in your Lord.

I want to say "Thank You" for the three stories above.

The following quotes are from two men who have died from cancer.

On March 4, 1993 Jim Valvano stated the following during his speech after having been awarded the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award, “….If you laugh, you think and you cry, that’s a full day.  That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special….”

On July 16, 2014 Stuart Scott, while receiving the Jimmy V Award, stated the following, “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer.  You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and in the manner in which you live.”

Stuart went on to say, “This whole fight, this journey thing, is not a solo venture.  This is something that requires support.”

I believe that last quote states everything we need to know.  Individuals and families that are fighting cancer, it is not a solo venture, all of us need to be there for them and do what we can.  That is how we honor those who have died and those who are fighting now, we will be there for them and their families.

Thank you to those who gave to our fundraiser.  Thank you to those who were willing to share their stories and for being our inspiration.

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