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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I have an idea

Thu, Sep 19 2013 9:44 AM (13 replies)
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  • IvaThongon
    933 Posts
    Sun, Sep 15 2013 8:23 PM

    First, I will repost something I posted a couple years ago:

     

    Sadly, I feel the need to make a caveat statement. As we have all seen numerous times on these boards, discussion degrades itself quickly. This post is about BOOBS. Please refrain from responding and just think about it. If the need to respond is too overwhelming, please keep it MATURE and ON POINT.

     

    Please take a moment to think about this. I have provided some links below. Men, this also applies to you. Breast cancer is not strictly a female matter, although your risks are considerably lower. Plus, you all have mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters, daughters.

    Some facts/stats:

    • About 1 in 8 women in the United States (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
    • About 39,840 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2010 from breast cancer
    • Compared to African American women, white women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer, but less likely to die of it. Women of other ethnic backgrounds — Asian, Hispanic, and Native American — have a lower risk of developing and dying from breast cancer than white women and African American women.
    • A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. However, about 70-80% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer.
    • The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman) and age (growing older).
    • Breast cancer occurs primarily in women, but men can also develop breast cancer. Although men have less breast tissue than women, they do have breast cells that can undergo cancerous changes. Male breast cancer makes up less than 1 percent of all cases of breast cancer, and is usually detected in men between 60 and 70 years of age.
    • And some good news, in 2010, there were more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. 

    National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Website

    Breast Self Exam Video

    Breast Self Exam PDF

    Finally, as a reminder, I suggest you all look here, print it off, laminate it, and keep it in your bathroom or give them to friends and family. You might just save someone's life!

    Health & Happiness

    - Iva

  • IvaThongon
    933 Posts
    Sun, Sep 15 2013 8:55 PM

    And now, for my idea:

    Since breast cancer is something that has probably touched everyone playing this game in some way, I was trying to think of an idea for a fundraiser. Generally, I host a tournament in my country club, and pledge to donate x number of dollars to a breast cancer charity for each player who completes the tournament. I will probably do that again this year. But, I have had a situation occur fairly close to me, that has got me thinking more about this.

    What I would like to do is have a free WGT tournament, with all participants pledging something to a breast cancer charity of their choice in lieu of a credit tournament. I realize that I am just one of thousands of people on this site, so I doubt WGT would make a tournament just for this. What I propose, is that every player involved in a country club do the following:

    • In October, create a country club tournament for breast cancer. In my country club, I call it the "Annual Save the Boobies Tourney".
    • Make it a free tournament on whatever course and format you are happy with.
    • Have the only stipulation be that in order to play, you must make some type of donation to a breast cancer charity of your choice.
    • We are all adults, and no one is "policing" this, I think it can all be done on the honor system.

    Some ideas for donations could be:

    1. A player pledges to donate x number of cents/dollars for each participant in the tournament.
    2. Discuss it amongst your country club and make it a flat tournament fee of say $5 or $10 donation per participant.
    3. Can't afford a monetary donation, make your donation one of your time...to a local chapter of a breast cancer charity.

    I start to think more about this, and it really starts to snowball in my mind into something big. I'm sure most of us have thought at some point, "What is my 20 bucks to this charity really gonna do?" But suppose we try this idea of mine, and 50 country clubs get on board. And those 50 each have 100 participants. And each of those participants donated about $10. That is now $50,000 going to various breast cancer charities.

    So, firstly, just to reiterate, this is strictly an honor system thing. If I say I am going to do something, I do it, as I'm sure you all do. Secondly, we are all at different places and spaces in or lives. A small amount of money to one person may seem like an enormous amount to another. So, if this is something that interests people, donate what you can. Your time is worth as much as anything you donate monetarily, and all of these charities survive not only on money, but on gifts of people's time. Finally, this is not some type of competition. The only thing you will be competing for are smiles on the golf course!

    I will put together some links to various reputable charities in my next post. Thank you all for considering this!

    - Iva

     

  • IvaThongon
    933 Posts
    Sun, Sep 15 2013 9:34 PM

    Some links to help you get started, or just give you more information:

    Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Since 1986, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation has been at the forefront of a nation-wide movement to raise awareness and mobilize action on breast cancer. Today, the Foundation is the leading organization in Canada dedicated to creating a future without breast cancer. Our investments in vital research, education and health promotion programs have led progress in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. 

