(From L. to R.) Prevent Cancer Foundation COO & EVP Jan Bresch, 2013 5k Walk/Run Chair Allison Hutchins, and 2012 5k Chair and Foundation Board member Katherine Kennedy

Spring is here and with it starts the countdown to the Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k Walk/Run! This is the time to join or form a team to help Stop Cancer Before It Starts!

This year’s event is being chaired by Allison Hutchins, a longtime 5k walk/run participant and last year’s top individual fundraiser and captain of the top fundraising team. It will take place once again at Nationals Park on Sunday, September 29 and will include plenty of food, fun and health and wellness for all including your pet! In addition to the walk/run, participants will be able to use the Nats batting cages, be able to tour the Prevent Cancer Super Colon™ and visit health and wellness booths.

What a great way to raise vital funds for cancer research, education, advocacy and community outreach. Visit the Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k Walk/Run site often for updates and latest news!

In support of the Gala that raises funds for cancer prevention and early detection programs, I am again inviting my Facebook fans to participate in my 2nd annual Facebook contest to benefit my charity of choice, the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Each fan that makes a donation of $5 or more between Tuesday, February 5 and Friday, March 8 will be entered into a drawing to win a signed copy of my book, “The Big White Book of Weddings” and an autographed photo!! Every donation will support the funding of vital community cancer prevention and early detection programs that help save the lives of men, women and children across the county. The winner will be announced on my Facebook page on Tuesday, March 12.

I, like so many others, have family and friends that have been touched by cancer. I encourage all of my fans to join the Facebook contest for the Prevent Cancer Foundation and help each of us to help all of us prevent cancer.

Editor’s Note: David Tutera is a celebrity wedding planner, bridal fashion designer, designer, author and professional speaker. He is the host of WEtv’s show, “My Fair Wedding with David Tutera,” the author of seven books and a member of the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Board of Directors.

A group of energetic young adults playing video games nonstop for charity?  I did not have a “Donkey Kong” clue when I answered my phone three years ago and spoke to a delightful young man by the name of Mike Uyama of Speed Demos Archive (SDA) asking if the Foundation would be interested in a fundraising event being held on our behalf by the SDA “gamers”. “Gamers”…what in the heck was he talking about?

SDA teamed up with the website Yetee to sell 6 different shirts for each day of the marathon. $3 from every shirt sold went to the marathon proceeds.

I have had very limited experience with video games (well, I did beat my grandson at Madden once) and I am totally challenged by technical devices! However, I did remember playing Pac Man with my kids, so I thought perhaps the Foundation should explore this offer a little further!

Little did I realize that three years later, I would be attending an incredible and inspiring charity gaming event called “Awesome Games Done Quick” (AGDQ) organized by the SDA members. I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed  watching the marathoners compete in “speedrunning” (races to see which competitor finishes a video game first), learning about the different games and laughing at the creative measures used to encourage others to watch and donate (Gangnam Style dance moves, for example).

At hour 76 of the 2013 marathon, nearly $140,000 had been raised, surpassing the original goal of $100,000. With three and a half days still to go, the gamers increased their goal to $250,000. By day six SDA gamers had already surpassed the new goal and reached over $425,000 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation by the end of one week!

I am truly amazed at the selfless and charitable efforts of this well-organized and dedicated group of young volunteers and organizers. They played an assortment of over 110 games for seven days straight (eating and snoozing in shifts). Incorporating a mix of both old and new games, it was quite entertaining to watch!

I was touched by the personal stories I heard while listening to audio comments that reminded me how a vast majority of the worldwide population has been touched by cancer in some way. Donations in honor and in memory of loved ones came in from all over the world. Approximately 110 participants traveled to the National 4H Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland at their own expense from a variety of countries (Sweden, Australia, Germany and the U.K., to name a few) and from all over the U.S.  Nearly 30,000 viewers watched the live stream daily and over 9,600 donors contributed to the goal of saving lives through cancer prevention and early detection.

Executive Vice President and C.O.O. Jan Bresch poses with SDA members during a visit to the marathon.

These guys and gals “get it”…they played for a cause that they believe in and encouraged others to get behind them. During a site visit I overheard one of the gamers say “prevention is better than a cure.” One young donor was playing in memory of his grandmother who passed away from cancer as the tournament began.  His shout out, “This is for you Grandma!” … says it all!

