Blue Ribbon Cherokee

10/07/2026

Honored to share a guest column in the *Cherokee Tribune* this week on behalf of Blue Ribbon CHEROKEE.

As September’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Month wraps up, the message doesn’t end with the calendar—early screening and routine conversations matter all year long.

I dropped the direct link to the article in the comments below for anyone who’d like to give it a read.

10/06/2026

🎉 CHEROKEE COUNTY: LET’S SHOW GEORGIA! 🎉

Blue Ribbon CHEROKEE has been nominated for Best of Georgia 2026 by the Georgia Business Journal!

We aren't a state or national campaign. We are Cherokee’s own homegrown prostate cancer awareness initiative—born and run right here to protect our husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons.

Visibility saves lives. Winning this puts our mission in the spotlight so more men get screened and no one in our county has to say, "I didn't know screening could save my life."

Because we are Cherokee’s own, winning depends entirely on us.

🗳️ Vote ONCE A DAY through October 31st!

👉 Vote here daily: https://gbj.com/canton/community-organizations/blue-ribbon-cherokee

Cherokee County, Georgia Early detection saves lives. BLUE RIBBON CHEROKEE is a volunteer-led initiative helping every man in Cherokee County stay ahead of prostate cancer through clear, straightforward education — and the simple blood test that catches it early. See the Numbers Partner With Us Th...

09/21/2026

💙 A life-saving weekend at the Charlie Ferguson Community Center 🚐

We kicked things off Saturday at the Community Health Fair, where Dennis Burnette and Mark Majors manned the Blue Ribbon CHEROKEE table, connecting with neighbors and talking about the critical importance of early detection.

Then on Sunday, Emory Winship Cancer Institute’s Big Blue Bus rolled in—and a phenomenal 41 men stepped up and got tested for prostate cancer, obtaining their results within 24 hours.

A massive, heartfelt thank-you goes out to Tannish Welch, Executive Director of the Charlie Ferguson Community Center. She did a job that truly no one else could do—rallying churches, families, and individuals across our community and beyond to make this happen.

This marks our most successful PSA testing event this year as we work to bring early screening directly to the men of Cherokee County. Getting screened doesn't require complicated exams—it’s now as simple as a quick, routine blood test.

And this weekend, taking care of your health came with a bonus: Williamson Brothers Bar-B-Q.

When neighbors look out for neighbors, lives are saved. Thank you to everyone who came out, supported, and took a stand for men’s health! 💙

09/14/2026

Last week, Emory Winship Cancer Institute’s "Big Blue Bus" rolled into Canton at the R.T. Jones Memorial Library, and the community response was gratifying. Local men stepped up, walked in, and took charge of their health with a quick, no-cost PSA blood test.

A special thank-you goes out to the team at the R.T. Jones Memorial Library and the Sequoyah Regional Library System for hosting the bus, the Emory Winship healthcare staff who worked on-site, and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for making this mobile unit possible.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among men in Georgia, but when caught early through simple routine screening, the survival rate is 99%. Bringing accessible screening directly into our neighborhoods removes barriers and saves lives.

Missed last week’s stop? You have another chance coming right up in Cherokee County:

• Sunday, September 20 | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

• Charlie Ferguson Community Center (1398 Reinhardt College Pkwy, Canton)

• No cost, no insurance required, no physical exam—blood test only. Walk-ins are always welcome!

• Age, 40 -70.

Let’s keep looking out for the fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons in our lives. One simple test can make all the difference.

09/11/2026

A big thank-you to the Rotary Club of Towne Lake for hosting us yesterday, and special thanks to Dr. Yasin Bhanji of Georgia Urology for presenting an exceptional program.

We shared the mission behind Blue Ribbon CHEROKEE—helping men stay ahead of prostate cancer through straightforward education and early screening.

Dr. Bhanji delivered a wealth of knowledge, highlighting advanced options in men’s health. He is one of only a few urologists performing Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP), an innovative procedure that requires less hospital time among other significant benefits.

Most importantly, Dr. Bhanji reminded men and women alike to pay close attention to what’s happening with their urologic system and to seek medical attention when things just don’t seem right.

