The American Cancer Society is seeking LGBT involvement, both in local Relay for Life events and in their upcoming Cancer Prevention Study. In order to make this third wave of long-term cancer studies as inclusive as possible, they made Christopher Keyes their official LGBT ambassador. The study is for people aged 30-65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer, and who are willing to take follow-up surveys for the next 20 or more years.
"Our goal is to get 25 percent of participants in minority categories," Keyes said. "The first study, done in the '50s, didn't ask about sexual orientation. And the second one, which was in the '70s, had very low numbers of LGBT participants. I stepped in this year to let everyone know that this study is available, and to help get better data about our community."
The CPS-3 asks participants to answer some medical questions, have their waist measured and give a sample of blood. They also agree to answer questionnaires about their health and their habits every two years for at least the next 20. This helps The American Cancer Society research what types of behaviors and traits may predispose people to the disease.
Keyes said there is no evidence linking homosexuality to cancer, but that it's important that large-scale studies be representative of diverse groups of people. The CPS-3 will attempt to follow the lives of 500,000 people across the country.
There are several opportunities to sign up, including the Relay For Life of Detroit event at Marygrove College from 1-5 p.m. on June 19. Other CPS-3 survey sites are at the Relays for Life in Barry County, Bay County, Bedford, Brandon/Ortonville, Brighton, Calhouhn County East, Grand Traverse County, Greater Port Huron, Holland and Zeeland, Lenawee County and Romeo.
Already, more than 6,000 participants from 21 different events in Michigan and Indiana have enrolled. However, due to its proximity to the Detroit event, the Ferndale Relay for Life is not a CPS-3 location, so Keyes is working hard in the community to get people to sign up at the Detroit event even if they do not want to walk in the relay.
The Metropolitan Community Church Team will be walking in the Royal Oak event. MCC team members Carmen Garcia and her partner Cheryl Klopman will be doing a separate fundraiser on May 2 at lesbian-owned dog spa Bubble and Bark in Ferndale where they will wash dirty dogs in exchange for donations to The American Cancer Society. Klopman cannot participate in the CPS-3 because she is a lymphoma survivor.
"All of us on the team are dog lovers, and this is our third year. The people from Bubble and Bark are there to give us moral support," said Garcia, who works as the director of development at Detroit radio station WDET. "Cheryl had lymphoma and it was fourth stage when they diagnosed it. It was really aggressive and she was a trooper. They told us it would be 20 weeks of treatment and it ended up taking two years of fighting.
"Two years of treatments had ups and downs," Garcia said. "You can't go back to normal but you adjust what it is you consider normal. All the treatments affect people differently."
Klopman, for example, has been in remission for 17 years, but is still feeling the effects of the chemotherapy radiation she underwent. "Her heart is not as strong, and we will never feel like we're 30 again," Garcia added. "She's on this team and she really wants to try and walk the whole 24 hours, even though it will be physically hard for her."
But for Klopman and Garcia, it's all about showing their appreciation that she survived. "We both feel really lucky that all of the treatments worked. We know that it could have gone a lot differently," Garcia said. "We walk because we are grateful and we walk to remember the people that we have lost. I lost my friend to ovarian cancer and I remember her every day."
ACS LGBT Ambassador Keyes cannot participate in the CPS-3 either, because at age 13 he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma Stage 4. He has been in remission for 10 years, yet has always fought the disease with his work in the community. "There is always a chance of it recurring," Keyes said. "No one in my family has had cancer. I don't know why I got it."
Several local LGBT hotspots have welcomed Keyes' efforts with open arms. Recognizing the link between smoking and lung cancer, The New Menjo's Complex in Detroit has gone smoke-free on Saturday nights. And, at the kickoff event on March 13, a portion of the cover costs went toward cancer research.
The bar also allows Keyes to speak on Tuesday nights about cancer and the upcoming study. "Tuesday night is Battle of the Sexes (at Menjo's) and I am always there," Keyes said. "Backstreet let us host an ACS Outburst, Rainbow Room is doing two drag shows with a portion of the money going to ACS, ReallyLoud.net and Club 9 are going to have an Outburst, and a lot of the local performers are helping."
And local LGBT entertainers are helping out, too. Sabin, Sir Walt, DeAngela Show Shannon, Ski Banz, Cheyenne Pepper and Tori Lynn have or are preparing to help out at the slew of ACS events.
In addition to recruiting for Relay for Life and the CPS-3, Keyes tells people about the biggest cancer risk factors. "LGBT people have a tendency to go out," he warned. "We like to smoke and eat. People need to know that smoking and obesity are related to cancer."
