Awareness Trucks Hit the Road for National Cancer Prevention Month
Cancer is the second
leading cause of death in the US with nearly 1,958,310 new causes and 609,820 fatalities
expected this year, according to the CA:
A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
It is important to know that there is not one set way to
prevent the disease as prevention methods vary based on the type of cancer;
however, there are risk factors you can avoid such as smoking, excessive sun
exposure, excess alcohol consumption, obesity, physical inactivity, and poor
nutrition. In fact, research shows that
more than 42% of cancers are avoidable.
While this month marks an active approach to encourage
people to get routine exams, become informed of the risks, and lead a healthier
lifestyle, with the ultimate goal of hopefully reducing this year’s projected
statistics, Road Scholar Transport is spreading awareness year-round with our
awareness trucks. Here is a look at some
of the organizations we are spreading awareness for.
This year, it is estimated that around 9,910
children between the ages of 0-15 years old will develop cancer, taking the
precious lives of around 1,040.
Working together with Liz Scott, who founded the Alex’s
Lemonade Stand Foundation after her 8-year-old daughter Alex passed away from
cancer, Road Scholar’s bright yellow tractor-trailer was created, featuring an
image of young Alex at her lemonade stand with the goal “Fighting Childhood
Cancer, One Cup at a Time.”
Alexandra Scott was diagnosed with neuroblastoma before her
first birthday. After receiving a stem
cell transplant when she was just four years old, Alex wanted to open up a
lemonade stand and “give the money to doctors to allow them to ‘help
other kids like they helped me,’” she said.
She ended up raising $2,000 that year.
As more and more people heard Alex’s story, they too began to open
lemonade stands and with their help, Alex was able to raise over $1 million to
help find a cure before she passed away at the age of 8.
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has raised over $250
million so far.
Children's
Cancer Recovery Foundation
Working with the Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation, Road
Scholar created a jet-black tractor trailer, featuring the foundation’s
trademark bear, which is pictured with a red bandana on, a symbol of undergoing
chemotherapy. Also portrayed is a happy young cancer survivor.
The organization was created in 1990 after Greg Anderson,
their Founder, and survivor of the 30 days to live lung cancer diagnosis, visited
a children’s hospital for a speaking engagement. After meeting with numerous
parents at the hospital, Greg realized that he needed to do something to
help. Greg interviewed parents and those responses helped him form the
programs the foundation has today.
The Bear-Able Gift program delivers gifts to
thousands of children each year…items such as board games, toys, crayons,
coloring books, markers, video games, puzzles, books, teddy bears, craft
kits…all sorts of things that make children smile and laugh…are distributed to
hospitals across the country. The
Bear-Able Gift Program is the largest supplier of gifts to children with cancer
in North America.
The Helping Hands Fund provides emergency bridge payments
directly to utility companies and landlords, ensuring that each child has a
warm, safe place to call home while recovering from cancer.
The Camp Scholarship Program allows children in remission to
reconnect with those friends and activities. The program provides funding
for a camp of their choice; sports, music, art, science, horseback riding, skiing,
or whatever activities they missed most during treatment.
Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation operates an extensive
international aid program that provides treatment medications and medical
supplies to clinics and doctors treating cancer patients in developing and
impoverished countries. They also provide medicine and supplies to aid
medical professionals in the treatment and prevention of the side effects of
cancer including lymphedema and treatment-related infections.
Working with Hebert, Usable Creative of Lafayette, LA, and
Elmo Rinaldi (President & CEO of Northern Wine & Spirits and who
introduced Road Scholar to Sky High), a new awareness truck was born, this one On the Road to Save Lives! Shooting for Comfort, Aiming for a Cure, and spreading the word for Sky High for St. Jude, which helps fund research,
provide comfort, and save lives at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“Sky High is a non-profit organization comprised of an army of
volunteers that raises funds on behalf of the families undergoing treatment for
pediatric cancer and other threatening diseases at St. Jude through sporting
clays, concerts, live auctions, and golf tournaments,” says Brittany Hebert,
Founder of Sky High for St. Jude. “St.
Jude has taken pediatric lymphoblastic leukemia from a 4% survival rate in 1962
to 94% in 2015.”
