In connection with Pennwell's RDH Under One Roof conference in Chicago July 31-Aug. 2, a benefit raffle to raise awareness for oral cancer detection is planned. The Oral Cancer Awareness Committee of the Amy RDH List is raffling three American Express gift cards in the amounts of $200, $100, and $50, and will donate all proceeds to the Oral Cancer Foundation.
Those buying a raffle ticket for $1 (or 6 for $5), will receive an oral cancer awareness ribbon, a commemorative awareness pin, and information on performing oral cancer screenings. The raffle is open to conference attendees and to the public.
Anyone wishing to purchase a ticket in advance can contact Cathy Seckman at 330-853-5343, Jodie Heimbach at [email protected], or Diana Corbin at 540-522-2750 or nextlevelhygiene@gmail. Tickets will also be available at the CareerFusion table at UOR. Winning tickets will be drawn at the conclusion of the conference Aug. 2. The winners need not be present.
Oral cancer is the largest group of head and neck cancers, and it is on the rise. Approximately 34,000 people were expected to be diagnosed with oral cancer in the United States in 2007. Every day in the United States, 24 people die from oral cancer.
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, there are two pathways by which most people come to oral cancer. One is through the use of tobacco and alcohol, and the other is through exposure to the HPV-16 virus (human papilloma virus), which is also responsible for most cervical cancer.
The mortality rate from oral cancer is 50% at five years from diagnosis, and it is a difficult five years. With early detection, however, there is an 80 to 90% survival rate. The Oral Cancer Foundation and the Oral Cancer Awareness Committee support early detection as the most important weapon in the fight against oral cancer. For more information, see www.oralcancer.org.
