The Holiday Season and the End of 2016

As the year of 2016 is coming to a close, it is a good time to reflect back on this past year at Camp Good Days.  I am so thankful for the many blessings that have been bestowed on me and I do not forget the awesome responsibility of being the steward of Camp Good Days.  This organization keeps building on Teddi’s legacy as we try hard to keep making the organization better.  On October 1^st, our 38^th year of camp began. Sometimes, it seems like I went to bed and woke up, and time has flown by.  Other times, it seems that I could have lived five lifetimes and not have accomplished all that we did. 

Recently, I was honored to receive the Cure Magazine GBM Heroes Award in Scottsdale, Arizona.  It was a beautiful event and I was very pleased to have a lot of people that make camp possible join me.  The event was held at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Hotel.  I was able to meet some amazing people who go above and beyond to help those affected by glioblastoma.  I was also able to meet Fran Drescher, who is known for her acting role in “The Nanny” and for her work in helping those who have been touched by cancer.  While I was there, I was able to visit Arizona State University, Sedona, and the Church of the Holy Cross, which was built into the side of a mountain.  I was humbled by the amazing works of nature and all of the wonderful things in this world that the good Lord created.  Looking at what was around me, it brought into perspective how small and finite a person’s role is in the grand picture.  This trip to Arizona and receiving the award made me come back to Camp Good Days even more excited to make 2017 the best year yet.

Kazoo Fest is once again in season in Rochester and Buffalo thanks to the support of JC Penney’s.  Kazoo Fest will be happening at the Eastview, Marketplace, and Greece Ridge Malls in Rochester, and the Galleria Mall in Buffalo.  Kazoos make great stocking stuffers, and they are a very fun tradition for children and adults. All of the proceeds benefit the children and families of Camp Good Days, and we are still looking for volunteers for each of the malls, so if you would like to volunteer, please call the Camp Good Days office.  During Kazoo Fest, we will also be selling car raffle tickets.  Thanks to the generosity of Vanderstyne Toyota and Toyota Motorsports, we have a 2017 Corolla SE that could be yours! Tickets are being sold for $20, or three tickets for $50. The drawing for the car will happen on Wednesday, January 4^th during the Camp Good Days Annual Open House.  Every penny goes towards the programs and services we provide. 

A very exciting and meaningful event is coming up, A Night to Remember.  During this event, we dedicate the night to six camper families who need some lifting up during the holiday season.  This event is a great way to get the holiday season started.  During the night, the guests are picked up by limos, there is food, reindeers, Santa, Mrs. Clause and an Elf, music, and presents.  For myself, the highlight of the night is when I get to read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to everyone.  This event is such a great way to get in the holiday spirit and remind ourselves about the true meaning of Christmas. 

This is also a great time of year to stay up to date on everything Camp Good Days by tuning in to our radio show which airs the first Thursday of every month at 6:30PM on WYSL 1040AM or 92.1FM.  The radio show can also be found online on our website if you do not have the chance to listen to it when it airs. 

I am looking towards the new year with excitement.  Cancer Mission 2020 is moving in the right direction, and I am hoping that it keeps moving forward within the next year.  I am so very thankful for everything that I have been blessed with, and I am excited to see what the new year brings for everyone involved with Camp Good Days.  May you and your family have a wonderful holiday season and a new year filled with good health, peace, and much love. 

Wendy, Dr. Constine, and I with Fran Drescher
(Photo credit to Derrick Jones-Nelson)

Wendy and I in Sedona

Cancer and the Election

As Camp Good Days ends its 37^th year of providing programs, I find myself thinking about where we have come as an organization, and about the progression of the medical industry in treating and diagnosing children and adults with cancer.   There have been improvements, but in order to keep moving forward, there needs to be support from our leaders.   It is frustrating that, during this time when we, as a country, are deciding on our next president, there have been a large number of debates where a whole host of issues have been talked about, but unfortunately cancer hasn’t been one of them.  There was talk about the Zika Virus, immigration, poverty, and terrorism, which are all important topics, but cancer in this country is as if one of the Twin Towers is falling every single day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.  It should be one of the most important topics.  Either directly or indirectly, cancer touches all of us. 11,000 Americans die each week from cancer.  That’s unacceptable. If you are a woman, you have a one in three chance of being diagnosed with cancer in your lifetime, and if you are a man, your chances are one in two. It is hard to understand how so many families that are touched by cancer seem to be so underrepresented.  These families have valiantly fought with this disease, their family members going through the most potent treatments medical science can come up with, and I don’t think our elected officials are fighting for them.

