From PR Fantasy Football Draft to Team PR

It all started with our Fantasy Football team draft, which in the end resulted in one amazing team, Team PR.

Our Relay For Life Kickoff was a “perfectly pitched” event.

I was amazed at the flexibility of our team in seeing that everything was accomplished even if that meant doing something that was not an assigned task. Our team had the ability to recognize the need of the group and meet it as quickly and efficiently as possible. I think one of the greatest parts about being on a team is recognizing the strengths of individuals and then using those strengths to get the best results for the team. I can honestly say that this event could not have been implemented successfully without our entire team working together as one unified team.

It has been said that the team is as strong as its weakest link. While the lack of cupcakes may have been the missing link the morning of our event, I would argue that our event did not have a weakest link. Our team faced challenges, but we never let them interfere with our game plan- to make the event a success.

I would like to extend some quick shout outs to our team because I am so proud of all the work we accomplished for this event.

Cara- way to see things through even when you got sick, the decorations were fantastic

Courtney- kudos on the banner

Andrea and Keri- wonderful job making those final pieces come together with the slideshow

Beth and Tori -great job toughing it out there to get all those burgers and hotdogs cooked

Marianna- well done to you and the cupcake crew they were all so beautiful and delicious

Cassie- way to get the coleslaw and clean those dishes with cheer

Anna- making our candy list and bringing in the mother-load

Brooke- our MVP way to get Grits to hand it all over

Corinne- getting the insane amount of icing

Jennifer- making those birthday cards with a smile

Rachel - your gift wrapping (a skill I obviously don’t have)

Lyric -your composure as team captain and ability to keep the big picture in mind was valuable to our teams’ success.

Finally, to the woman who coached our team from the beginning when we were just draft picks to preparing us for the big game day event and making sure that we had enough cupcakes and even some gluten-free ones before the kickoff. Thank you Dr. Miller.

Whoever said woman can't play football, they were wrong.

Way to Go TEAM PR!

Its Movember

In respect to my last post, I'm dedicating this post to Dr. Palmer and anyone who has been affected by prostate cancer.

Men all around the world suffer from prostate cancer and Movember is an annual celebration of the moustache, highlighting men’s health issues specifically prostate and testicular cancer.

The idea for Movember was sparked in 2003 over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia. The guys behind it joked about 80s fashion and decided it was time to bring the moustache back. In order to justify their Mos (Australian slang for moustache), they used their new looks to raise money for prostate cancer research never dreaming that facial hair would ultimately lead to a global movement that would get men talking about their health.

This Movember, the money raised in the U.S. will be split between the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The Prostate Cancer Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. The Lance Armstrong Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund the LIVESTRONG Young Adult Alliance program, which has the goal of improving survival rates and quality of life for young adults with cancer between the ages of 15 and 40.

To date, Movember has raised $47 million globally making it the world’s largest charity event for men. Help to change the face of men's health and spread awareness.

Please visit their website at www. Movember.com

Professor’s positive outlook on

Dr. Eustace Palmer, professor in the Department of English and Rhetoric at Georgia College & State University, and a native of Sierra Leone is known by colleagues and students as a man of gentle words and one whose life has been mostly kept private.

When Palmer was asked to share his most private experiences surviving prostate cancer, he gently responded, “Well, of course.” His positive outlook can be defined in those three words, and his genuine character speaks volumes to students and colleagues alike.

In the summer of 1998, five years after taking his job at GCSU, Palmer was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was having his yearly checkup with his primary physician when he was referred to an urologist. The urologist examined Palmer, but found nothing. However, sixth months later, Palmer returned to the urologist for a more in-depth examination. The biopsy results came back positive in the early stages of prostate cancer.

Having been educated about his prostate cancer diagnosis and given options for treatment, which included surgery and radiation, Palmer opted for surgery, which consisted of complete removal of the prostate gland. Beginning in September of 1998, Palmer started the eight-month preparation for surgery by taking medications and undergoing chemotherapy. His surgery was scheduled to take place in May of 1999.

During his eight-month preparation for surgery, Palmer had still not been granted his citizenship in the United States due to an outbreak of civil war conflicts in Sierra Leone. In February of 1999, Palmer was hit with the horrifying news of his older brother’s death in the civil war conflict in Sierra Leone.

“I grieved the loss of my elder brother, I am now the oldest surviving child in our family of eight children.”

Palmer kept busy before he underwent surgery that summer.

“It helped to be busy. I did not need to spend time focusing on my circumstances,” Palmer said.

During this time, he continued volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, singing in his church choir, and conducting research at the University.

He approached his circumstances with pure optimism.

“I did not view it as life threatening or frightening, it was just an interesting unusual experience. I had actually never been admitted to the hospital before,” Palmer said.

For three consecutive weeks prior to his surgery, he gave a pint of blood. The three pints of blood were then given back to him during his surgery. The surgery was conducted at the Oconee Regional Medical Center in Milledgeville, Georgia. Everything went well with the surgery, and three weeks later he had the stitches removed. Directly after the surgery he had to learn to walk properly with the help of a nursing assistant.

Staying out of the classroom was not the case for Palmer. He returned to teach a summer session class in June following his surgery. Palmer continued to see his doctor every six months after his surgery and was glad to report that the prostate cancer was completely gone.

In Sierra Leone, his father, Frederick, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the latest stages. “People in my father’s village said it was the ‘old man’s disease,’ ” said Palmer. “This disease is certainly not a question of age; you can be diagnosed as a young man. If your father does not have it, it does not mean that you can’t have it. Mine was linked to being hereditary, but many cases are not”.

Palmer’s father, Frederick, died from prostate cancer in 1983 at the age of 74. His father had worked as a civil servant for ministry of works, which is compared to a Federal Government worker in United States.

Palmer suggests that young men should not be afraid to get regular check ups at the doctor and PSA tests.

“I am grateful to my urologist and doctor for being there throughout the entire process. I have confidence in the great health system here, and this is something that my father did not have access to in Sierra Leone”.

As a man who has been personally affected by war, death and cancer, his positive outlook remains an inspiration to many and his story gives hope to men everywhere.