LOS ANGELES, Calif., March 24, 2022 – The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and actress Kristen Bell announced today the winners of the fifth annual TRUE Love Contest opened this year to all caregivers – prostate cancer caregivers, cancer caregivers, COVID caregivers, and essential workers. Bell chose two heartfelt stories of compassionate care from among many inspiring submissions – one from Loryn Princevalle of Niantic, CT, and the other from Kelly Ryman of Brooklyn, NY. Caregivers featured in the winning stories will each receive a caregiver package, personally curated by Bell and will be highlighted on PCF’s website and social media channels.
TRUE Love contest winners
Coryn Princevalle (left) and Susan O'Malley
The TRUE Love campaign gives those who have been affected by prostate cancer an outlet to express their appreciation to a loved one or caregiver while helping raise awareness about the impacts of this disease. This year, PCF accepted TRUE Love stories from all perspectives that reflect love, honor and generosity of spirit in these challenging times. TRUE Love recognizes the committed compassion that caregivers exemplify, and pays tribute to the unsung heroes who are often the lifeline of patients, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Caregivers are the bedrock of a patient’s mental health and recovery. The TRUE Love contest provides the perfect opportunity for patients, loved ones and healthcare professionals to express their heartfelt appreciation and to recognize caregivers for their selfless dedication,” said Bell. “As a PCF ambassador, it is my distinct privilege to honor this year’s winners, Coryn and Susan, for their compassion and devotion.”
2022 TRUE Love Winners:
- Loryn Princevalle wrote graciously about her sister, Coryn Princevalle, who put her own life on hold to be by their father’s side following his prostate cancer diagnosis in March of 2020. Coryn diligently kept track of doctors’ appointments, radiation treatments, medication schedules, anything and everything to help him on his cancer journey.
Excerpt: He seemed to be doing better, but began a sudden decline in January 2021. (Coryn) moved into his one bedroom apartment with him, sleeping in the living room to provide him his wish of at-home hospice. He ended up passing, but I’ll never forget all the time and love she gave him and neither will he. She is an incredible person who deserves to be honored for all the selflessness and love she poured into her role as a caregiver without a second thought. View the complete story here: https://www.pcf.org/bio/loryn-s/ - Kelly Ryman, an emergency room nurse from an immediate family of essential workers, shared a loving reflection of her mother’s (Susan O’Malley) lifelong devotion to her patients and family. When Susan finally retired after 40 years as an emergency room nurse in Brooklyn, NY, it was time to turn that devotion to her family, first helping to take care of her four grandchildren, then caring for her sister and Kelly’s aunt Diane after a cancer diagnosis. Then Kelly’s 93-year-old grandfather suffered a debilitating knee injury which required 24-hour care.
Excerpt: My mom never once thought of anything other than simply moving into my grandfather’s place and becoming his primary caregiver 24/7. Still, to this day, she is taking care of him three days a week while helping babysit her four grandchildren as we are all essential employees. I nominated her because she would never say she deserves any credit, it’s what you do for family. She may have become a nurse in the 1970s, but her compassion and desire to help others is still just as strong in 2022. View the complete story here: https://www.pcf.org/bio/kelly-r/
All of the TRUE Love stories, including the winners can be found at www.pcf.org/true.
In the United States, one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Black men are about 75 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than a Caucasian man, and more than twice as likely to die from the disease. It is estimated that more than three million American men are living with prostate cancer. It is projected that a new case will be diagnosed every two minutes and a man will die from prostate cancer every 15 minutes. Fortunately, many patients have someone dedicated to supporting them through the battle, and that support can make all the difference in the world to someone with a cancer diagnosis. From finding the right precision treatment, to recovery or palliative care, compassionate care is always possible and an essential factor in all aspects of care, especially while fighting prostate cancer.
ABOUT THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION: The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has been responsible for raising close to $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers in 28 countries around the world. Since PCF’s inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to creating a global public square for prostate cancer, in service to our mission of ending death and suffering from the disease. Learn more at pcf.org.
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Staci Vernick
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Donald Wilson for the Prostate Cancer Foundation
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