Our leaders need to let us know how they are going to find answers.  There is no question that we have the technology, scientists, and researchers to find information, but there is no coordinated effort.  We need money and leadership to help us find the way to win the war on cancer, and that leadership needs to come from Washington.  The President needs to appoint a Cabinet level position, whose job is to bring people together to coordinate efforts and information.  I was excited when President Obama started Cancer Moonshot, and selected Vice President Joe Biden to lead the program—the last time a president had done anything in a major way regarding cancer was President Nixon when he declared war on cancer in the 70’s.  Where we have made the most progress is in certain forms of pediatric cancer.  As recently as the 1960’s and 70’s, these cancers were almost always fatal.  Today, children diagnosed with these forms of cancer have an 80% chance of being long term survivors, and not in the traditional sense, where they could live five years from the date of diagnosis, or two years off of any kind of treatment, but can actually grow to be a ripe old age.  And while these children and families still have medical challenges, most of them appear to have successfully beaten their cancer.

Clinical trials are where the answers are going to come from, and we, as a country, need to increase the participation in trials.  We need money to support trials, and we need physicians to stay up to date on information from clinical trials so they can share the information with their patients.  65-70% of pediatric oncology patients in the United States are active in trials; however, the percentage of adults active in trials is 1-3 percent.  Hopefully, the participation in clinical trials will only increase, and the important information being discovered from these trials will hopefully help end the dreadful and terminal reign of cancer.  We need support for these trials from our leaders; we need them to put finding the cure to cancer on the forefront. 

We are blessed here, in upstate New York, to have Republican Congressman Tom Reed and Democratic Congresswoman Louise Slaughter advocating for Cancer Mission 2020.  They are committed to helping Cancer Mission 2020 be successful and committed to helping end the deadly reign of cancer.  Recently, Congressman Reed and Congresswoman Slaughter came to the office where we presented them with close to 40,000 signatures to give to Vice President Joe Biden, to show how much we are in support of finding the answers to end cancer.  If a Republican and a Democrat can come together to support the same mission, there is no reason others can’t stand up and support. Cancer is not a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Conservative, Liberal, or Tea Party issue – it is a people issue.  Either directly or indirectly, cancer touches all of us. I urge my fellow citizens to make smart decisions when entering the polls this year; remember that our future president needs to be committed to finding a way to end cancer. We need to show our leaders our desperation and frustration before someone you love or care about is affected by cancer.  Let’s let our voices be heard, we can’t wait any longer. Everyone needs to stand up and be counted.

Cancer Moonshot Needs Your Support

Recently, the presidential nominees spoke at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, and through the whole process, both nominees talked about issues – some serious and some not at all – but neither of them even mentioned cancer and the toll this horrible disease is taking on our country and our world.

Cancer is not a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Conservative, Liberal, or Tea Party issue – it is a people issue.  Either directly or indirectly, cancer touches all of us. 11,000 Americans die each week from cancer.  That’s unacceptable.  What’s worse is that these people do not live in a vacuum.  They’re our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends, or in my case, my child, Teddi.  Cancer in this country is as if one of the Twin Towers is falling every single day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.  Oftentimes, cancer does not just prematurely take one’s life; it seems to humiliate you in the process. 

It is pretty hard to understand how we, as a country since 9/11, have given a blank check to protecting the homeland – to the tune of some 2-3 Trillion Dollars – but if you were to ask someone if they were more afraid of being attacked by a terrorist or going to the doctor and walking out with a diagnosis of cancer, I would venture to say that cancer is the bigger fear.  And it is no surprise that people are in fear of cancer. If you are a woman, you have a one in three chance of being diagnosed with cancer in your lifetime, and if you are a man, your chances are one in two.  Those are NOT very great odds. 

