Cancer tour makes stop in Elyria
NorthCoastNOW
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| TOM MAHL / CHRONICLE |
| County Common Pleas Judge Mark Betleski speaks to a crowd at the Community Cancer Center (formerly Ireland Cancer Center) about his experience with germ cell cancer. The Fight Back Express American Cancer Society bus is behind him.
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ELYRIA — After kicking off its 48-state tour in Cleveland this morning, the American Cancer Society’s Fight Back Bus rolled into the Community Cancer Center on Schaden Road for a rally.
About 50 people, including local judges, sheriffs, fire fighters and county commissioners, gathered to trade stories and increase awareness.
Each stop will focus on a speech from a local cancer survivor. In Elyria, it was county Common Pleas Judge Mark Betleski, who described his own successful battle with germ-cell cancer after many years.
On May 18, Betleski will celebrate the 17th anniversary of his last chemotherapy session.
“I can’t remember my wife’s birthday or our wedding anniversary, but I remember that,” he said.
Betleski said he was honored to be invited to speak and that the tour’s mission of increasing awareness and easing access to treatment is a noble cause.
“A lot of people weren’t as lucky as I am,” he said. “I’ve lost some friends to cancer.”
And while some in attendance may not have had as personal and intense a connection to cancer as Betleski, nearly all present had been seriously affected at some point.
Lorain County Sheriff Phil Stammitti, who lost his 23-year-old daughter to cancer, also attended the rally.
“This is a great way to raise awareness,” he said.
By traveling to cities across the country, the American Cancer Society is hoping to do just that. Inviting cancer survivors and public officials to visit the bus spreads the message and helps fight cancer at a grassroots level.
“The ultimate conquest of cancer is as much a matter of public policy as it is a scientific and medical challenge,” said John R. Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society.
The bus will travel to Columbus and then to Pennsylvania before heading for the East Coast, according to Ana Mihajlovic, an American Cancer Society spokeswoman. It will hit all 48 continental U.S. states before going to Washington, D.C., in November, she said.
At each stop, attendees are invited to sign the bus and send their wishes onto future stops.
Contact Michael Baker at 329-7128 or mbaker@chroniclet.com.
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Filed by NorthCoastNOW May 5th, 2008 in Top Stories.
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