But Road Scholar Transport’s mission does not stop
there. We are also spreading awareness
for several other cancers as well, including our first awareness truck that
started it all, breast cancer awareness.
American
Breast Cancer Foundation
Beginning on a Saturday morning in October 2007, Road Scholar
owner Jim Barrett was facing frustration from his wife and daughters when he
could not take an hour off of work to participate in a breast cancer walk that
they were attending.
While his wife and daughters were gone, Jim decided to one-up them and walked across the street to a company that sells tractor-trailers,
telling one of their employees that he wanted to buy a brand new trailer but
under one condition…that they painted it pink. He then went to a decal
place and told the people there that he wanted an eight-foot-tall oval ribbon
with a white background. He now had a pink breast cancer awareness truck.
Jim said to his wife, “Anyone could put on a pink shirt or a
pink band around their wrist. Go try an 80,000-pound tractor trailer all
pinked up for breast cancer awareness.” His goal was accomplished, he one-upped his wife.
The American Breast Cancer Foundation was established in
1997, providing education regarding the disease as well as financial aid to
breast cancer patients.
This year, an estimated 43,700 women will pass away from
breast cancer with a diagnosis of nearly 297,790 new cases, according to cancer.org.
Northeast
Regional Cancer Institute (Rock on Judi H)
The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute is a non-profit
organization focused on “community and patient services, hospital and practice
support services, and cancer surveillance,” as well as services as a “local
resource for cancer education services, regional statistics, and information on
cancer.”
Our Rock on Judi H trailer, benefiting the Northeast
Regional Cancer Institute, was created in memory of Judi H, musician Paul
LaBelle’s niece who passed away from breast cancer in 2007 at the age of
45. LaBelle started the Rock on Judi H campaign, selling $20 raffle
tickets featuring a chance to win a one-of-a-kind Pink Lady Guitar, created and
autographed by renowned guitar maker Paul Reed Smith. All proceeds from
the sales were donated to the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute in Judi’s
memory.
Road Scholar Transport jumped in, helping
to sell the tickets as well as creating an awareness trailer to continue
spreading breast cancer awareness nationwide. The trailer features Judi’s
picture along with the Pink Lady Guitar.
When former Road Scholar driver Greg Kearsh became diagnosed
with prostate cancer, Jim Barrett wanted to do something to help. With a
pink breast cancer truck already standing apart from the rest of the fleet, Jim
decided to create a second colorful tractor trailer, this time painted teal and
dedicated to prostate cancer awareness.
Around 288,300
new cases will be diagnosed this year across the nation and lead to nearly 34,700
deaths.
While the 3rd leading cause of cancer-related death,
pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of cancers. Nearly 64,050
people with be diagnosed this year in the US and over 50,550 pass away.
Road Scholar has taken pancreatic cancer awareness to the
next level, painting an 80,000 lb. tractor trailer purple, displaying the
disease’s trademark purple ribbon and stars while traveling nationwide on the road
to a cure.
While it’s the second most common cancer among men and
women, lung cancer causes the most fatalities among all cancers. New lung cancer diagnoses are expected to
reach 238,340
this year with almost 127,070 deaths.
The idea to create an awareness truck for Lung Cancer
Alliance got started when Linda Sacco, a volunteer at the organization, and her
husband, ran into Jim Barrett at an antique car show. Linda’s husband was a former driver for Road
Scholar and while catching up, Linda began talking about Lung Cancer
Alliance. The idea of creating a trailer
for this great organization took off.
Road Scholar’s awareness truck features three of Lung Cancer
Alliance’s amazing advocates from Scranton; Karen (a two-time lung cancer
survivor) and her husband Jim, along with Linda, who is Karen’s sister.
Lung Cancer Alliance is “the leading and most highly rated
lung cancer charity in the country,” explains Kay Bayne, the organization’s
Director of Marketing. “We are focused
on saving lives and advancing research by empowering those living with and at
risk for lung cancer.”
Check out all of Road Scholar’s awareness trucks here.
Don’t forget, Feb. 20 is Love Your Pet Day. Check out our trailers dedicated to our furry
friends!
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