American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3
Yesterday was quite the busy day, with the submission for the emerging artist show and then volunteering to sign up test participants for the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3), I am just a touch tired.
I will know on Tuesday if any of my works were accepted into the show. I am hopeful, but if not, I will be able to apply again either this year or next.
The CPS-3 study was really a very cool chance to give back. The gist of the event was to sign up study participants for the next round of cancer studies. The first round was started in 1954 and the second one was started in 1982. CPS-1 is the study that connected smoking and lung cancer together. And then CPS-2 connected second hand smoke and lung cancer. As the population ages out, the American Cancer Society recruits new participants. You sign up and commit to participate via bi-annual surveys for 20 -30 years. The American Cancer Society hopes to sign up 500,000 people in CPS-3 across the country. The sign ups were done in conjunction for the Relay for Life held yesterday and today in Loveland at The Ranch.
There were a team of us organized by Vicki Bryant to sign up participants. You could also volunteer yourself to participate. So, I signed up as well. They are looking for a diverse population between the ages of 30 -65 years of age to participate. You can not have been diagnosed with cancer during your life time. And this year was the first time they took blood samples. The samples will be studied if you contract cancer.
We signed up over 180 people in a four hour period. And all of them had reasons for doing it. Either their wives or husbands or parents or children or aunts or uncles or friends were survivors. Or people like me that did it, because we felt that it was a way to just give back. Some of their stories brought me to the verge of tears.
The image I am sharing today was done after my cousin and dear friend passed away within 2 weeks of each other in October 2004. My friend lost the battle to colon cancer (she was diagnosed in January and gone by the end of October). Suffice it to say, I felt determined to be there to volunteer and participate as well.
This topic is sad in some ways, so I thought I would at least record two of the funniest lines I heard yesterday during the sign up process.
As I was getting the paperwork ready for an older gentleman to give blood, he said that his wife is a survivor. And they were at the Relay for Life together. And then he said, “Being a survivor, means today she has spent the entire day just yelling at me.” I thought what an interesting comment. But, I just let it go. Then as I sent him over to the line to get his blood drawn, I indicated he would just need to take a seat. And before I could finish he said, “Then the vampires will call me over when they are ready.” I burst out laughing!!! All in all, it was an uplifting day.