The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation

The Scott Dye Memorial Topgolf Tournament will take place on Saturday, May 8, 2021 from 8:45 AM – 12:00 PM MST at Topgolf 6101 North 99th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85305.  Register today! Click here.

The Dye Family. Photo via: Linda Dye

Linda, Michelle, Jennifer and Richard are coordinating the esophageal awareness event in memory of Scott E. Dye who passed away from stage IV Esophageal Cancer on December 13th, 2015.  This is their story:

“It seems like just yesterday that we found out our father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Our father went to the hospital for chest pain on November 13, 2015 and after the CAT scan was completed the doctors found a mass on his liver. That is when his primary doctor did more tests (endoscopy) and blood work. The results came back indicating esophageal cancer, Stage IV on November 30, 2015. Once the cancer was known there was nothing but vomiting, nausea and dehydration that came from it in the coming days and weeks. We were watching him quickly go downhill just days after he was diagnosed. During this time, a port was put in so that chemotherapy could start, and the goal was to FIGHT and beat this nightmare.

By December 9, 2015 he was transported back to the hospital due to a stomach hemorrhage. He was clinging to his life as his kidneys started to fail. Our father was placed in ICU and was too weak to start his chemotherapy. This was all happening too fast and we could not process that he was diagnosed with cancer let alone that he passed away on December 13, 2015, just a month after symptoms and a diagnosis was given. To see someone you love pass away in front of your eyes is the most unexplainable feeling you can have and you will remember it forever.
We wanted to find a way to help with funding and research. So, we have teamed up with The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation as a way to raise awareness and remember our father, and to help others become aware of symptoms and early detection of cancer.”

The event aims to raise awareness, encourage early detection, and fund research esophageal cancer..in hopes of a cure! See below for more event information and to register, click here.

Scott Dye Memorial Topgolf Tournament

Tournament player tickets are $99.00 and will have a chance to try for $10,000 ‘Hole in One’ contest. Tournament Top Contender game, Included: Lifetime Membership, swag bag, Raffle Prizes. Rain or shine, Fun for the whole family.  Spectators/Breakfast Buffet tickets are $55.00 and will receive a raffle ticket, fun mingling, and cheering on friends and family.  Registration is online only and ends on April 26th 2021. Register today! Click here.

EVENT TIMELINE:

8:45 am: Ambassador to greet guests in lobby, And Registration.

9:00 am: Topgolf play begins

9:30 am: Buffet is served for 90 minutes

11:30 am: Raffle Prizes

12:00 pm: Topgolf play concludes

Register today! Click here.

Share on Facebook! Click here.

Kendra Scott is teaming up with The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation for a Virtual Give Back event on December 3- December 4, 2020.

Shop their website and when you checkout, use our special code GIVEBACK-0GCP (the first character is a zero.)

20% of your purchase will be donated to The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation in support of this mission to raise awareness, encourage early detection and to fund research of esophageal cancer!

The code will be live from 12:00am CST on December 3rd to 11:59pm CST on December 4th.
The code needs to be entered at ‘coupon code’ on the billing page (top right) and shoppers must click ‘apply’! A full 20% will be donated!

Please note that some discounts cannot be combined with the giveback code as it would deduct from the donation.  For more information and a step-by-step guide of how to input the code, click here.

“The Dangerous Link Between Chronic Reflux and Esophageal Cancer.”

Each year, the week of Thanksgiving is also dedicated to bringing awareness to a growing disease which affects roughly 20% of Americans.  That disease is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

Also known as acid reflux disease, GERD is a condition of the digestive system, which has increased significantly in recent decades.  GERD is also a primary risk factor for esophageal cancer, one of the fastest growing and deadliest cancers in the United States. Esophageal cancer, like GERD, has also increased significantly in past decades. In fact, incidence of esophageal cancer has risen over 733% in the past four decades and has only an overall five-year survival rate of approximately 19.9%.

The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation, a nonprofit, which has funded two grants for esophageal cancer research (one in July, 2015 and another in November, 2018) is working once again to bring awareness of the dangerous link between GERD and esophageal cancer.  While GERD has many symptoms, the most common symptom is heartburn.

Heartburn does not typically cause major concern, as billions of Americans experience it at some point in their lives. However, persistent heartburn, which occurs two or more times a week, should not be taken lightly, as it could be a symptom of the disease.

President of The Salgi Foundation, Linda Molfesi, said, “my father suffered from chronic heartburn for years and was never warned by doctors of the possible risks. We found out too late, once he started having difficulty swallowing, that his chronic reflux had led to esophageal cancer.” Molfesi continued, “My father passed away a little over a year after he was diagnosed and it was, and still is, devastating.”

COVID-19 Impact on Cancer Research published in JAMA Network Open in August, 2020, found that in the past year, the weekly diagnosis for six cancers, of which esophageal cancer is included, fell by almost 50% in the U.S.  This is due to the fact that people have delayed important cancer screenings due to COVID-19.  This is especially concerning for esophageal cancer, which, when caught in advanced stages, is very difficult to treat and has a poor survival rate.

As it stands, esophageal cancer has few, if any, early symptoms. Symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, chronic cough or hoarseness, food getting stuck or choking while eating often occur once the cancer has spread and reaches an advanced stage.  There are currently no routine or standard screenings to detect esophageal cancer in its earlier stages.   The foundation is hoping to help change that, awarding $62,597 in November, 2018, to researchers at Virginia Mason Medical Center who are currently developing a breath test for detecting esophageal cancer earlier.

Molfesi encourages those who suffer from chronic reflux to be proactive about their health, stating “never ignore frequent heartburn or other symptoms and never rely on medications alone. Talk to your primary care doctor about all of your options, especially how you can get screened for any possible damage.”

The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation:  is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to raise awareness, encourage early detection and to fund research of esophageal cancer in hopes of a cure.™  The charity has hosted events in Rhode Island, Missouri, Colorado, Ohio, Kentucky, New York City, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maine, New Jersey and Illinois, with additional locations currently in the planning stages. These events gave rise to chapters in St. Louis, Missouri; Arvada, Colorado and Brooklyn, New York.  For more information, please visit: www.salgi.org

Learn the Facts About Esophageal Cancer:

• No standard or routine screening to detect cancer in earlier stages
• One of the fastest growing and deadliest cancers in the US and western world
• Symptoms often arise once the cancer has spread
• Research receives low government and/or private funding
• In 2020, estimated 18,440 diagnoses and 16,170 deaths from the cancer.
• Overall five-year survival rate of less than 19.9%.
• Stage IV has a survival rate of only 4.8%.

Esophageal Cancer Risk Factors:

• Acid reflux disease-GERD (chronic heartburn)
• Obesity/overweight
• Poor nutrition
• Heavy drinking
• Tobacco use
• Barrett’s esophagus

Common Symptoms of Esophageal Cancer:

• Painful/difficulty swallowing
• Food getting stuck
• Weight loss
• Hoarseness or cough
• Indigestion/heartburn
• Pain behind breastbone or pain in back

For more information, please visit: SALGI.org/GERD

SOURCES: Harvey W. Kaufman, MD. “Number of US Patients With Newly Identified Cancers Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” JAMA Network Open, JAMA Network, 4 Aug. 2020, jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2768946.

The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

Content found on Salgi.org is for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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#EsophagealCancer #EsophagealCancerAwareness #SalgiRunWalkNYC

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