The Reading Post from Victoria Public Library

End of LIVESTRONG Summit

JoAnn Oliphant — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:18:00 GMT

Final day of LIVESTRONG Summit

As I pack to take my luggage to the OSU campus, I reflect on the Summit. I must say that the participants are among the most friendly I have ever met. The organizational aspects were way up on the list, Texas Library Associaition still rates number one but LIVESTRONG comes in a close second. Their branding of the event and delegates was by far the best and I really loved the memory stick with the Advocacy handouts. This is an idea I plan to let TxLA know about. The final celebration was a major plus and the panel discussion ended the event on a stong educational note. Then it was off to box lunch, pick up luggage, bus to the airport and going through security yet again. You still knew you were with your LIVESTRONG friends. We were all still wearing yellow, smiling and talking to all of our new and renewed friends. Maybe the planes should have been painted yellow on the outside because the certainly were on the inside. I am back in Victoria uplifted, educated, motivated, and ready to act.

LIVESTRONG Summit -- Saturday July 26th

JoAnn Oliphant — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:02:40 GMT

LIVESTRONG Summit

Today we started out with a keynote address from Stephanie Spielmann. It was very inspirational to hear how her husband took a year off from his pro football career to stay home with her while she went through treatment. Then it was another very full day of training, ending with a simulation of going door to door to register voters. Then we were off to the Columbus Zoo for dinner and touring the exhibits. It was a great zoo and definately a great way to end a educational and fun day. I hope when I get home I can get some rest.

LIVESTRONG Summit -- 1st full day

JoAnn Oliphant — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:08:52 GMT

Even after a late night and full day yesterday I am up and going by 7:15 a.m. Dressed and accessorized for the Summit. I make to the bus to go to breakfast and who should I find but one of my new buddies Kelly for New Jersey. So we go over our schedules and the fun of the evening before even comparing notes on Senator McCain’s speech and his answers to the questions asked. Then on to the 1^st General Session – Richard Carmona the 17^th Surgeon General of the United States. Did you know it was Surgeons General NOT Surgeon Generals? One of the items mentioned at this session was workplaces that support exercise as part of their wellness routine. I was surprised to find out that in my track (Elections) the City of Victoria was one of the few places that subsidize their employees health with support for the number of times an employee uses the health centers each month. (Way to go City of Victoria!!!) This was listed as one of the ways the LIVESTRONG Summit goers could increase the wellness of their community. In the training track the emphasis was once again on how to stay non-partisan. The goal was the get citizens to register to vote, to educate them on the cancer issues, and to get them to vote. The 2^nd General Session was Dr. Harold Freeman of the Ralph Lauren Cancer Center in Harlem. He spoke on patient navigation and getting early detection tests for poverty level adults. Then back to the busses and a quick dinner. I was in bed and ready to crash by 9 p.m. (The only night from Wednesday, July 23^rd to Sunday, July 27^th, I got to bed before midnight and wasn’t partying it was all work, work, work).

Becoming Marian the Librarian -- LIVESTRONG Summit -- Late Thursday night

JoAnn Oliphant — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:02:22 GMT

After the Presidential Town Hall, it was back to the Hotel. If I had realized how packed the next three days were going to be I would have gone to bed. But hind sight is always twenty-twenty and I would have missed a great opportunity to meet the group I consider my core group of buddies from the Summit. As we sat in Latitude 41, we introduced ourselves. When I said I was a Librarian, Marian from the “Music Man” popped into someone’s head and I became Marian. I now have buddies in New Jersey, Virginia, Ohio, Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas (via Nigeria) and through out the Summit any time I heard Marian I knew who was calling me. Their stories were great and it was definitely a group of fun and committed people.

Vote Yellow – LIVESTRONG Summit – Thursday, July 24th – night

JoAnn Oliphant — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:53:17 GMT

I’ve made it to Columbus. The organizational skills of the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) are fabulous. Welcome desk in the baggage area was well marked and the directions to the buses were great. Getting off the bus at the hotel was a little problematic but that was not LAF’s fault. The police cars were parked where it was difficult to unload buses from the back. I must say we all knew where Sen. McCain was with the number of police and secret service. Registration was easy and reception nice. The buses were ready and we were off to the Presidential Town Hall in our brand new “Vote Yellow” t-shirts. The non-partisan stance of the LAF is great it puts the emphasis where is should be on the policies NOT on the politics.

