February 18, 2016
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Bailey Turco, 15, is a member of the Elbert County 4-H Shooting Sports Program. She said the renovations at Quail Run would make it easier for her to train for 4-H nationals. Courtesy photo
Kathy Weber’s husband, Ty, and son, Coy, join her at the Pro Bowl. Courtesy photo
Changing the stereotype Kathy Weber says lung cancer is not a ‘smokers’ disease’
FEDERAL FUNDING RESEARCH
By Shanna Fortier sfortier@colorado communitymedia.com Kathy Weber is setting out to change the image of lung cancer. “It’s not a smokers’ disease anymore,” she said. “Anyone with lungs can get lung cancer.” She should know: The physically active Kiowa wife and mother, a lung cancer survivor, never smoked. According to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. One of the least-researched cancers, Weber hopes that by sharing her story she can help raise money for study of the disease. Experts say research is critical because doctors often find lung cancer in later stages when it is less treatable. New advances can hold great promise for
For fiscal year 2013 — the most recent year for which data is available — the budget of the National Cancer Institute was $4.79 billion. Below are the spending allocations for research on the top five funded types of cancer. Breast: $559.2 million Lung: $285.9 million
Kathy Weber, right, and her aunt, Christie Malnati, stand together on the day of Weber’s figure bodybuilding competition 10 months after her lung surgery. This photo has special meaning to Weber because her aunt also is a lung cancer survivor. “For us both to be standing there is a blessing,” Weber said. Courtesy photo screening, early detection and personalized therapies. Weber, 48, a neonatal nurse practitioner, was training for a figure bodybuilding competition in the spring of 2014 when her shoulder started hurting. The pain made it difficult for her to do push-ups. She
went to her physical therapist, John Graham, who when he couldn’t find anything wrong suggested a chest X-ray and ultrasound of her lymph nodes. “I thought he was crazy,” Weber said. “I felt great and was back to training hard ... ”
Prostate: $255.6 million Colorectal: $238.3 million Melanoma: $122.5 million Source: National Cancer Institute
But she trusted Graham, so she went for the scans. “I was a healthy, very active, nonsmoking female with no family history, who thought she had a tumor in her chest because her PT said so,” Weber said. Survivor continues on Page 9
Expansion at shooting range to aid 4-H group Quail Run Sports in Kiowa offers longer ranges By Ben Wiebesiek bwiebesiek@coloradocommunitymedia.com The Elbert County 4-H Shooting Sports Program competes in a variety of events that require different courses for their practice sessions. But recently completed renovations at a Kiowa facility will allow the 4-H group to practice at one place. The Colorado Firearms Training School announced Feb. 7 the completion of improvements to the school’s training facility at Quail Run Sports. John Kuhl, owner of Colorado Firearms Training School, said he is happy to instruct the 4-H members, and he believes they will benefit from the renovations. “Before we can actually start competing and trying to get the kids to shoot at competition level, we have to get their rifles zeroed, making sure that they’re exactly tuned in to the 100 yards, which is where the kids need to be shooting at,” Kuhl said. “The improvements are going to greatly improve the shooting sports program because we’ve been having to travel from one place to do some classroom coaching and to do some minor sighting in, and then traveling to a different range to do the long-range stuff. So now we can do all at one location.” Kuhl said the process of upgrading the facility took a year and a half. “That’s including the planning and Range continues on Page 9
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