On Sun., August 11, over 200 runners, walkers, volunteers, colorectal cancer survivors, and caregivers will join together in the fight against the nation’s No. 2 cancer killer: colon cancer. Get Your Rear in Gear® − Colchester is a family-friendly 5K Run/Walk planned to raise awareness and encourage screening for this largely preventable cancer.

Celebrate survivors, support caregivers, and remember those who left us too soon. Stroll the Blue Mile and see tributes to those lost and messages honoring survivors of colon and rectal cancer.

"I recently witnessed the difficult journey of a friend of mine during his treatment and recovery from colorectal cancer. The life changing impact of this diagnosis and the stress it caused on him and his loved ones was painful to see,” says Sarah Lemnah, Executive Director for Cancer Patient Support Foundation and local event director for Get Your Rear in Gear – Colchester. “I am honored to be a part of this event both on a professional and personal level. The Cancer Patient Support Foundation works with local colon cancer patients and their families as they struggle through diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. I want to encourage all Vermonters to understand the importance of screening for colon cancer. This is a disease that when caught early is so treatable. Please, do not be one of those people who got diagnosed too late."

This race is planned by local volunteers with help from the Colon Cancer Coalition, a national organization that hosts over 40 events across the country to educate and raise funds for colon cancer screening and prevention. Money raised through Get Your Rear in Gear – Colchester will be granted by the Colon Cancer Coalition to build and fund programs in the Green Mountain State aimed at increasing colon cancer screening and early detection of the disease. Funds raised in past years provide patient services including financial and emotional support to colorectal cancer patients through a grant to the Cancer Patient Support Foundation.

Just the facts about colon cancer:

• One in 23 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer during their lifetime.
• 51% of adults 50-54 have not been screened.
• New recommendations from the American Cancer Society encourage colon cancer screening start at age 45.
• Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer incidence and death in young adults under 50 in the United States (National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Institute of Health). 
• 1 in 5 colorectal cancer patients are 20-54 years old.

​Sun., Aug 11, celebrates the 12th Get Your Rear in Gear event in Colchester. The 5K run/walk starts at 10:00 a.m. Registration information is available online at ColonCancerCoalition.org/Colchester. Information about volunteering, fundraising, sponsoring the event or forming a team is also available on the website. Colorectal cancer screening information as well as a list of symptoms and other information about the disease can also be found on the website.
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About the Colon Cancer Coalition
The Colon Cancer Coalition is a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minn. dedicated to encouraging screening and raising awareness of colon cancer. The organization’s signature Get Your Rear in Gear® and Tour de Tush® event series are volunteer-driven in communities throughout the United States. In 2017 the Colon Cancer Coalition granted over $1 million dollars to local communities that will build and sustain programs promoting early prevention, screening, and patient support services for this disease. By making the words colon, colorectal and colonoscopy a part of the everyday language, we believe we can overcome the fear and decrease deaths from this largely preventable cancer. For more information visit ColonCancerCoalition.org. 
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​Chef Shawn Calley, the Executive Chef of the Burlington Country Club, was named the Culinary Cup Champion for his smoked chicken stuffed with apples, goat cheese, and sage. This is the third win for Chef Calley. Chef Evan Leavy of the Jericho Cafe & Tavern won the People's Choice Award for his house smoked brisket with blackstrap molasses, apple relish, and cornbread crumble. Other chefs competing this year included: Chef Christian Kruse, Vergennes Laundry by CK; Chef Donnell Collins, Leunig's Bistro & Café; and Chef David Hoene, Pauline's Café.

For Calley, the mission is what is important. "I feel so fortunate to live in a community that supports and takes special care of people in need. I am honored and humbled to have been able to be involved with The Cancer Support Foundation for the past several years and love seeing many friendly faces year after year when I hand them a dish. More importantly, I feel privileged to be able to do my part, however small, in helping to make a difference with a foundation that has such a great impact to the folks that really need it."
 
This year the Culinary Classic Cup judging panel included celebrity chef Kevin Des Chenes of the Food Network's "Beat Bobby Flay" and " The Great Food Truck Challenge". Chef Des Chenes explained why Chef Calley was named the Culinary Cup Champion, "though all 5 dishes were great, Chef Shawn's dish hit all the points we were looking for: texture, taste and an overall composition of the  dish. It was also very important that we picked up on all flavors and components in each chef's description of their dishes and Chef Shawn delivered."
 
More than $100,000 was raised to support local cancer patients and their families. Proceeds from the event benefited the Cancer Patient Support Foundation (CPSF). Last year CPSF's Emergency Fund distributed over $223,000 to 649 local cancer patients throughout Vermont and Northern New York. To find out more about CPSF and how you can help go toCPSFVT.ORG. The Culinary Classic was presented by NorthCountry Federal Credit Union.
 
