Dave Dorsey Honored by American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society will honor Santa Barbara native Dave Dorsey for his recognized leadership in the community and commitment to the fight against cancer at the society’s “Gatsby’s Long Island West – An Evening of Hope” gala.

Dorsey, a six-year prostate cancer survivor, began volunteering with the society after his wife was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Now, nearly a decade later, Dorsey continues to show his support for the society by rallying his family and friends every year for the American Cancer Society’s Santa Barbara Relay for Life. He is also a member of the American Cancer Society Santa Barbara Community Council, where he served as council president for two years.

Dorsey is adamant about opening the dialogue about prostate cancer. Whenever he is given the opportunity, Dorsey talks to the men in his community about the importance of prostate cancer early detection.

“Men are very private when it comes to talking about prostate cancer,” Dorsey said. “The American Cancer Society has been good at getting the word out about prostate cancer. I try to do my part and encourage men to get tested.”

The public is invited to wine and dine at a Roaring ’20s-inspired sunset soiree overlooking the Santa Barbara coastline on August 21 from 4-7 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club. The event will help raise funds to support the society’s groundbreaking research, early detection and prevention, and free local patient services and programs. Tickets are still available starting at $125. For reservations contact Kate Hanna at the American Cancer Society, (805) 963-1577 or visit the event Web site.

“This gala is a vehicle for furthering the society’s mission and providing for anyone in the Santa Barbara area who hears the words, ‘You have cancer,’” event chair Alice Green said. “We ask members of our community to rally together to help create this special evening as we help our friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members who have been, or may be touched by this disease.”

The evening will feature live entertainment, gourmet food, vintage cars, live and silent auctions, a croquet tournament, and, of course, roaring fun!

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 133,955 Californians will be diagnosed with cancer this year and about 54,655 will die from the disease. Of those statistics, the society estimates that there will be 20,120 new cases of prostate cancer and 3,035 Californian men will die of the same disease.

The event sponsors include: Pacific Diagnostic Laboratories, Wells Fargo Bank, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indian’s Foundation, Citrix Online, Cottage Center for Advanced Imaging, Cottage Health System, Dr. and Mrs. Gregory Keller, DAKO North America, Inc., McGowan Guntermann CPAs, Momentous Insurance Inc., and Aloe Dermatology.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.

As the nation’s largest nongovernmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1 (800) 227-2345 or visit Cancer.org.