I believe that these odds could be less daunting in the future if we were to reach our goal of cancer being a chronic illness that patients can live with and still have a decent quality of life, instead of it often being a terminal illness.  When we started Cancer Mission 2020 with this goal in mind, we began with a very successful Cancer Summit, for which we brought together cancer patients, and some of the best doctors and cancer service agency representatives.  Following that initial Cancer Summit, three additional Congressional Cancer Summits were held throughout Upstate New York, led by Congressman Tom Reed, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, and then Congresswoman Anne Marie Buerkle, who were instrumental in bringing awareness to the issues surrounding cancer. These meetings helped bring people together to share ideas on how to reach the common goal of finding a way to defeat cancer. 
  
Out of these summits came the idea that the real answers to beating cancer were going to come from clinical trials.  In the 1960’s and 70’s, parents were being told that their child did not have a high chance of surviving cancer.  Today, with the advances made in research and technology, most parents are being told that their child has a good chance of surviving cancer, and while those children and families still have medical challenges, most of those children appear to have successfully beaten their cancer.  If clinical trials are where the answers are going to come from, it is understandable why we are advocating for them.  65-70% of pediatric oncology patients are active in trials – which is a promising amount – however, the percentage of adults active in trials is 1-3 percent, which is significantly less.  Ideally, the participation in clinical trials will only increase and the important information being discovered from these trials will hopefully help end the dreadful and terminal reign of cancer.

I was excited when earlier this year, President Obama appointed Vice President Joe Biden to lead the Cancer Moonshot effort.  I had such hope that this would finally be more than just lip service and would lead to some true action being taken, and I was pleased to have been invited to, and attended the Regional Cancer Summit, held under the auspices of Cancer Moonshot, at the University of Rochester Medical Center.  To show how much we in Upstate New York are dedicated to this effort, we presented close to 35,000 signatures to Congressman Tom Reed and Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, which they in turn presented to Vice President Joe Biden. 

It is sad how neither candidate took any bit of time during their lengthy speeches to talk about this important effort and share what they plan to do to help defeat cancer, or how they plan to work with Vice President Biden to ensure that this effort continues forward, for the good of all Americans, and people around the world.  We can’t do it alone.  It is time for everyone to stand up and be counted and use their voice and their power to vote to make sure that the nominees for President realize that cancer is something that is important to all Americans.  We want more action and less talk.  We need coordination and we need leadership, and it needs to start at the top, from the White House.

We have the means and the technology to be successful in this endeavor, but we all need to come together to make it happen.  Here at Camp Good Days, we continue to collect signatures for our Cancer Mission 2020 Petition, which supports clinical trials, which are where the answers are going to come from.  If you have not visited our Cancer Mission 2020 website, www.cancermission2020.org, I encourage you to do so, and to sign our petition, and then share it with you family, friends, colleagues, and co-workers. Join us in letting our current and future leaders know that we want finding the answer to cancer put on the front burner.

What greater gift could a President give those of us here in the United States, and people around the world, than the legacy of having made finding the answers to cancer a priority and successfully completing that Cancer Moonshot mission? 

Welcoming Invictus to the Camp Good Days' Family

I am excited to share that for those attending Camp Good Days this summer we are welcoming the newest member of our family, an Olde English Bulldog puppy, Invictus.  Invictus will be the third in the line of bulldogs, going back to the reason for Camp Good Days, my daughter, Teddi. 

When Teddi was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 1979 at the age of nine, she underwent a seven and a half hour craniotomy, and when I met with Dr. Nelson following the surgery, he explained that he did the best he could but that they were not able to get it all. Therefore, he suggested to start Teddi on eight weeks of radiation, which would take place Monday through Friday and with that, it would be best for her to finish school at home, with a tutor.  With her brother and sister at school and her home, he suggested it might be a good idea to get a puppy so that she would have something to focus on and take care of.  I went to the library and took out a big book with pictures of all the different breeds of dogs so that Teddi could look through it and pick out the one she wanted.  The next morning she came down and was very proud of herself because she had selected an English Bulldog.

