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The Mass AFL-CIO "Strike Out Against Cancer",
Labor Unites Against a Common Enemy
September 7, Labor Day, 2009
"We Will Walk Until We Cure Cancer!" Bob Haynes, President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
This Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2009, Organized Labor will stand united in a rally against one common enemy: CANCER. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO will join together for “Strike Our Against Cancer”, a mock strike stages to raise the profile of Walk to Cure Cancer at the UMass Medical School the following Sunday.
When: Labor Day, Monday September 7, 2009Time: Immediately after the CLC Labor Day breakfast (approximately 10am)
Where: Shrewsbury Street, directly in front of and across from Coral Seafood, 225 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, MA 01604
Who: Bob Haynes, President of the Mass AFL-CIO, Joe Carlson, President, Central MA AFL-CIO, Doug Belanger, Treasurer, Central MA AFL-CIO, Political figures, TBA
What: Over 300 union members will be standing together and staging a mock strike with two 20 foot rats, with strike out cancer on their stomachs, to call attention to the fact that unions from across the Commonwealth are united in “striking” out at a common enemy, Cancer. (Cancer is the rat/Unions are the bat!) They will be wearing their colors, bringing numerous banners and signs to create a striking Labor Day visual. The Mass AFL-CIO will "protest the injury and pain cancer causes" and “urge all to join labor on Sept 13th at Walk to Cure Cancer, as we raise research money and walk for a cure".
The Cause: The Massachusetts AFL-CIO is the co-founder and presenting sponsor of Walk to Cure Cancer, which raises funds for research at the UMass Medical School in Worcester, MA. To date the Walk has raised 6.5 million and is aiming for the million mark with the September 13, 2009 walk at noon at the corners of Plantation and Rte 9 at the University Campus. |
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NAGE Supports the Walk to Cure Cancer
David Holway, the National President of NAGE understands all too well the toll that cancer takes. "I lost my wife, Maura, to cancer and we have lost some very special employees. Cancer has touched every one of us somewhere along the line so we feel very strongly about beginning our sixth year of support for Walk to Cure Cancer. This walk removes all barriers and we are proud to join with our brothers and sisters in other unions in the Commonwealth and support cancer research at UMass Medical School."
Local 6 union member, Leah Goldstein Walked to Cure Cancer after breaking her entire right side.
As a union member, Leah Goldstein had been walking, whenever she could, since Walk to Cure Cancer kicked off in 1999. "I am a Commonwealth of Massachusetts trial court employee and I wanted to walk when I heard my union was doing Walk to Cure Cancer. I also wanted to walk to stamp out cancer from a personal perspective. Both my grandparents had cancer. My grandmother was a breast cancer survivor after a double mastectomy and my grandfather died of brain cancer. About 4 years ago I had a lump. Even though it turned out to be benign, I understood some of what people go through when they are diagnosed with cancer," she explains.
Leah Goldstein will not soon forget the day she fell down the stairs after blowing out her right knee. "It happened on March 31, 2008 and I had surgery on my elbow, ankle and knee on April 2, 2008. Not that I know the date by heart," she said with a smile. "That day really brought home how important it is to have you health. My 5 year old son and 13 year old daughter were there." As emergency personnel rushed in and trauma triaged her to UMass Medical Center, Leah's small son provided the comic relief by piping in with a heartfelt, "I didn't do it!"
Leah continues, "I was determined, despite surgery still to come, rods and screws and radial implants, to walk that mile in September and I did it. The funny part of the story was that I was determined to walk because I am so inspired by those brave cancer survivors. After I walked all the survivors I met said I was an inspiration to them! I can't wait to return this year with my team, Leah's Legs. I hope everyone who sees my story will be inspired to walk to cure cancer on September 13, 2009 at noon and help raise funds for cancer research at UMass Medical School."
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