Written by Ben Basloe about his father Peter
Ben with his father at college graduation
On September 3, 1998, my father, Peter Basloe, lost his hard-fought battle against non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Although his loss was tragic, I am proud to honor his memory and his legacy by playing a part in the fight against cancer. Whether it is through the loss of a loved one or friend, or watching someone close to us deal with a loss, each and every one of us undoubtedly knows of someone who has passed on due to cancer. It is in the spirit of those individuals and the memory of my father that I chose to work for an organization advocating for cancer patients and their families.
My preparation for my role really goes as far back to when I was a child. Both of my parents were very involved in the community, working for non-profits and raising money for causes they believed in. They ingrained these qualities into my sister and me. Therefore, those qualities plus my passion to make a difference in memory of my father allowed me to easily transition into the career path I have chosen and specifically, my current job as the Director of Development forFight Colorectal Cancer, a national colorectal cancer advocacy organization.
In my role at Fight Colorectal Cancer, I feel as if I provide the encouragement and support those patients and families need to be able to make their own impact in the fight against colorectal cancer and to have success in any efforts that they set out to pursue. I try to help, inspire and empower them to be their own best advocates while also making the process of honoring or memorializing an individual as easy as possible. Personally, I find myself to be very lucky to work with the amazing individuals that I come into contact with on a daily basis. People who are fighting this disease or who have lost loved ones to colorectal cancer but want to raise money and awareness so that others do not have to go through what they have gone through. At the end of the day, I am usually the one that feels most inspired and empowered having had the privilege of working with so many amazing individuals.
When I lost my father, I was a 23-year old son losing his dad. I knew very little about the disease, his treatments and everything he was going through on a day-to-day basis. I just knew my father was sick, in pain and fighting for his life. I also didn’t know what more I could do than simply provide love and support. That being said, one of the reasons I enjoy working for Fight Colorectal Cancer as much as I do is because we provide a place for patients and family to turn with their questions, their fears, and their desire to personally make a difference. I am also constantly in awe of the knowledge patients and family have today as their loved ones fight colorectal cancer and constantly impressed with an individual’s desire for information if they do not already have it.
Through my work at Fight Colorectal Cancer, I have been excited to connect with “Get Your Rear in Gear.” I believe these races stress the importance of awareness, exercise and living a healthy life, but more importantly, they provide an outlet for individuals to honor and remember their loved ones. It is a chance for patients and families to see that they are not alone and to be part of a community that wants to make a difference. The first fundraising event I ever participated in was a Walk and I found the event to be a beautiful celebration of life and hope. It was a very moving and emotional experience that I was grateful to be a part of and I am thankful that “Get Your Rear in Gear” provides the opportunity for those touched by colorectal cancer to be involved in something similar. I also am glad that Fight Colorectal Cancer and Get Your Rear in Gear have been able to establish a relationship where, together, we can get behind a cure!