To put it mildly, a job well done SDA! Awesome Games Done Quick continues to be a creative and unique event and one that continues to amaze the board and staff of the Prevent Cancer Foundation. We cannot begin to adequately express how your success will benefit the Foundation’s cancer research, education, advocacy and community outreach programs. I, for one, cannot thank you enough!

According to the American Cancer Society, 577,000 people will die from cancer this year – and 50 percent of all cancer deaths could be prevented – with what we know right now. It is within our collective power to prevent half of all deaths from cancer.

This holiday season show your commitment to saving lives through cancer prevention and early detection. Join the Prevent Cancer Foundation and give the gift of prevention by making your donation today.

By joining the Prevent Cancer Foundation community you will be making an investment in:

• Cutting-edge research that allows us to understand how to prevent cancer or detect it early when it can be more successfully treated
• Community education about how to prevent cancer or detect it early through healthy lifestyle choices and medical screenings
• Outreach to local communities through funding, events and partnerships with other organizations
• Advocacy for policies and legislation that advances cancer research and prevention and supports the needs of cancer patients and their families.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation has a number of ways in which you can donate. We hope you will consider contributing before December 31:

• By giving online, you won’t need to worry about getting your check in the mail by the end of the year and you will receive an instant email receipt for tax purposes.
• Find presents for your family and friends by supporting our Shop for Prevention partners.
• Legacy and planned gifts help the Prevent Cancer Foundation carry out its mission and often provide financial benefits to the donor. For more information on planned giving opportunities click here  or contact Tanya Blue at 703-837-3684 or Tanya.Blue@preventcancer.org.
• Make your gift in memory of a loved one who lost their battle with cancer or in honor of someone who is currently undergoing cancer treatment. Tribute gifts are a great way to remember or honor loved ones or friends while making a commitment to saving lives through cancer prevention and early detection.
• Enlist your friends and family to help you raise money to fight the war on cancer by hosting a fundraising event.

In addition to funding the Foundation’s cancer prevention and early detection efforts, your gifts, if made by December 31, 2012, can help reduce the amount of taxes you will owe next April!

At this special time of year, all of us at the Prevent Cancer Foundation send our warmest wishes to you and your family. Thank you for your continued support, generosity and trust. Have a happy and healthy holiday season!

Racing President Teddy leads the 5K starting line.

Dance Trance led a fun, aerobic warm-up before Nationals Racing President Teddy and Washington Kastles mascot Top Spin kicked off the walk/run. Following a victory lap inside the stadium on the main concourse, guests enjoyed music and food, visited the Nationals dugout and batting cages (where they could actually swing at balls), toured the Prevent Cancer Super Colon, picked up some doggie treats from Barkley Square and Aunt Sasha’s Barked Goods and tried their hands at the hoola hoop station, corn hole tosses and giant Jenga (provided by United Social Sports). We even had free oral cancer screenings and a Walgreens table where people could get flu shots.

A huge thank you goes out to our wonderful 5k Chair, Katherine Kennedy. Her commitment and passion for cancer prevention, along with her incredible social media outreach was a driving force to making this event a fundraising success!

“I was truly humbled and overwhelmed by the support the entire community bestowed upon us,” said Event Chair Katherine Kennedy. “There are so many people to thank from the team captains rallying more teams and participants than ever before to so many generous sponsors and friends of the Foundation pooling their resources for this spectacular event. Truly a group effort to Stop Cancer Before It Starts!”

Prevent Cancer EVP/COO Jan Bresch, top fundraiser Allison Hutchins and Event Chair Katherine Kennedy.

We also want to give a big shout out to top individual fundraiser Allison Hutchins, who raised $3,025, winning a treadmill desk grand prize generously donated by exclusive fitness partner LifeSpan Fitness. Allison was also captain of the top fundraising team, Cancer Conquerors, which raised $7,640 and won a catered dinner for 10 by Windows Catering. Ginger Albright of the Cancer Conquerers was the second top individual fundraiser with $2,165, and Grant Allen’s team All in Against Cancer came in second in team fundraising with $7,455.

Many thanks to generous sponsors Bayer HealthCare (Grand Slam), Johnson & Johnson (Home Run), Pricewaterhouse Coopers (Triple), Venable (Triple), Lilly (Double), Millenium Pharmaceuticals (Double), Genentech (RBI), 1-800 CONTACTS (RBI), MarcParc Valet (In-Kind), Subway (In-Kind) and exclusive fitness partner LifeSpan Fitness.

