Drive Cancer Out

DRIVE CANCER OUT'S 2ND BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

2008-04-19T14:08:00.001-07:00

April 19th, 2008

Drive Cancer Out celebrated its second birthday at Incredible Dave's on April 16th with about two hundred enthusiastic team members and guests. Our honored Hall of Fame coach, Denny Crum led the way with his cast of former players including Darrell Griffith, Wiley Brown, Scooter McCray, Labradford Smith, Keith Williams, Robby Valentine, and Roger Burkman. The birthday bash was generously sponsored by Yum!, Covidien, KMA Insurance, Karl Storz, En Seal, Bard,Sanofi Aventis and Wyeth Pharmacuticals. We were further supported with auction items from numerous sources. Harry Shapira of Heaven Hill Distillary provided a bourbon basket, tour and tasting, and Chuck Schupp of Louisville Slugger donated a Manny Ramirez bat to top the list of great gifts. Meanwhile ever generous Coach Crum will be dragged out for two rounds of golf at the Cardinal Club for the bargin price of $2200!

The party was an opportunity to thank the many people that make DCO possible. The indispensible Margot French led the event organization, as she does the school program and the administration of DCO, with flair and fun. Our board members Pat Roxworthy, Chuck Fischesser, Dick Wilson, Father Paul Smith, Daniel Benson, Steve McGovern, Ren LaRocca, Gene Wheeler, Connie Sorrel, Richard Wilson, Kirk Hilbrecht have been over the top with their generosity, and their commitment of time and talent. The volunteers current and past were recognized including medical students, U of L medical and surgical residents, and U of L student athletes. Special recognition is always given to our cancer survivors who relate their stories to our impressionable youth--thank you Nancy Alvey, Sonny Steinberg, and Debra Sego. I would also like to thank Bonnie Koontz and Teresa Lowrey for their commitment to DCO from the very start and in particular for promoting the event widely and with style.

Incredible Dave's was a great venue for the event. Food and drink were in unending supply--lots of it and tasty just the way we Americans like it! The 1980 Championship Game rolled on the screens overhead and the players and Coach mingled with the crowd. The new Corvette Z06, the flagship for the program, was parked out front and everyone thought it will carry the banner well.

The funds raised by the event will go to educate our youth about the harmful effects of smoking. We will also make every effort to promote smoke free health in our community and state through media and education. We are progressing clarity of mission and intensity of purpose to improve the health of Louisville and Kentucky. Thank you all once again.

Sincerely,

Michael Bousamra

Pass the 70 cent tax increase on cigarettes in Kentucky

2008-03-08T08:08:00.000-08:00

Michael Bousamra, II, M.D.
Head of Thoracic Surgery, James Graham Brown Cancer Center
Director of Lung Transplantation, Jewish Hospital

Our state legislators in Frankfort are debating a 70 cent tax increase on cigarettes in the face of a large budget deficit relative to current expenditures. A reflex prohibition against this tax revenue will jeopardize recently gained, and long overdue improvements in education and compromise already substandard health care for thousands of Kentuckians. The simple cry of “no new taxes” rings hollow when we consider the justification for this measure. Allow me to present my perspective as a physician and thoracic surgeon who regularly treats the end results of smoking.

First the facts. Over the past decade at least fifty thousand Kentuckians have died an early death from smoking. Half of these deaths are due to lung cancer. Emphysema, and chronic bronchitis comprise about 15% of the total. Heart disease, stroke and other cancers throughout the body make up the remainder. Smoking cuts life short by an average of ten years and costs us hundreds of millions of dollars in health care expenditures annually. The common perception is that only older individuals are affected, but that view is mistaken. Because our youth start smoking at a young age, our citizens die much earlier. Kentucky lung cancer death rates for individuals 40 to 55 years are almost double the national average. The point is driven home by what I call the 90-90-90 rule. Ninety percent of lung cancer is caused by smoking. Ninety percent of lung cancer patients ultimately die of their disease, and most abhorrently, 90% started smoking before they were 21. In turn, we should do all we can to dissuade our youth from smoking.

Over the past fifteen years I have operated on and cared for hundreds of patients with lung cancer and have performed scores of lung transplants on patients with end stage lung disease. I love caring for these men and women who face life threatening diseases with courage and faith. Almost everyone wishes they had never started smoking when they were very young. Many wished they could have quit smoking long ago. Few scenarios bring more pain to patient and family than a fifty year old husband and father in whom the surgeon has biopsied unresectable, incurable lung cancer. With head hung low, bad news is delivered. In searching for reasons, the questions “why?” and “how did this happen?” are asked. The raw, blood stained truth is smoking--smoking since the early teen years. And family members who smoke are at particular risk of developing the same disease. This is a recurring scene in medicine and surgery. Because it is so negative it is not emphasized enough, but it is the rude reality. Given our limitations to cure these diseases, it is the responsibility of physicians and the community to do all we can to alter the root cause of these problems.

