A quick recap for those we don’t know. On June 14th, 2021, we lost Dominic Bridgeman to Cancer. While in the hospital going through treatment, Dom came up with the concept of this foundation. “Dad, I know what I want to do with my life when I beat this thing and get out of the hospital. I want to find a way to help others and their families who are going through this. Encourage people to get early and often check-ups and motivate those going through this journey.” So, we took over what he started!
This year will mark the 4th year of our signature event, the Do It For Dom Music Festival, on July 20th at the Steel Pub in Bethlehem. This is a day of raising awareness, raising funds for research and service organizations & of course, celebrating what Dom created. Some of the organizations that have benefited in the past few years are Star Treatments, Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley, The V Foundation, Angel 34, Battle Borne, Movember, American Cancer Society & Cancer Support Community Greater Lehigh Valley.
Early detection clearly saves lives. My own personal scare, as shared in a previous article, after a not-so-routine colonoscopy, a polyp removed, and then waiting for the results. To hear your doctor say it’s not cancer, but it would have been cancer in the future, and to realize what waiting on having those preventive exams can cost you. If Dom was here today, he would tell you not to put off that exam and tests. Cancer isn’t always preventable but is often beatable, especially when caught early.
Raising Awareness:
- Did you know the 5-year survival rate for breast cancer is as high as 99% when detected early?
- When detected early, the cure rate for testicular cancer is as high as 95%
- When caught early, colorectal cancer has a 90%+ survival rate
- Thyroid cancer has one of the highest cure rates of 98%
Advancements in Cancer Treatments:
There have been many advancements recently; Car T-cell therapy for solid tumors has been shown to increase survival rates by 40% with those with gastric cancer, and some of those with Glioblastoma have experienced rapid tumor regression.
A new technique, an ultrasound device, is implanted in the skull that temporarily opens the blood-brain barrier, allowing treatments to reach brain tumors more effectively.
AI is now used to help analyze complex genetic data, allowing for more personalized treatment and improving diagnostic accuracy.
What is clear is that we can’t find a cure without more research, and that costs money. You should find a cause or an organization to help support by donating and volunteering.
Again, Do It For Dom Music Festival, July 20th at the Steel Pub! We have a great lineup of music, Lilly Moss, Sol Katana, Melody Cruz, and Starting Tomorrow, along with a silent auction. So, please come out and support us on July 20th, and if you can’t, please consider donating so that one day soon, no other family has to go through this. As Dom would say goodbye to those he just met or those he knew for years, Love & Appreciate You So Much!