The 5k may be over for this year, but it’s not too late to give to cancer prevention efforts! Donations are still being accepted for teams and individuals who are working to complete their fundraising goals. Event proceeds will support the Foundation’s cancer prevention research, community outreach, advocacy and education programs. To make a donation, please go to www.preventcancer5K.org.

See more photos from this year’s 5K on our Facebook page–don’t forget to tag yourself!  Check back to the Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k site for the date of the 5th Annual Prevent Cancer Foundation 5K, which will again be held at Nationals Park!

Team Friends for Prevention at the 2011 Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k

The Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k teams are hitting the ground running with some impressive fundraising! With less than a month to go, the competition is heating up as the weather begins to cool down.  Here is a “snapshot” of the leading individual and team fundraisers:

Individual Fundraisers

1. Allison Hutchins
2. Kelli Hambleton
3. Marcia Carlucci
4. Grant Allen
5. Sarah Stettinius

Fundraising Teams

1. All in Against Cancer
2. Cancer Conquerors
3. Team C-Line
4. Team Cindy Lee
5. Carlucci Crusaders

Team Carlucci Crusaders with MC Chili Amar and Foundation President and Founder Bo Aldigé at the 2011 Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k

These participants aren’t just fundraising for bragging rights. They are raising funds to save lives through cancer prevention and early detection. As an added bonus, the Prevent Cancer Foundation is awarding a number of awesome prizes to the top individual fundraisers and fundraising teams. The top individual fundraiser will receive the grand prize, a treadmill desk from our Exclusive Fitness Partner, LifeSpan Fitness. The top fundraising team will receive a 10 person catered dinner from Windows Catering in Old Town Alexandria.

Don’t forget that each individual who raises more than $1,500 by 5pm on September 14, 2012 will be entered to win 2 diamond club tickets to the Nationals vs Phillies game on October 2 at 7:05 pm.

Take steps to save lives today. Create or Join a Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k team. The clock is ticking!

Thankfully, the cancer was removed, and my dad has been healthy and cancer-free ever since. However, I made a vow to myself that day when I sat down with my parents – one that I have pushed myself to recommit to every year on the anniversary of my dad’s surgery. I vow to always use sunscreen, to stay away from tanning beds, to get regular check ups, to monitor all aspects of the health of my own body, and to encourage and motivate others in any way possible to do all of the same things.

The Cancer Conquerors at the 2011 Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k

With the help of the Prevent Cancer Foundation, I have been able to stay true to the last part of my vow for the past four years. My dad was asked to join the Foundation’s board of directors in 2009, but our family first became familiar with the organization almost 10 years earlier. We increased our involvement after my dad’s cancer surgery, and we actively participated in all of their events and fundraisers. In 2010 I created my first 5k team. The team consisted of my dad, a family friend, two of my college roommates, and me. While our team may have been small, our message was big.

We spread the word to as many people as we could, talking about why we were running and why cancer prevention and education are essential to staying healthy and staying alive. I have continued these efforts with my dad over the years, and last fall, our team, the Cancer Conquerors, was able to raise almost $5,000 and ranked second in fundraising for the whole event.

Allison with her dad Don Hutchins

The annual 5k is a truly great way to bring family, coworkers, friends, and even strangers together for two incredibly important things: education and prevention. While it has always provided a great excuse for me to get in shape, it never fails to also be an inspiring and motivational experience that I look forward to every year. It is incredible to be a part of something so powerful, and to spend a morning surrounded by those that have either faced cancer themselves, or are there in support of those that have.

The 5k has made me realize how important and how easy it is to spread the word about education and prevention, and how much of a difference sharing knowledge about both can be. After all, thanks to early detection, every September I am able to watch my healthy dad complete 3.1 miles and cross the Prevent Cancer Foundation finish line with a contagious smile on his face.

Remember in my last blog post how I said that you can all be heroes by registering to be a team captain for our Prevent Cancer 5K Walk at Nationals Park? Well, I used my puppy-dog eyes to get an interview with one of our returning heroes, two-time team captain Karen Sfanos of Team Prostate!

Karen is an Assistant Professor of Pathology at the De Marzo Laboratory in the Johns Hopkins Department of Pathology. Last year, Karen assembled a team of fellow researchers, family and friends to create Team Prostate.

What is Team Prostate’s inspiration?