The Cancer Patient Support Foundation (CPSF) is an independent nonprofit organization which supports cancer patients and their families, in Vermont and Northern New York in a time of extraordinary need, by providing financial assistance, underwriting counseling services, and acting as a resource during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

The Victoria Buffum Endowment Committee at the University of Vermont Cancer Center has awarded the Cancer Patient Support Foundation's (CPSF) Emergency Fund $47,000. This fund provides emergency financial assistance for local cancer patients and their families.

Many of CPSF's patients report that they are more "scared about the money than the cancer." CPSF hopes to minimize that fear by providing financial support to cancer families in crisis. The Emergency Fund provides assistance to families to remove financial barriers to cancer treatment and help them meet their most basic needs. Today the CPSF Emergency Fund supports nearly 650 families each year. Since its inception this fund has awarded more than $2 million to families in Vermont and Northern New York. Cancer patients too often need to make difficult choices between paying for much needed prescriptions, or transportation to treatment instead of meeting their families’ basic needs including food, heat, and childcare. Requests to the Emergency Fund have risen dramatically. In 2016, $190,000 was awarded to 509 patients; last year, $223,000 was awarded to 649 patients.

CPSF would not be able to provide this level of support without our community partners like the Victoria Buffum Endowment. Since 2013 this fund has awarded CPSF’s Emergency Fund more than $150,000 to support local cancer patients and their families receiving treatment at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Buffum lost her battle with cancer in 2002 at the age of 58. According to the UVM Medical Center website, "She wanted to ease the burden of individuals (and their families) trying to understand their illness and move through the challenges of treatment. She funded this endowment through her generous personal philanthropy in support of her goal.” "

The Victoria Buffum Endowment has enabled CPSF to meet the needs of hundreds of local cancer patents," said Sarah Lemnah, CPSF Executive Director. "Victoria Buffum's legacy lives on in the patients we are able to serve due to her generosity and desire to lessen the burden on individuals and their families."

 Click here for more information on CPSF’s Emergency Fund.

​Chef Shawn Calley, the Executive Chef of the Burlington Country Club, was awarded the Culinary Cup and the People's Choice Award at the 3rd Annual Culinary Classic to benefit the Cancer Patient Support Foundation (CPSF). Calley is the first chef to win both awards and was the Culinary Cup Champion in 2015. This year he competed against: Chef Christian Kruse, Vergennes Laundry by CJ, Chef Donnell Collins, Leunig's Bistro & Café, Chef Adam Raftery, Waterworks Food + Drink, and Chef David Hoene, Pauline's Café. 

For Calley the mission is what is important "I am humbled to be part of an event that makes such a difference to those in need, at a time when they need support the most." 

The panel of judges felt Calley deserved to take home the Culinary Cup, as Judge Chef Curtiss Hemm explained, "In the end Chef Calley's use of texture, local ingredients, spices and cooking method all added to our unanimous decision."
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Over $95,000 was raised to support cancer patients and their families in Vermont and Northern New York. 

The Cancer Patient Support Foundation is pleased to announce a silent auction donation of FOUR house tickets for KinkyBoots on Broadway, which includes an interview with Ron Fierstein, co-producer, and brother of actor Harvey Fierstein who wrote the show. Ticket value is $1000

KinkyBoots has been nominated for 13 Tony Awards and won 6, including Best Musical. The show is described as uplifting, funny, moving, and joyful.

Don't miss this priceless auction item, click here to get your Culinary Classic tickets. 

 The 3rd Annual Culinary Classic to benefit the Cancer Patient Support Foundation
(CPSF) will be held on November 11 from 6-9pm at UVM’s Davis Center. Five of the
areas most talented chefs will compete for the title. Chef Christian Kruse, the 2016
Culinary Cup Champion will defend his title from Chef Donnell Collins, Leunig’s
Bistro & Café, Chef Adam Raftery, Waterworks Food + Drink, Chef Shawn Calley,
Burlington Country Club, and Chef David Hoene, Pauline’s Café. Attendees will be
able to sample food from each participating chef and get to vote for their favorite for
the People’s Choice Award. Vermont’s own Food Channel Chopped Junior Champion
Peggy Fischer will be a judge for the Culinary Cup Champion Award.

The Culinary Classic is brought to you by NorthCountry Federal Credit Union
(NCFCU). “Cancer touches everyone’s life in some way.” Bob Morgan, Vice
President of NCFCU explains “That’s why we support the Cancer Patient Support
Foundation and its comprehensive approach to patient wellness.”