Back then the English Bulldog was not a very popular breed of dog in Upstate New York but wanting to be a good Dad and hold true to my promise, I went over to World Wide News and picked up a copy of Dog World Magazine.  In that I found a breeder in Jamestown and when I called they had one puppy left who was the runt of the litter and already 16 weeks old, who they had named Sweetums. Teddi, her Mom and her sister went to pick up Sweetums.  We had always brought dogs to Camp Good Days and Sweetums was no different, quickly becoming part of the Camp Good Days’ family. Although Teddi died a few years later, Sweetums lived to be 12 years old, the same age Teddi was when she passed away.  For the children at Camp Good Days who are going through their battle with cancer, which can include hair loss, increase or decreases in weight, scarring, or the need for prosthesis, they oftentimes don’t like what they see when they look at themselves.  Pets can be so great and become so valuable because they are not judgmental or cruel.  As the famous quote says, “I want to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.”

We later got Jordyn who was a part of the Camp Good Days’ family for 10 years and now Invictus, whose name means unconquerable and to me represents the courage of all of our campers.  The inspiration for his name came because earlier this year, Wendy and I had the opportunity to attend the Invictus Games in Orlando, which were started by Prince Harry.  We were able to see the Bronze Medal Game between Denmark and the Netherlands, and the Gold Medal Wheelchair Basketball Game between the United States and the United Kingdom.  Wendy and I both have been to many, many sporting events over the years, but this was truly one of the most inspiring experiences.  To watch the wounded warriors, and their commitment and strength is amazing.  They say that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you deal with it.  These athletes all paid a significant price in protecting our freedom and athletes everywhere, as well as the rest of us, could learn so much from them.

Hence, we felt that Invictus was the perfect name for our newest addition and our newest Director of Barketing and we are thrilled to have him join our family at Camp Good Days!

Remembering Dr. Klemperer

It is with a very heavy heart that I share with you the passing of Dr. Martin Klemperer.  For those of you who don't know, when it comes to Camp Good Days, we would not be here had it not been for Dr. Klemperer.  Dr. Klemperer passed away quietly at his home in St. Petersburg, Florida, on May 23, 2016.

When I first got the idea for Camp Good Days, in 1979, it was at a time when no one talked about cancer - and if they did, they whispered.  At the time, I was just a Dad in my early 30’s, with three children, when my youngest child, Teddi at the age of 9, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, I became her primary caregiver because up until then my work would often take me away from home, and I wanted the opportunity to spend time with my little girl.  I quickly came to realize that it was not the surgery or the eight weeks of radiation or the chemotherapy that followed.  The toughest part of Tedd's battle, was the loneliness, as Teddi was the only child in her school and in our neighborhood dealing with cancer.

One morning as I was getting ready to go to work, I saw a segment on the Today Show about Dr. George Royer a pediatric oncologist in Kalamazoo, Michigan who had started a residential camping program for the patients in his clinic, so that they could see their doctors and nurses, who were often poking and prodding them with tests and treatments, and many times caused them pain and discomfort, away from the sterile environment of the hospital.  I reached out to Dr. Royer and invited him to come to Rochester and I was thrilled that we had more than 100 people (mostly friends) attend his presentation at the Rochester Academy for Medicine.  As I was taking Dr. Royer to the airport, following his presentation, he expressed that he had no doubt we would be able to raise the money we would need to start the camp, and we would be able to secure the many volunteers, and God knows we had the children; however the toughest challenge was going to be finding a doctor who would be willing to devote the time and effort that would be needed, when it was not their idea.  Driving home I went from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the valley.  When I got home there was a message on the answering machine and when I listened, it was from a Dr. Bob Cooper who at the time was the Director of the Cancer Center at the University of Rochester, who had been at the Academy for Medicine for a different reason but when he saw all the people for our meeting had popped in to see what was going on.  He asked me if we had a doctor and I told him we did not.  A few days later he invited me to a meeting in his office and introduced me to Dr. Klemperer.  I had not met Dr. Klemperer previously, because at that time Teddi had not yet started chemotherapy.  We talked for over an hour and he agreed to serve as our doctor.