“The Prevent Cancer Foundation has been very instrumental in supporting cancer research efforts at Johns Hopkins and throughout the country,” said Karen.  “The Prevent Cancer Foundation 5K Walk seemed like a great way for us to show our appreciation for the great work that the Foundation does and help to raise valuable funds.  Plus, it’s a great time!”

This year, Team Prostate is returning with “pawsitively” barking enthusiasm!

“Our goal [this year] is to beat our fundraising efforts from last year. We hope to be a top 5 team and recruit an even larger team this year,” said Karen.

When I asked her to give you humans her best advice for a first-time team captain, Karen said: “Don’t be shy about fundraising!  You may be surprised by how many of your family and friends are happy to support you in such a great cause!”

Arf! Arf! What a great team captain!

And, if that work ethic doesn’t impress you, get this—Karen is due to have her second child a few weeks before the race! “We’re looking forward to the debut of our family of 4 in support of cancer prevention!!” she said.

Now that is what I call being a hero!

A special thanks to Karen Sfanos and Team Prostate. I can’t wait to see you on September 30th at Nationals Park!

Arf! Arf!
Wilson
2012 Pets for Prevention Pup

Now, you might ask, “A dog with a blog? How can he type?!” You humans tend to underestimate us puppies. You see, we watch you. After 5 years of sitting on my human-mom’s lap while she was trying to get work done, I finally taught myself the keystrokes that magically turned into messages that humans respond to! Impressive I know.

Wilson shares the Pets for Prevention message with Alex (right).

Your next question may be, “Wilson, there are so many cute dogs out there!  How did you get to be the Pets for Prevention Pup?” My answer to that would be simple, my human friends—have you looked at me? I’m only the cutest, fluffiest, healthiest pup in the greater DC Metro Area! And since my human-mom kept talking about last year’s 5K Walk at West Potomac Park, I wanted to get in on the action for this year and keep my human active and making sure she is doing things to help Stop Cancer Before It Starts!

Then I thought to myself one day during a relaxing belly rub, “Why just help my human-mom when I could use my unending charm and charisma to help other humans too?”  So, I’m going to paw entries in this blog for all of you humans out there! With my tips and advice leading up to the 5K Walk, we will Take Steps and Save Lives together! (Even though one of your steps is like eight of mine.) The first step is to register for the Prevent Cancer 5k Walk.

I am also calling on my fellow pets to come out for the Prevent Cancer 5k. You dogs, cats, or iguanas can all walk to support life saving cancer prevention research, education, advocacy and community outreach.

Arf! Arf!

Wilson
2012 Pets for Prevention Pup

Editor’s Note: A noted canine in the Washington DC metro area, Wilson enjoys long walks, fire hydrants and barking at squirrels.

Sevan Mehrabian, Director of Outreach, The Life Tie Project

“After my mother’s struggle with breast cancer, a coworker and I began wearing pink ties on Fridays to remember our loved ones. Pretty soon everyone in our office joined– and casual Fridays became “Pink Tie Fridays”. The incredible thing about this movement was not just the overwhelming participation– but that nearly everyone had their own experience and their own ideas for improving cancer treatment. Wearing pink neckties created its own venue for discussion.

“The growing enthusiasm for our venture inspired us to create a broader social endeavor to benefit cancer patients across the country. By creating products that help people express their own cancer stories and donating proceeds to cancer organizations, we saw ties not just as a way to raise money but also as a means for spurring action in treatment and prevention.

“Life Tie’s goal is to cultivate a new paradigm in health, in which prevention and healthy living is emphasized. We could not have found a better partner than the Prevent Cancer Foundation.  We are especially impressed with the Foundation’s dedication to prevention through educating the public on healthy lifestyle and habits. We also appreciate Prevent Cancer’s advocacy, which ensures federal funding and legislation supportive of vital cancer research. As Father’s Day approaches we cannot help but feel for those fathers that have lost their wives, children and parents to cancer or those who are battling cancer themselves. Our partnership with the Prevent Cancer Foundation will lead to better informed patients, families and communities. By purchasing a necktie for your dad today you directly help fund the Foundation’s efforts, making prevention possible and accessible to all.”

The Prevent Cancer Foundation greatly appreciates the opportunity to work with Sevan and The Life Tie Project. Visit the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Shop for Prevention page to purchase a Life Tie necktie or scarf and Stop Cancer Before It Starts!