LOS ANGELES, Calif., March 11, 2021– The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and actress Kristen Bell announced today the winners of the fourth annual TRUE Love Contest that honors caregivers and supporters of prostate cancer patients. Bell chose two heartfelt stories of compassionate care from among many inspirational submissions – one from John Strizver of Ramona, California, and the other from Ashley Moffatt from Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. Caregivers featured in the winning stories will each receive a caregiver package, personally curated by Bell, as well as a $500 shopping experience with Verishop, the social shopping destination, and will be highlighted on PCF’s website and social media channels.
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. TRUE recognizes the committed compassion that caregivers exemplify, and pays tribute to the unsung heroes who are often the lifeline of prostate cancer patients, especially during this past year of the pandemic.
“Cancer patients are having a particularly tough time of it right now. Caregivers and family are essential to a prostate cancer patient’s mental health and recovery, but sometimes the role can go unrecognized,” said Bell. “The TRUE Love contest provides an opportunity to express gratitude and recognize the tireless, devoted caregivers out there. It is my privilege to partner with PCF in honoring these unsung heroes.”
2021 TRUE Love Winners:
- John Strizver wrote graciously about Rachelle Manookian, a cancer genetics counselor who helped him understand the genetic underpinnings of his recurrent prostate cancer and access further gene testing through the PCF-VA Precision Oncology Program for Cancer of the Prostate, and ultimately a clinical trial that identified the precise location of this cancer for biopsy and gene sequencing. Manookian’s compassionate professionalism gave Strizver a sense of confidence, optimism and hope for his future.
Excerpt: I was so humbled, so gratified, and so encouraged that such an individual actually existed in the medical community. Getting an accurate answer to the question I had been asking for 10 years was incredible and gives us the advantage of being prepared for developing treatments. Rachelle walks on water, and I am both honored and humbled to bring the story of how she went way beyond to bring me the best that the medical profession has to offer. View the complete story here https://www.pcf.org/bio/john-s-3/
- Ashley Moffatt shared a loving reflection of her mother’s (Kathy Moffatt) tireless devotion to caring for her father, diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer three years ago, and the difficulties of sharing his final days during the pandemic when hospital visits are restricted.
Excerpt: Six weeks ago we found out the devastating news that his cancer is terminal and we have a limited time with him. Every day for six weeks my mom has spent every moment she’s allowed in the hospital caring for him. My mom has spent every day for the last three years fighting alongside him, caring for him at all times, making sure he isn’t alone. I know she’s exhausted, but I also know that wild horses couldn’t tear her away from him right how. Soaking in every last second she has with him, and making sure he’s as well cared for as possible. View the complete story here: https://www.pcf.org/bio/ashley-m-2/
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 more than 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. In 2021, 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 raised more than $865 million in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 220 leading cancer centers in 22 countries around the world. Thanks in part to PCF’s commitment to ending death and suffering from prostate cancer, the death rate is down by over 50 percent and countless more men are alive today as a result. The Prostate Cancer Foundation research now impacts more than 70 forms of human cancer by focusing on immunotherapy, the microbiome, and food as medicine. Learn more at www.pcf.org.
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Staci Vernick
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Donald Wilson for the Prostate Cancer Foundation
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