A Survivor at Every College Stadium: University of Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minneapolis, MN. Lung cancer survivor-advocate Michelle Gydesen, will represent Team Draft at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday. Michelle and her son, Henry, will watch the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers take on the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers as a part of Team Draft’s “A Survivor at Every College Stadium.”

“I’m honored to be a guest of Team Draft at the Gopher football game. As I’ve spoken with Chris over the past week and learned more about Team Draft, it is evident his mission is to reduce the stigma of lung cancer and increase funding for the leading cancer killer by putting faces to the disease. I’m excited at this opportunity to provide hope to other survivors and to reduce the stigma of the disease by sharing my story. I have first hand experience at the advancements in treatment that have occurred over the past 15 years. At the age of 48 I am a two time lung cancer survivor. I was 31 years old when I was first diagnosed. I had a lobectomy by a surgical procedure called a Thoracotomy. This is one of the most painful surgeries to heal from. In November of 2013 I was once again diagnosed with lung cancer. Thoracic surgery has come a long way since my first diagnosis. I had another lobectomy, this time through a less invasive procedure called VATS. I recovered much quicker and it was less painful. It made a huge difference in my recovery.

Advocacy efforts over the past years finally seem to making some progress. In April of 2015 I traveled to Washington D.C. to attend a lung cancer summit organized by the Lung Cancer Alliance. With the LCA, I visited the offices of my legislators. During our visit with Congressman Rick Nolan, he told us he was going to form a Lung Cancer Caucus. This past August, it came to fruition. I felt like we made a difference!

I look forward to continuing the momentum with Team Draft!”

In 2012, we, Team Draft, launched our inaugural Survivor at Every Stadium initiative on CNN during a nationally-televised prime time special focusing on lung cancer and our National Campaign to Change the Face of Lung Cancer.

Leveraging our connections with the NFL and the NCAA, its teams and players and our relationships with many of the top cancer centers in the country, As part of our National Campaign, this celebration of survivorship raises lung cancer awareness, gives hope to those battling the disease, and shines a light on the important work being done at cancer research and treatment centers around the country.

Team Draft’s goals are to create a unique experience for participating survivors and to raise awareness on a local, national, and international level by using each game and each survivor’s story to weave a broader narrative about the state of cancer and the hope that now exists for those battling the disease.

Special thanks to the Linda and Jerry Wortman, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Cancer Center, and our Team Draft supporters for helping make this experience possible.

Donate now to Support the National Campaign to Change the Face of Lung Cancer! www.teamdraft.org