From that point on, Dr. Klemperer and his wife, Helen would come to Camp Good Days every summer to oversee the medical needs of our campers.  Even when he left the University of Rochester Medical Center to go to Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia and then to All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he was the head of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, he always maintained his New York Medical License specifically so that they could volunteer at Camp Good Days each summer.

Dr. Klemperer was not only an excellent physician, well respected by his peers, but he was an even better human being.  His courage and devotion to children dealing with cancer was evident when he agreed to be our doctor and take on the enormous responsibility of caring for all of our campers, given the fact that they came from various cancer treatment centers from all over the world, after we started our Doing a World of Good Program in the early nineties.  I never once had to worry about the medical needs of our campers.  We made a great team.

Dr. Klemperer could focus on meeting the medical needs of the campers and I could focus on raising the much needed funds, recruiting the volunteers, and planning the programs.  Once we saw that the camp was successful we expanded to provide programs for children who had a sibling or parent dealing with cancer, or had lost a sibling or parent to cancer.  Many of the programs and services started at Camp Good Days have been used as models for other cancer treatment centers and organizations all over the world.  Dr. Klemperer was a true pioneer and dedicated to improving the psycho-social needs and quality of life for children with cancer and their families.  Through all of his years with Camp Good Days he dedicated thousands of hours and he never got a dime or looked for any recognition.  He loved Camp Good Days and the children we served and wanted to be a part of making it a reality for as many children as possible to attend Camp Good Days.

After serving as one of our camp doctors for over 25 years, Dr. Klemperer retired.  The last time we personally saw each other was when I was in St. Petersburg for one of our annual Florida Fun Fest trips.  We talked for a few hours and when he was leaving he gave me the biggest, hardest hug, and when he drove away I thought he had maybe done that because it might be the last time we saw each other.  

I loved Dr. Klemperer and his passing away is like losing a piece of myself and certainly a large piece of Camp Good Days.  All that Camp Good Days has accomplished over the years, serving more than 46,200 campers from 22 states and 31 foreign countries, numbers that we will soon add to as we have just kicked off our 37th summer, would never have been possible without Dr. Klemperer. The Good Lord put Dr. Klemperer in my path and because of that and because of him, Camp Good Days became a reality and is what it is today

Cancer and the Candidates

Another election season is upon us and all of the candidates are talking about issues - some serious and some not at all - but none of them has talked about cancer and the toll this horrible disease is taking on our country, and our world.

Cancer is not a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Conservative, Liberal, or Tea Party issue – it is a people issue.  Cancer touches all of us.  11,000 Americans die each week from cancer. That’s unacceptable. What’s worse is that these people do not live in a vacuum. They’re our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends, or in my case, my child, Teddi.  It is as if one of the Twin Towers is falling every single day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 

It is pretty hard to understand how we, as a country, have given a blank check to protecting the homeland – to the tune of some 2-3 Trillion Dollars – but if you asked someone if they were more afraid of being attacked by a terrorist or going to the doctor and walking out with a diagnosis of cancer, I would venture to say that cancer is the bigger fear.  And it is no surprise that people are in fear of cancer.  If you are a woman, you have a one in three chance of being diagnosed with cancer, and if you’re a man, the chances are one in two, in your lifetime.  Those are NOT very great odds.

We have the means and the technology to be successful in this endeavor, but we all need to come together to make it happen.  Here at Camp Good Days, we continue to collect signatures on our Cancer Mission 2020 Petition, which supports clinical trials, as clinical trials are where the answers are going to come from.  If you have not visited our Cancer Mission 2020 website, www.cancermission2020.org, I encourage you to do so, and to sign our petition, and then share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and co-workers.  Join us in letting our current and future leaders know that we want finding the answers to cancer put on the front burner.

What greater gift could a President give those of us here in the United States, and people around the globe, than the legacy of having made finding the answers to cancer a priority and successfully completing that mission?

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

March is colorectal cancer awareness month and as we begin this month, it is a perfect time to remind everyone that cancer is the leading cause of death in Monroe County and colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in Monroe County. 

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer diagnosis, but it is the second leading cause of death due to cancer (behind lung cancer). On average each year, 370 Monroe County residents are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and about 140 die from it. 