    The Foundation is committed to our vision of creating a future without breast cancer and together we can achieve it. Join us today.

    The Breast Cancer Research Foundation - The mission of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime by providing critical funding for innovative clinical and translational research at leading medical centers worldwide, and increasing public awareness about good breast health. Currently, 91 cents of every dollar spent by BCRF is directed towards breast cancer research and awareness programs.

    Susan G. Komen for the Cure®Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Susan G. Komen is the boldest community fueling the best science and making the biggest impact in the fight against breast cancer. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested almost $2 billion to fulfill our promise, working to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world through ground-breaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 50 countries. 

    Since 1982, Komen has played a critical role in every major advance in the fight against breast cancer – transforming how the world talks about and treats this disease and helping to turn millions of breast cancer patients into breast cancer survivors. We are proud of our contribution to some real victories: 

    • More early detection and effective treatment– Currently, about 70 percent of women 40 and older receive regular mammograms, the single most effective screening tool to find breast cancer early.  Since 1990, early detection and effective treatment have resulted in a 33 percent decline in breast cancer mortality in the U.S.  
    • More hope – In 1980, the 5-year relative survival rate for women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer (cancer confined to the breast) was about 74 percent. Today, that number is 98 percent. 
    • More research – The federal government now devotes more than $850 million each year to breast cancer research, treatment and prevention (compared to $30 million in 1982).  
    • More survivors – Currently, there are about 3 million breast cancers survivors, the largest group of cancer survivors in the U.S.

    Men Against Breast Cancer (MABC) is the first and only national 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization designed to provide targeted support services that educate and empower men to be effective caregivers when cancer strikes. Since our founding in 1999, MABC has mobilized men across America, including under-served populations, to be active participants in the fight against breast cancer. Our philosophy is to leverage the support of the whole family to help the patient, with special emphasis on the important role of men in caring for the women they love.

    Never before has any organization taken such a unique and integrative approach through the implementation of proven programs to educate men on their important responsibilities as caregivers. To develop these tools we continue to work in partnership with a variety of groups such as internationally recognized medical experts who specialize in the psycho-social aspects of coping with cancer, leading medical facilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state and local governments, and corporate partners.

    MABC has delivered Partners In Survival™ and its educational materials to all 50 states, as well as Canada, Italy, Spain, Kenya, and Japan, among other countries around the world. The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) awarded the first of its kind $1.1 million grant to expand MABC’s innovativeservices. First ever National Male Caregiver’s Conference with men empowering men to care for women with breast cancer.

    American Cancer SocietyFor 100 years, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has worked relentlessly to save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Together with millions of our supporters worldwide, we’re helping people stay well, helping people get well, finding cures, and fighting back against cancer.

    Breast Cancer Society of Canada - Inspired by one family’s search for a cure, the Breast Cancer Society of Canada’s mission is to engage in grassroots fundraising that supports patient focused research for diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

     

     

    I apologize in advance to all my WGT friends from outside North America, this is really all I have any information about. I welcome additions to this list.

     

  • IvaThongon
    933 Posts
    Mon, Sep 16 2013 9:23 AM

    Thanks Paul. Good to see you back at it after a successful surgery!

  • srellim234
    2,077 Posts
    Mon, Sep 16 2013 10:13 AM

    Another relatively painless way for WGT to help with the effort would be for WGT to work with TruGolf and have a month-long tournament on one of the green fee courses. Offering only modest prizes, the green fees paid by us could then be 100% donated to charities in each player's country.

    It might take a little bookkeeping but it's for a great cause. As an incentive to the companies, they get a worthwhile tax write-off and some goodwill publicity.

  • PaulTon
    10,731 Posts
    Mon, Sep 16 2013 10:20 AM

    IvaThongon:

    Thanks Paul. Good to see you back at it after a successful surgery!

    Thanks Iva, I'm back playing WGT as well, lol.

  • Fraenkel
    2,252 Posts
    Mon, Sep 16 2013 10:42 AM

    Great idea.

  • PaulTon
    10,731 Posts
    Tue, Sep 17 2013 6:24 AM

    BUMP

    C'mon WGT let's see a tournament for breast cancer awareness.

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