Open letter from Kevin Carty
Friends and Colleagues,
Each year, a group of us from Classic Exhibits, Vendor Partners and Friends get together to raise money for Cancer research/Awareness.
In the past, we have largely done this thru bike rides ranging from 75 miles – 100 miles in length. This year we are taking it to a whole new level!! We are going to run 199 miles! That’s right, I said WE ARE GOING TO RUN 199 MILES. From Mt. Hood to the Oregon Coast. The event is called Hood to Coast. And believe it or not, we have fun doing it 🙂
A team of 12 of us, along with 4 volunteer drivers and helpers, will be embarking on this 199 mile run to raise awareness and more importantly funds for Cancer Research. The facility we are raising money for is one that is near and dear to the Classic Exhibits Family. Its call Providence Cancer Research/Care Center. Its located here in Portland. Why Providence you ask?? Easy…Mike Swartout, The Design Director at Classic Exhibits, that’s why!
A few years ago, Mike was delivered the news none of us ever want to hear. “You have Cancer”. And in Mike’s case it was particularly bad. Advanced Stage 4 Prostate Cancer. His PSA was 2640. That was not a typo.
With the research and care provided by Providence Cancer Research/Care Center, Mike is still thankfully with us and his family today. Thru many experimental treatments and studies that Mike freely took part in to help find a cure for this dreaded disease, Mike has outlasted the early prediction of only a few months to still be here with us a few years later.
His selfless approach to truly being a guinea pig in the medical sense has allowed Providence to advance amazing treatments such as Provenge to the point of FDA approval recently. A drug that is proving daily to stop the course of Prostate Cancer in many patients now that are getting diagnosed. Something that Mike and all of us are very proud of indeed as his friends and family.
So, with Mike’s permission and urging, we decided this year to take on a HUGE challenge to help raise money for this great Cancer Research center in his honor. Which is where you come in!
Please consider sponsoring us thru your donations via our Crowdrise Page. http://www.crowdrise.com/classicexhibitionist
Our minimum goal we have set is $12,000. But as a team we are shooting for $20,000. That’s just over $100 per mile we run that we are trying to raise.
Your donation is 100% tax deductible. And goes 100% towards Providence Cancer Research/Care Center to allow them to continue to provide the great care and attention patients like Mike and now others around the country are receiving due to their great work.
So…let me be corny is saying…Help support us please while we “expose” ourselves to Cancer Awarness by donating to our 199 mile run.
As in years past on our Bike Rides….we as a team would be honored and grateful to run with the names of your loved ones that are battling or have lost their battle to this disease. So please make sure you email me their names so I can have them included on our backs as we run.
Again, click on the link to http://www.crowdrise.com/classicexhibitionist to donate.
And as a survivor of cancer myself, I thank you for your time and your donations to help find a cure to Cancer.
Be well
Kevin