Deaths from colorectal cancer can be prevented through screening.  When colorectal cancer is diagnosed early, at the localized stage, the five-year survival rate is 90%. In some cases colorectal cancer can be prevented when precancerous polyps are removed during colonoscopies.  There are several different screening tests that can be used to find polyps or colorectal cancer. Each one can be used alone; sometimes they are used in combination. People should talk with their doctor about which test(s) is right for them and how often they should be tested. For those of average risk, screening tests usually begin at age 50.  Screening tests that can detect cancer and polyps include a colonoscopy and the less invasive, FIT Test, which may indicate cancer.

It is so important to the war on cancer that we all do our part to help reduce the number of deaths caused by cancer.  This is an exciting year for those of us who want to put cancer on the front burner.  In his recent State of the Union Address, President Obama talked about “Moonshot” and the effort to try and find the answers to cancer.  He stated, “For the loved ones we’ve all lost, for the families that we can still save, let’s make America the country that cures cancer once and for all. What do you think? Let’s make it happen.”  And he shared that he has tasked Vice President Biden with leading this mission. 

All of us, need to be aware that cancer is one of the leading causes of death and we can all help, in one way or another, to change this.  We at Camp Good Days and through the efforts of Cancer Mission 2020, urge people to wear blue this month, in recognition of colorectal cancer awareness month, but to also focus on preventative measures such as physical activity, healthy eating habits, taking advantage of the various screening tests available, and talking to your physician about preventative actions. 

Here at Camp Good Days, we continue to collect signatures on our Cancer Mission 2020 Petition, which supports clinical trials, as clinical trials are where the answers are going to come from.  If you have not visited our Cancer Mission 2020 website, www.cancermission2020.org, I encourage you to do so, and to sign our petition, and then share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and co-workers.  Join us, and join Vice President Biden, to let everyone know that we want finding the answers to cancer put on the front burner, so that we can all, as Americans, be rid of the fear of cancer and truly enjoy good days and special times!

 

34th Annual Teddi Dance for Love

The 34^th Annual Teddi Dance for Love, which took place at St. John Fisher College on Friday and Saturday, January 29^th & 30^th, generated more than $54,000.00 to benefit the children and families at Camp Good Days and Special Times.  It is amazing to think that this event has been going on for 34 years and has become such a long-standing tradition and important part of the St. John Fisher College campus, culture and community. 

This year’s Teddi Dance for Love had a lot of “firsts”, some good and some sad.  This was the first year that Dr. Gerard Rooney was there in the role of President of the college.  He, along with his wife, Susan, helped to carry on the tradition on behalf of the administrative team and we were so happy to have had them in attendance.  On the sad side, this is the first year we were without the beloved Father Joe, who passed away in July 2015.  Each year, Father Joe would be at the Teddi Dance for Love, but his most important role, and one of everyone’s favorite parts of the event, is that he would bless all of the dancers’ feet, prior to the dance beginning.  We certainly felt his absence this year, but we know that he was blessing all of those feet from heaven and smiling down, happy to know the dance was going on.

Our kudos go out to this year’s Teddi Dance for Love Chair, Bri Macaluso, who along with her Co-Chair, Hilary Wilcox, and the entire student committee, who all worked so hard and dedicated so much time, in addition to their studies and extracurricular activities, to make this year’s Teddi Dance for Love a resounding success.  In addition, we would like to thank Jennifer Johnson, of 13WHAM TV for serving as this year’s Honorary Chair, and to all those, from the dancers, administration, faculty, staff, and volunteers, who all gave so much of themselves, to benefit the many children and families we serve.

This year we had many, many St. John Fisher College Alumni who came back to participate in the event, one that meant so much to them when they were students.  And, a large group of our campers had the opportunity to attend on Saturday and meet the dancers and they all had a great time together. 

All of the proceeds from the Teddi Dance for Love benefit the children and families at Camp Good Days and specifically go towards helping to make the Annual Florida Trip possible.  This year's Florida Trip is planned for April 21st through 27th and the campers will have the chance to visit Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure, Disney's Epcot Center, LegoLand, and St. Pete Beach.

