Just Get Checked
Tom Meyers encourages everyone in the region to get early cancer screenings
Tom Myers has a difficult time talking about his father Bob, who passed away from prostate cancer in 1989 when he was just 56. The positive impact he made, and the sting of his early passing, have empowered Tom to find a voice he might not have otherwise had. Now he uses his wisdom and authority to call others to get screened for prostate cancer and other treatable diseases. “You have to go and get checked,” said Tom. “You absolutely must.”
It is Tom’s way of contributing to creating a healthy Huron. Today, he partners with the Foundation to sponsor an annual golf tournament every summer in his father’s name, the proceeds of which are used to support community health initiatives and cancer programs.
Tom was 29 at the time his father died. He decided to start annual screenings that year and committed himself to spreading the word. “You should go in to see a doctor. If it’s in your family, it is often not a matter of if you’re going to have it, but when.”
“When” did arrive for Tom, who was also diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was 55, one year before the age his father died from the disease. Because he was diligent in screening, they caught it in time. Through his family’s generational struggle with the disease, HRMC has been a source of hope and support. From personalized care at the hospital to raising awareness that early detection of any disease is the first step to healthy outcomes, HRMC is there in both the difficult moments and the victories.
Tom is passionate about the golfing fundraiser and grateful that the community recognizes the importance of raising awareness. “The event is on the same Sunday every year. We don’t call anyone to invite them—they just show up,” he said.
That is really indicative of the Huron community. We show up, we support, and we work to make our community stronger… to make it healthier.
“That is really indicative of the Huron community. We show up, we support, and we work to make our community stronger… to make it healthier.”
It is something he knows would have made his dad proud. He’s hoping that other community members, armed with the right information, can avoid the heartache he has endured. “It doesn’t take much to do the screening,” he said. “Just do it, so you have that opportunity to continue.”