Saturday November 7th is the SWFL Lung Cancer Run/Walk and Mile of Memories
Memorial Walk, commemorating the start of Lung Cancer Awareness Month. I’ve worked hard all year to make this race the
biggest event it can be, but as of this writing, it may turn out to be the
smallest event since I started running this race in 2009. If you are reading this story, please come
out to show your support, even if it is just to be there for the 30 minute
rally at the end of the race (around 9:30 AM).
We’ve had a relatively small group of walkers and runners
pre-register for the event, compared to years gone by. It’s discouraging,
especially since we have a large e-mail distribution list with the names of
people who have participated in the past.
I’m not sure I know why paid registrations are so low. Maybe people are
just tired of running and are looking for something different to do?
I had a series of live interviews with Wink TV this morning
and the interviewer, John Trierweiler, suggested that we should to do is organize
a race to the top of a tall building, like they do in Chicago. Only one problem; in Charlotte County we
don’t have tall buildings.
There is an event called “Shine a Light on Lung Cancer”
where advocates in Boston get building owners and tenants to leave their lights
on overnight in the shape of a ribbon. It’s another good idea, but, again, we
don’t have the buildings to do it. Maybe someone at Cheney Bros. new
distribution facility who reads this column, could suggest to management that
they project a giant white ribbon on their new building so people driving up
and down I75 can see it at night? That
could help shine a light on lung cancer. How about it Cheney Brothers?
I don’t know who to talk to at the Punta Gorda Post Office,
but management there needs to know that I noticed the store front was decked
out in pink the entire month of October. I wonder what the Punta Gorda Post Office
going to do for women with lung cancer in November? If you stop in there this
month, please ask.
I know the White House was lit up in pink in October. Since pearl white is the color of lung cancer
and the White House is already lit up white all year long, could we just
declare the White House to be the “Lung Cancer White” House in November? I’m sure some creative mind in Washington
D.C. could come up with something to recognize lung cancer awareness month.
Last year at this time I went to the NY Stock Exchange with
the hopes of ringing the opening bell. There was a chance we could have done that,
had we not gotten bumped by an IPO. Oh
well, at least Yoko and I got to see the Book of Mormon on Broadway and have
some excellent meals.
Since we are having poor participation at the annual race
this year, I’ve been thinking of other ways to make a statement. One idea was to create 460 cardboard angels
to sit in the stands. These would
represent the number of people we lost to lung cancer in Charlotte County this
year alone. I wish I had thought of this eight years ago. By now we could fill the stadium with those
unnamed angels.
I saw an article in the newspaper about a grieving husband
suing R.J. Reynolds here in Charlotte County claiming tobacco products caused
the death of his wife. The verdict assigned the wife 98% blame for causing her
own death by smoking. The plaintiff was awarded $5000. That verdict pretty well
sums up people’s attitude. Didn’t the jury know that R.J. Reynolds had
purposely made their products more addictive?
I called Morgan and Morgan this week to see if I could bring my own lawsuit,
but they turned me down flat. I
explained that I don’t want the money, just the publicity.
Anyway, as you can tell, I am raging an uphill battle. Right
now it feels like I am not winning. But
it doesn’t matter. If I am unable to
light a fire under people to care passionately about this issue, so be it. People’s indifference won’t deter me from
trying, because I know in my heart that what I am trying to do does matter.
If you want to join me to make a difference, wear a white
ribbon on your lapel this month and let people know you support the fight
against lung cancer. Thank you for your support!