The Annual Teddi Dance for Love is one of my most favorite events held each year.  The Teddi Dance for Love is a place where the students, along with some of the faculty, staff and administration, come together to celebrate life to the fullest, with some of the campers from Camp Good Days who have learned to appreciate each and every day and the gifts that many of us, so often, take for granted.  As Teddi’s Dad, they also give me something that words can’t describe.  As Dr. Lou Buttino, who started the Teddi Dance for Love when he was a Professor at St. John Fisher, said in his very special book, Camp Good Days and Special Times: The Legacy of Teddi Mervis, ‘Immortality is being loved by anonymous people.’  During the Teddi Dance for Love, Teddi’s spirit is alive and I know that she has touched the lives of all those students, faculty, staff, administrators, volunteers, and campers, who in some way or another have been a part of this special event over the past 34 years.”

 

Scott Norwood & The Teddi Dance for Love

It is hard to believe that it was 25 years ago that the Buffalo Bills played in one of the closest games in Super Bowl history and Scott Norwood missed the kick, far right.  It is also hard to believe that many people don't know more about Scott and the fact that he was not only a good kicker, with a great NFL career, but he is a fantastic person and someone who has always loved and supported the children we serve at Camp Good Days and Special Times. 

When he was with the Bills, Scott started the Kicking for Kids program in which donations were made for every successful field goal, to benefit Camp Good Days.  That program was carried on by Steve Christie, who had never even met Scott, but had great respect for him, and still goes on today.  Scott has taken the time to visit the Camp Good Days' Recreational Facility to personally spend time with the campers and volunteers, and one year, during our Doing A World Of Good Program, for children with cancer from countries around the world, he helped to make it possible for them to attend a Bills' game, helping to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of them.  Scott also has taken the time of his schedule to attend the Camp Good Days' Tournament of Love Golf Tournament many, many times over the years. 

One of the most memorable visits that Scott made though, was to attend the Teddi Dance for Love at St. John Fisher College.  The 34th Annual Teddi Dance for Love is taking place tonight, starting at 8PM through tomorrow night at 8PM, at St. John Fisher College, and it was 25 years ago, shortly after that fateful Super Bowl, that Scott went above and beyond.  The students that year, given all the excitement about the Bills, wanted to have someone from the team attend the Dance for Love and speak to the dancers.  I asked Scott if he would be willing to come and to his credit, he said yes, and he came to Rochester that weekend and attended the event, and spoke to the dancers and volunteers about how much their efforts, support and generosity, meant to the children of Camp Good Days.  There are not many people, being in the situation and spotlight that he was in at that time, who would have agreed to that request. 

Following that Super Bowl, Scott never backed away from what had happened and in fact, answered all of the reporters' questions that night; and you will never find a teammate of Scott's who will point their finger at him or have anything negative to say about him.  Scott was a good kicker, but more importantly, he is a great person, a great husband and father, and a true first-class human being.  He is someone that I am pleased to consider a friend and someone I am forever grateful to for his generous support of the children and families we serve.  

Moonshot Mission

As many of you know, our motto here at Camp Good Days is “adapt and adjust”, and with that in mind, that is why I am posting again today.  In Tuesday’s night State of the Union Address, President Obama talked about “Moonshot” and the effort to try and find the answers to cancer.  He stated, “For the loved ones we’ve all lost, for the families that we can still save, let’s make America the country that cures cancer once and for all. What do you think? Let’s make it happen.”  And he shared that he has tasked Vice President Biden with leading this mission. 

I am so pleased and so excited that our leader has finally chosen someone to lead this effort, and in Vice President Biden, I have so much hope because I believe that he will take this task very seriously, and dedicate the necessary time and energy, given his personal, and so recent experience within his own family, with the battle his son endured and ultimately succumbed to.  I hope that we can look at 2016 as the year when we all took a giant step forward in finding the answers that all of us involved with Cancer Mission 2020 have been seeking and working towards. 

It is somewhat ironic, and somewhat full-circle, that Cancer Mission 2020 launched in 2009, following President Obama’s first State of the Union Address in which he said that cancer is a disease that touches all of us and we can defeat cancer in our lifetime.  I have been waiting such a long time to have a President use his bully pulpit to address cancer in this country.  Cancer is not a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Conservative, Liberal, or Tea Party issue – it is a people issue. 