It is well known and beyond dispute that increasing the cost of smoking is the most effective measure to get at this “root cause” because it will reduce smoking especially among adolescents, teens and pregnant women. Public health experts estimate that thousands of young Kentuckians will not take up this fatal habit if a 70 cent tax hike is instituted. Lesser measures will be much less effective because a significant cost threshold is not met with a 25 cent increase. Since we have the highest smoking rates for adults and youths in America, this measure is long overdue.

The general health of Kentuckians is among the lowest in America and this predicament is almost solely due to smoking. The disease mechanism should pay for itself with a tax commensurate with the health burden it inflicts. Although unpopular to say so, smokers don’t pay their own way with respect to health care. It is not uncommon for me to evaluate a patient with lung cancer, who has already undergone a heart bypass, a carotid “clean out”, and who takes five medicines for lung disease-- and they are still smoking! A large proportion of smokers utilize subsidized health care, and few people, regardless of income, actually pay enough in health insurance to fully compensate for such expenses. A significant cigarette tax is a fair way for smokers to pay for their consumption of community health resources.

I hope the Kentucky Assembly, the Governor and all involved in this important decision will pass the full tax increase of 70 cents. We can and must improve our State’s welfare.
This is no time for backsliding on health and education; no time to “wallow in the mire” of petty politics. Regardless of political affiliation, the argument for the greater good takes precedence. It lies in the undisputed fact that a 70 cent increase in the cigarette tax will result in fewer young smokers and tremendous health benefits to our Commonwealth. It is just. It is time. Let’s have the courage and foresight do what is right for Kentucky.

DCO's Birthday Bash

2007-04-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

As displayed on the slide show, Drive Cancer Out had a fantastic time celebrating our first birthday at Saints in St. Matthews. We were honored by the benevolence of Coach Denny Crum and his lovely wife Susan. Guests included a multitude of Denny's former players including Darryl Griffith, LaBradford Smith, Lancaster Gordon, Scooter McCray,Ellis Miles and Robbie Valentine.
Kids of all ages got all the autographs they would ever want from this group of stars.
I'm particularly proud that these University of Louisville greats graced our gathering because they have a long history of benfiting our community. We hope to follow in their footsteps of societal improvement.
Great thanks go out to my dear friend Teresa Lowrey for bringing the University presence to the gathering. David Bard, Maryam Rahman, and Tammy Muncy organized the event. Bonnie Koontz produced the video that recreates very clearly our activities in the schools and at events. Her husband Dr. Bill Koontz shot photos of all and caught the action as displayed in the slide show. Special thanks to Nancy and Sam Alvey for helping distribute Tee shirts. As always Margot French is the axle around which DCO revolves keeping all in the loop. The North End Cafe provided the food and
Tyco Health Care through Frank Kelsey sponsored the good eatin'.
Once again special and enduring thanks to Coach and Susan Crum, and all their former players. We greatly appreciate those who support our efforts to keep our youth healthy, strong and well educated as we strive for a bright future for Kentucky.

Drive Cancer Out's Birthday Bash

2007-04-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Drive Cancer Out began it's campaign to keep our youth strong and healthy on April 25th. That anniversary is fast upon us. In the mean time we have attended over 40 dates and obtained over 8000 promises to never smoke from the future leaders of our society. We plan to celebrate at Fourth Street Live on April 25 and all are welcome. Lucky Strike, Sully's Restaurant Saloon, and Felt have all promised to promote DCO. Paper Cut, www.papercutthemovie.com, the movie written, directed, and produced by Louisville native, Archie Borders, is premiring at the Baxter the day before and is celebrating its launch with us. The action will begin about 7:30pm and go till whenever. The car, the movie, great food and drink, and bowling till you can't roll it any more are all on tap.

The following evening at Saints(Thurs. April 26th), in the Sky Bar, Denny Crum will be on hand to promote our good works by signing memorabilia. Bring a shirt, basketball, or piece of paper and the Louisville great will sign it in exchnage for a donation of $20 to DCO. Can't promise yet, but there may be sitings of other U of L greats there too.

Finally, we had a great time at Wheeler Elementary. Over 180 4th and 5th graders were thoroughly educated about the medical effects of smoking. We gave away about 40 Tee shirts and everybody got to sit in either the smoke free Ford GT or Dr Denzler's
super cool red Ferrari.

Drive Cancer Out Goes to Coral Ridge and the Neighborhood House

2007-03-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

The Drive Cancer Out team gave a rousing program to the Coral Ridge 4th and 5th graders. The kids were amazed by the sight of actual diseased organs riddled with cancer and emphysema. The medical school gang awed the students as they demonstrated surgical instruments and discussed invasive surgery needed to treat cancer. The boys and girls soaked the knowledge in and were ready to promise Maryam and Sonny that they would never smoke.
After some cool photos around the DCO Ford GT the team headed to the Neighborhood House for some more teaching action. I picked up super cool Dr Henry in the GT (looks cool but can't drive worth a lick) and we headed there too. Teresa Lowery from the U of L Athletic Department brought three of her star athletes from women's basketball and soccer and Ellie Schweizer lead the Metro Health crew and together we all "Kicked Butt" to keep our youth smoke free.

Wheeler Elementary is next on the agenda tomorrow.