Prostate Cancer, The Blue Ribbon Soiree & Janey Nasca

The Freeman Report

In 2006 her husband Dr. Joel Nasca, a plastic surgeon and next door neighbor and good friend Dr. Larry Ferachi, an orthopedic surgeon, were both diagnosed with prostate cancer. Janey Nasca was determined that both men would beat the cancer. Joel was 59 at the time and Larry was only 56 years old. Men their age did not get prostate cancer. Neither man beat it but their diagnosis's started her on a mission to help find a cure. Janey is also a surgical nurse and thus also involved in the medical field.
Joel died in 2011 and Larry passed away 14 months later. In 2007 Janey began her fundraising effort for a cure by running a race in Washington D.C. and managed to raise $5000. She then became involved in One Man Shoot, a fundraising group also designed to raise funds for prostate cancer. Finally in 2011 she, along with close friends Ricky and Kathy Lato, held the first Blue Ribbon Soiree in Baton Rouge. Last month they had the 12th annual Blue Ribbon Soiree and raised over $170,000. It is an event to attend but you must wear blue. The majority of the money goes towards research headed by Dr. Oliver Sartor who recently left Tulane Medical Center to work at the Mayo Clinic.
In this episode Janey and I discuss prostate cancer, her journey with Joel and finally the beginning and success of the Blue Ribbon Soiree. I thought this type of event was held in just about every major city across the United States. There is only one Blue Ribbon Soiree and few more fundraising events for prostate cancer in two other cities. Her story well worth listening to.
KF