Meeting Highlights
Above, Sunrise Centennial Project Coordinator Ezbon Jen provided an historic overview of the Club's District Award winning outreach of oral health to Sonoma County underserved youth. Initiated in 2001 during President Steve Worthen's term, the project has grown to an International scale with students from Santa Rosa Junior College Health Sciences traveling to Mexico annually to offer dental care. Ezbon personally tows the project trailer with supplies and supervises students during their two week clinic. Closer to home, these resources how reach ten times the original clientele, now in the 3,000 per year range!!
Again, Sunrise Rotarian Mike Kelly has garnered the Bohemian newspaper's recognition as best agent. Congratulations Mike, who still found time to develop and promote the Rotary Peace Project in our District 5130!
Smiling Harry Coffey and talking Steve Zwick promote our upcoming June 15th Golf Tournament. Ask Steve for sponsorship details.
Speakers of the day, Allison Norman and her daughter Stephanie disclosed their ongoing encounter with Stephanie's diagnosis of Lynch Syndrome or LS. After having undergone treatment for colon caner two years ago, Stephanie was experiencing disturbing symptoms which her doctor attributed to side affects of her previous treatments. A scan revealed otherwise, a glioblastoma, type of brain cancer.
These two courageous, pioneering women took to a progressive program of education, learning much about the genetic link to susceptibility for a cluster of cancers. While Stephanie's glioblastoma is not the most common associated risk, the discovery of her familial link has opened many constructive conversations within and beyond her family. An autosomal dominant trait, meaning both a dominant and recessive gene may be carried by a person, the trait requires the dominant gene be present to express the syndrome. Described by Stephanie as a "spell check" error, LS involves a defect in the genetic replication process, resulting in crucial errors manifesting as a variety of cancers., especially colon and endometrial. It can skip a generation, so the importance of advanced knowledge of the possibility of carrying the trait is a key to successful genetic counselling
Lynch Syndrome International provides an up to date website on the condition:http://www.lynchcancers.com. Give yourself and your family the advantage of the 3-2-1 Screening. Check out their website!! Let Allison and Stephanie's experience benefit you, and support their upcoming walk.
