Gunnison Cattlemen’s Days Rodeo
is honored again to be the #1 Tough Enough To Wear Pink fundraiser in the country for 2019, and one of the top 5 PRCA Rodeo committees for the Hesston Sowing Good Deeds award out of over 800+ Rodeo committees.
SO WHAT DOES BEING NUMBER 1 MEAN TO OUR COMMUNITY?
Free mammograms and coverage of insurance deductibles for all mammograms at Gunnison Valley Hospital. Over 1,700 mammograms have been completed at GVH in 2019, more than a 50% increase. Early detection saves lives. Because of TETWP, cost is no longer a reason not to get a mammogram in the Gunnison valley.
Two transportation vehicles so that ALL cancer patients in the valley can get safely to appointments and treatments out of town. Over 50,000 miles have been put on the vehicles, with almost twice as many patients using them for other cancers as breast cancer treatment.
Through the Lucy’s House program, providing lodging close to treatment centers for ALL cancer patients in our valley. Since launching this program in July 2019, $4,200 patient/nights have been utilized with breast cancer patients making up less than ¼ of the users.
Funding for the Oncology Nurse Navigator position at GVH, so that ALL cancer patients have an advocate “in their corner” to make their decisions once diagnosed on treatment,
insurance coverage, financial assistance, and recovery options.
For our breast cancer patients, direct financial support, integrated therapies, dental issues assistance through Team Smile, Ortho-Bionomy, support groups, and even house cleaning services through Blue Sky Cleaning. This past year alone, over $25,000 was provided to our breast cancer patients.
Since its inception, Gunnison Cattlemen’s Days TETWP has given more than $1.5 Million back to our local community, from buying tanks of gas and groceries for breast cancer patients to providing state-of-the-art 3D tomosynthesis equipment, adding a breast cancer radiologist, and stereotactic biopsies to the GVH team. In the near future, a breast coil MRI will be added as well so that these screenings and biopsies can be done locally. This is best in the nation equipment and makes early detection possible. Early detection is the ultimate key to stopping breast cancer in its tracks and allowing our friends and family to successfully become survivors.
In little and big ways, TETWP is making a huge difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors. More information is at our website www.gunnisontetwp.com. Cattlemen’s Days Tough Enough To Wear Pink is an extraordinary example of just how much this small town community rises to support and help each other. Everyone in this community who has volunteered, donated, sponsored or worn pink at the PRCA rodeo made this happen and should be deeply proud!
A Special Thank You
Goes out to the Cattlemen’s Days Rodeo Committee and its officers:
Kevin Coblentz – President
Mike Dawson – 1st Vice President
Brad Tutor – 2nd Vice President
Dan Zadra – Coordinator
Karla Rundell – Secretary
Eric Magnus – Treasurer
And the Cattlemen’s Days TETWP Advisory Committee:
CJay Clark
Mike Dawson
Derek Taaca
Mark Hughes
Carol Ann May
Gloria Kern
Adonia Cokinos
Jeri DeFeo
Heidi Sherratt – TETWP Executive Director
Lana Athey – Administrative Development Assistant
A Happy and Healthy New Year from the Gunnison Cattlemen’s Days Rodeo and Tough Enough to Wear Pink. Let’s make 2020 another record-setting year for our community