Gerritsen Beach
Cancer survivor Dan Foster wants you to know how important early intervention is. In 1996, our pal Dan was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Like all of us when confronted with such news, he looked to his doctor for guidance. Dan was lucky, his cancer was detected early, he was able to receive cutting-edge, state-of-the-art treatment with a new surgery called “total mesorectal excision,” and he had one heck of a doctor. Dan gave up junk food, started jogging and got his act together, based on his doctor’s advice. Now 15 years later, Dan is cancer free and sharing his good fortune with everyone.
In 1999 on Cancer Survivor Day, Dan trekked 150 miles from Montauk Point Lighthouse to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan to raise funds for cancer research. And he’s still walking, volunteering, and raising money as the official Ambassador of Brooklyn for the Colon Cancer Alliance, a national cancer organization.
“I wanted to give something back, to help others,” Dan told Standing O.
Dan has also been recognized for all he does from Standing O’s brother in Brooklyn boosting Borough President Markowitz, who gave him a proclamation on March 2.
March is “Colon Cancer Awareness Month” and Dan want’s everyone to know what we can do to help fight the disease that takes the lives of so many every year.
• Go to www.ccalliance.org and become a volunteer— every little bit helps.
• Find out about the Apr. 1 Colon Cancer Challenge in Central Park and enter in the run and remembrance walk— you can do it it’s only 5K.
• Tell your family and friends to get screened early— jeesh, you tell them everything else why not this?
• Start screening at age 50, or younger if someone in the family was diagnosed;
• African-Americans should begin screening at age 45.
• The number one symptom is NONE, so don’t wait, do it now.
Dan is also hosting the 10th annual 5K Fun Run/Walk in Gerritsen Beach on Sept. 15 in memory of Joan Gardner and Wynne McCann. Donations benefit Beth Israel Medical Center. If you are interested, and Standing O says you should be, give Dan a call at (718) 891-5789 or e-mail him at df003@aol.com (put in Dan’s 5K in the subject bar). Early screening equals lives saved. It’s a good thing.