Cancer touches all of us.  11,000 Americans die each week from cancer. That’s unacceptable. What’s worse is that these people do not live in a vacuum. They’re our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends, or in my case, my child, Teddi.  It is as if one of the Twin Towers is falling every single day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 

It is pretty hard to understand how we, as a country, have given a blank check to protecting the homeland – to the tune of some 2-3 Trillion Dollars – but if you asked someone if they were more afraid of being attacked by a terrorist or going to the doctor and walking out with a diagnosis of cancer, I would venture to say that cancer is the bigger fear.  And it is no surprise that people are in fear of cancer.  If you are a woman, you have a one in three chance of being diagnosed with cancer, and if you’re a man, the chances are one in two, in your lifetime.  Those are NOT very great odds. 

We all need to commit ourselves to do what we can to help Vice President Biden in his mission and to find the answers to cancer so that we can one day be a country that doesn’t have to live in fear of a cancer diagnosis. 

Here at Camp Good Days, we continue to collect signatures on our Cancer Mission 2020 Petition, which supports clinical trials, as clinical trials are where the answers are going to come from.  If you have not visited our Cancer Mission 2020 website, www.cancermission2020.org, I encourage you to do so, and to sign our petition, and then share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and co-workers.  Join us, and join Vice President Biden, to let everyone know that we want finding the answers to cancer put on the front burner, so that we can all, as Americans, be rid of the fear of cancer and truly enjoy good days and special times!

Reflections for the New Year

Here we are, another New Year.  The New Year always brings with it the need to plan for the coming year, but this one also brings the realization that time goes so quickly and things happen every day, things we don’t expect but are forced to deal with and which make us think and reflect.

On New Year’s Eve, I went to the cemetery to visit Teddi, and when I got there, a woman was sitting close to Teddi’s grave, at a new gravesite, obviously very sad and troubled.  I couldn’t help but notice her and had to go talk to her.   When I asked who she was visiting, she said her daughter, who had died from an overdose.  I gave her my condolences and shared that I was also there to visit my daughter.  I only spent a few minutes with her, as she needed her time with her daughter and I needed mine, but when I went to leave, she was gone.  She never made a sound, but I can only hope that I helped her in some small way and that a small act of kindness helped to make her day just a little bit more bearable.  

One never knows the impact that we might have on someone else’s life and we may never realize, until much later, the impact that someone else has on our life.  I recently saw in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle that Mrs. Letha Ridley had passed away, at the age of 104.  All of a sudden I was taken back many years ago when I was just starting out on my career.  I was substitute teaching in the Rochester City School District and I was looking for a way in which to get more hours and more money and I learned of a few schools that needed subs and one of those was School #20, where Mrs. Ridley, a true pioneer, was the Principal. I was fortunate enough to be able to sub in that school and I learned so much from her.  Looking back, those were such difficult times in the Rochester area, as it was the late 60’s and early 70’s. She was a very tiny, African-American woman but she was strong and tall in her commitment to the children and their education.  She was in a very unique position, as that school was in the heart of the city, but inside those walls, she said the most important thing for the teachers was to set high expectations and educate their students and to then help the children reach those expectations.  If the teachers strived for those goals, she would always have their back, no matter what.  I was able to spend a lot of time with Mrs. Ridley, asking her questions and learning from her, which helped me to become the person I am.

As life goes, I moved on in my life and career and we lost touch, but when I saw the article about her passing, I went back through my archives and found the reference letter she wrote for me; one that I have saved all these years because it meant so much to me.  She truly helped to shape the person I am today, and helped to create the person who is so devoted and committed to making a difference in the lives of our youth, and especially those who are facing some of life’s most difficult battles, through no fault of their own.    

Here we are, Camp Good Days is in its 37^th year and going strong because of the continual support of so many and although we fight every day to find the answers to cancer, we still recognize and are dedicated to fulfilling the need for so many dealing with this horrible disease.

As we all take some time to reflect, I resolve this year to not rush and to appreciate each and every single day; to take the time to always practice kindness and gratitude, for those I know and those I don’t know…because you never know how you might impact someone’s life.