LIVESTRONG Summit -- ready, set, go

JoAnn Oliphant — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:57:00 GMT

My bags are packed with plenty of yellow clothes, my nails are done, and I've printed off all the information I've been sent. So except for this blog entry and the book review I guess I am ready to go. Finished my reading for the summit -- Light within by Lois M. Romondetta and Deborah Rose Sill and Hair for Mama by Kelly Tinkham. So I have cried and celebrated. The next installment will come from Columbus.

jao

LiveSTRONG Summit information from the Lance Armstrong Foundation Blog

JoAnn Oliphant — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:28:32 GMT

Senator McCain to address LIVESTRONG Summit

July 14th, 2008 by Jeff Manning (LAF Staff)

I wanted to make you all aware of a release that we just put out.

For Immediate Release
July 9, 2008

LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION TO WELCOME SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN TO LIVESTRONG CANCER SUMMIT

AUSTIN, TX - The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) is pleased to announce that Senator John McCain will address its members on July 24th at its second LIVESTRONG Summit.

“Cancer will soon be the number one cause of death in this country and Americans want to know how our leaders plan to combat it,” said Lance Armstrong, founder and chairman of the LAF. “Senator McCain has accepted our invitation to talk about his plans to further the fight against cancer and we’re very glad to welcome him. Victory against this disease requires a winning strategy and we look forward to hearing Senator McCain’s plan to help defend the 560,000 American lives we stand to lose this year alone.”

“The work being done by the Lance Armstrong Foundation is invaluable in bringing people together to fight cancer. I am proud to address the second LIVESTRONG Summit that will advance a critical dialogue in how we can better support the heroic work of those striving to find a cure for cancer,” said John McCain.

The LIVESTRONG Summit will take place July 24th through 27th on the campus of the Ohio State University in Columbus and will assemble cancer advocates, health care experts and elected officials from around the nation. Sessions will focus on grassroots guidance for attendees to help combat the disease on local, state and national levels. Featured speakers include Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor, advocate and two-term member of the President’s Cancer Panel; America’s 17th and most recent Surgeon General Vice Admiral Dr. Richard Carmona; Dr. Harold Freeman, president and founder of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention in Harlem and Senior Advisor to the Director of the National Cancer Institute; and Stefanie Spielman, three-time breast cancer survivor, founder of the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research and wife of former Ohio State University football star and All-Pro NFL linebacker Chris Spielman.

This is the LAF’s second national-level gathering of cancer advocates and the second time the Foundation has featured Presidential candidates discussing their personal battles against the disease and their hopes to further progress in the national battle to defeat it. Last August’s LIVESTRONG Presidential Cancer Forum in Iowa was the first gathering focused on cancer of candidates for the highest office in the nation. Presidential candidates who participated were Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator John Edwards, Senator Sam Brownback, Representative Dennis Kucinich, Governor Bill Richardson and Governor Mike Huckabee. The LAF has invited both Senator McCain and Senator Obama to this year’s Summit to discuss the war against cancer and their ideas to ensure victory against a disease that will strike more than 1.4 million Americans in 2008.

Senator McCain will address assembled attendees on the evening of July 24th in Mershon Auditorium on the Ohio State University campus at 7pm EST. His appearance will be open to the press, Summit delegates and LIVESTRONG Army members.

About the Lance Armstrong Foundation

Jo Ann is going to the LiveSTRONG Summit

JoAnn Oliphant — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:00:30 GMT

I will be leaving next Thursday to attend the LiveSTRONG Summit in Columbus, Ohio. I can't say this was something I planned on doing in March when I joined VPL full time, although the LiveSTRONG experience has been very rewarding. Combining the LiveSTRONG Survivorship Notebooks with the PBS documentary "Truth about Cancer" in April, VPL's Information Services department created a book display of relevant books and audiovisuals. Then in May we participated in the LiveSTRONG Day with a day long program on cancer entitled LiveSTRONG Day @ Victoria Public Library. In June I received notification of being selected as a delegate to the Summit.

Though, not a cancer survivor, I have multiple friends who are and have realized the importance of good health insurance in fighting the battle against this disease. In low income areas, the choice sometimes comes down to whether to have an early detection test or putting food on the table for your children. This is not a choice a parent should have to make. Who will feed their children if they die from a disease that with early treatment would not have been fatal? So for the next week and half I will send blogs on the happenings of the Summit.