Thank you, Towne Lake Rotary, for your warm welcome and for joining us in keeping our community healthy and informed.

09/08/2026

Today, Blue Ribbon CHEROKEE was introduced to the members of the Rotary Club of Canton by Dennis Burnette. He shared that just like breast cancer advocates did decades ago to turn October pink, our goal is to bring that same visibility, urgency, and open conversation to men's health right here in Cherokee County.

Following our introduction, Dr. Jason Lomboy, urologist and urologic surgeon, delivered an exceptionally clear and informative program on prostate cancer awareness, modern treatment options, and the vital importance of early detection. The club members found the presentation engaging, asking thoughtful follow-up questions and receiving clear, straightforward answers.

This was a grand opportunity for our grassroots initiative to be seen and heard with great success. Through community events, local partnerships, and our recent events like our inaugural ladies' golf scramble, we are out in the community making sure no man in our county says, "I didn't know screening could save my life."

Thank you, Rotary Club of Canton, for your warm welcome and for joining with us to help keep Cherokee County men healthy and ahead of the curve.

And thanks to our hospital partner, Northside Hospital Cherokee, for arranging for Dr. Lowboy to be the speaker. Pictured with Dr. Lomboy is Jennifer Stanley of Northside Hospital.



Northside Hospital

09/07/2026

FREE Prostate Cancer Screening

* **No Cost & No Insurance Required**
* **Walk-ins Welcome** (For men aged 40–75)
* **Quick & Simple:** Blood test only (no physical exam) with results in 24 hours.

Blue Ribbon CHEROKEE is partnering with Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University to host the Winship Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The initiative offers no-cost, on-the-go PSA blood tests, with no physical exam, for men ages 40 to 75.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis and the second leading cause of cancer deaths for men in Georgia.

Look for the prominent "big blue bus" on:

Thursday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at R.T. Jones Memorial Library, 116 Brown Industrial Parkway.
Sunday, Sept. 20, 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Charlie Ferguson Community Center, 1398 Reinhardt College Parkway.

This Emory Winship program is made possible through the generous support of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and in collaboration with the Mount Sinai Health System. The Mount Sinai Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit, the first mobile clinic of its kind in the United States, launched in New York City in 2022.

09/05/2026

First Friday was a blast with our Blue Ribbon CHEROKEE stadium cups at Goin Coastal, Stout’s Growlers and Green Line Brewery.

All possible because of our partnership with NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL CHEROKEE.

Northside Hospital
Goin Coastal
Stout's Growlers

09/04/2026

SEPTEMBER IS PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH and right here in Cherokee County, we’re stepping up to make sure men’s health gets the spotlight it deserves.

For years, we’ve watched and admired how the breast cancer community turned October pink, made screening normal, and saved countless lives. They are out women's health heroes. It’s time we bring that exact same energy to the men we care about—our dads, husbands, brothers, and friends.

Blue Ribbon CHEROKEE isn't a national group—we are 100% homegrown, neighbor-to-neighbor, and strictly **“no-ask.”** We don’t ask for donations, sell raffle tickets, or charge dues. Our only mission is clear education and early screening.

We’ve already seen what happens when our community shows up together—from 96 amazing players at our ladies’ golf scramble to great conversations with families across local events and farmers markets. But we're just getting started, and we're planning even bigger efforts across the county because when caught early, prostate cancer has a survival rate of 99%.

We need tomake blue shine brighter. Take a minute today to talk to a man in your life about getting screened. One simple conversation can save his life. 💙

www.blueribboncherokee.org

Cherokee County, Georgia Early detection saves lives. BLUE RIBBON CHEROKEE is a volunteer-led initiative helping every man in Cherokee County stay ahead of prostate cancer through clear, straightforward education — and the simple blood test that catches it early. See the Numbers Partner With Us Th...

08/29/2026

This picture of Bill Fincher sharing a high-five with this little boy captures exactly what our mission is all about.

Ultimately, this is about his father—and our desire to get the vital message across that early detection saves lives. While 1 in 8 men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, there is a **99% survival rate** when it is caught early. You can bet that stat means everything in this little boy's life.

That is why Bill Fincher volunteered to come out, set up early, and help deliver that message to folks across the Canton Farmers Market today. 💙