All proceeds from the Culinary Classic benefits CPSF and its Emergency Fund
providing direct financial assistance to cancer patients and their families in Vermont
and Northern New York.
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Tickets are $85 for an individual or $150 for a couple. Click here for tickets. For more information call 802-488-5495.
There will also be a full dessert bar and an exciting live and silent auction. Don’t miss out on one of a kind packages like 4
tickets to Kinky Boots in New York City and an exclusive meeting with the  show’s producers or a bicycling tour in France.

A couple from Vermont currently living in Charleston, South Carolina used their wedding to give tribute to a loved one lost to cancer while easing the financial stress on local patients in treatment.  Alexandria and Warren Miller wanted their wedding to be an opportunity to help local families living with cancer get the support they need. Warren lost his mother, Esther Ellsworth Miller, to cancer in 2013. His family has long been a supporter of the Cancer Patient Support Foundation, a local nonprofit that provides emergency financial assistance to local cancer patients and their families.

"Witnessing my mother’s struggle with lung cancer four years ago left me and my wife with a strong urge to help lessen the burden for families fighting cancer in our community. Our experience provided us with a deep understanding of the emotional, physical and mental anguish that a family bears when caring for a loved one with cancer.  The Cancer Patient Support Foundation (CPSF) was instrumental in helping our family during our most difficult times and we are now at a point where we have an opportunity to give back to this wonderful organization.  We have decided that supporting the CPSF Emergency Fund while also honoring my mother was the perfect opportunity to give back to our community. In lieu of gifts at our wedding we asked our guests to contribute to the Esther Ellsworth Miller Emergency Fund and we look forward to continuing our support of this initiative for years to come."

The Esther Ellsworth Miller fund raised over $25,000 as a result of the Miller's wedding, which will go a long way in supporting local cancer patients. According to Sarah Lemnah, CPSF Executive Director, " The Esther Ellsworth Miller Fund will help provide financial support to pay for food, lodging, utilities, childcare, transportation, medical procedures and prescriptions not covered by insurance, to individuals while they are in treatment. For many patients their diagnosis puts their family in a financial crisis where they must choose to heat their house or buy food or pay for prescription drugs needed for treatment. No family should have to worry about money while dealing with cancer. Some of our patients have said they are more scared about the money than the cancer. With the support of the Esther Ellsworth Miller Fund, CPSF will be able to support a greater number of families during this difficult journey."

The Colon Cancer Coalition awarded $10,000 to the Cancer Patient Support Foundation’s (CPSF) Emergency Fund. The money for this grant came from funds that were raised from the Get Your Rear in Gear – Colchester event, held each year in August at Bayside Park.
 
CPSF’s Emergency Fund provides financial assistance for local cancer patients
while they are in treatment. Funds are used to help families access medical care such as medical copays and deductibles, procedures not covered by insurance, integrative health offerings, and prescriptions. In addition, this fund helps families with their most basic needs including housing, utilities, childcare, food, and transportation. Many patients delay life-saving treatment simply due to the inability to pay for gas for their cars to get to the hospital. Many families struggle when a breadwinner is sick and is unable to work. These families find that basic everyday necessities become unmanageable burdens. Some patients try to stretch out their prescriptions, so they can provide for their families' needs. Some ask for money for food, heat, temporary housing, and childcare for their young children while they are in treatment.
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"The support from the Colon Cancer Coalition will allow us to be able to help an even greater number of local colon cancer patients through our Emergency Fund," said Sarah Lemnah, the Executive Director of CPSF. "The need for emergency financial assistance for local colon cancer patients is continuously increasing. Many patients have shared with us that they are more scared about the money than the cancer. In so many cases, the treatments prescribed to cancer patients make it nearly impossible for them to work, causing significant financial hardship. CPSF is dedicated to making sure local cancer patients have the financial support they need so they can focus on getting well."

For over 17 years the Cancer Patient Support Foundation has supported cancer patients and their families, in Vermont and Northern New York in a time of extraordinary need, by providing financial assistance, underwriting counseling services, and acting as a resource during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. For more information on the Cancer Patient Support Foundation or its Emergency Fund call 802-488-5495 or go to www.cpsfvt.org

About the Colon Cancer Coalition
The Colon Cancer Coalition is a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minn. dedicated to encouraging screening and raising awareness of colon cancer. The organization’s signature Get Your Rear in Gear® and Tour de Tush® event series are volunteer-driven in communities throughout the United States. Since 2004, over $5 million dollars have been granted by the Colon Cancer Coalition to build and sustain programs that promote early prevention, screening, and patient support services for this disease. By making the words colon, colorectal and colonoscopy a part of the everyday language, we believe we can overcome the fear and decrease deaths from this largely preventable cancer. For more information visit ColonCancerCoalition.org.