How a story about Prostate Cancer Will Appear In Modesto Bee When I Gave Up

For many months I've been writing our local paper the Modesto Bee asking them to do a story about prostate cancer. I wrote letters to many reporters. When one responded,  I asked my Publicist to contact the Bee. I thought a Publicist would get the results I was unable to obtain. He requests were also ignored. I wasn't ready to quit so I wrote a letter to the opinion column hoping to get my letter about prostate cancer published. My letter was not chosen to appear in the paper.

Next I went on-line to ask people to write a letter to the Editor hoping that there would be strength in numbers. When all my attempts failed, I comforted myself by telling myself I’d fought the good fight. I congratulated myself for the many different and creative ways I tried to get our paper to do a story about prostate cancer. I committed myself to trying again next year for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month 2014

On the day I made peace with giving up, a Modesto Bee Reporter who was helping me place an ad in the paper gave me the suggestion to call the Editor directly. I thought I have nothing to lose, so I placed the call. I didn't expect anything to happen. A few hours later a Modesto Bee Reporter called me. I told why I thought I would be important for the Modesto Bee to write a story about prostate cancer. I shared the statistic that 1 in 6 men will receive this diagnosis in their lifetime and with early detection prostate cancer can be cured. I shared my belief that a story in the Modesto Bee would save many lives. To my surprise he agreed to do a story about prostate cancer. I hung up from that phone call amazed that my final effort resulted in success.  A verse from this poem came to my mind:

“And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won, had he stuck it out;”

Just as I was ready to quit, I decided one more try and that try resulted in SUCCESS. So I decided to include the whole poem in this blog. If you are struggling with anything I hope this poem will encourage you.

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
 When the road you are trudging seems all uphill;
 When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
 And you want to smile, but you have to sigh;
 When care is pressing you down a bit -
 Rest if you must, but don't quit. 

 Life is queer with its twists and turns,
 As every one of us sometimes learns;
 And many a fellow turns about
 When he might have won, had he stuck it out;
 Don't give up though the pace seems slow;
 You may well succeed with another blow.

 Often the goal is nearer than
 It seems to a faint and faltering man;
 Often the struggler has given up
 When he might have captured the Victor's cup!
 And he learned too late, when the night came down,
 How close he was to the golden crown.

 Success is failure turned inside out,
 The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
 And you never can tell how close you are
 If may be near, when it seems afar.
 So stick to the fight when you are hardest hit,
 It is when things seem worst you must not quit. 

 Author : Unknown