Here’s How You Can Help…
DECIDE ON A BUILDING OR SITE IN YOUR AREA THAT SHOULD BE LIGHTED IN PERIWINKLE THIS APRIL!
You may already have a location or two in mind. Perhaps you saw the place lighted up for another event or cause. Here are some of the locations we are pretty sure you can get lighted listed by state. If you don’t have something in mind, take a look at this article or this one to find a building that we know has been lighted up for another cause in the past. Some locations require that the request come from a resident of that state or community. For that reason, and because it will be more fulfilling to be able to see the location lighted up thanks to your efforts, we suggest that you look for buildings in your area first.
DISCOVER THE REQUEST PROCESS FOR THE LOCATION YOU’VE CHOSEN.
It’s no surprise that the easiest way to discover how to make your request is through an online search. Here are a couple of ways to do that:
- Enter the name of the location and the words “lighting request” in Google or your favorite search engine.
- Go to your location’s website and enter the terms ‘lighting request’, ‘lighting’, or ‘lighting schedule’ in the search box.
If any of these searches are successful, you will likely be led to an online form you can fill out and submit.
If the online search isn’t fruitful, go to the location’s website and find the “contact us” information – either an email address or phone number. If you only get a phone number, make the call and ask how to go about requesting that the location be lighted for Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month. If you get an email address, click here for suggested email content that you can personalize and use to send a message. Alternatively, if the Contact Us page is a form, enter the directions you’ll find below for filling out online forms.
MAKING THE REQUEST ONLINE.
Most of the forms you will find online are fairly self-explanatory. You will make the request for any date in April (or check our calendar as it gets filled up to see if there are days when no locations are lined up to shine with Periwinkle Power and ask for those dates.) We request that they use blue and purple lights mixed together to make that nice Periwinkle Blue color. If they only allow one color choice, we suggest you pick blue.
Here is an example of how to describe the reason for your request in online forms:
April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month. Esophageal Cancer is one of the fastest increasing cancers among men in the United States and other western nations. And it is one of the deadliest. Fewer than one in five patients diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer will survive five years. That’s because it is usually detected too late. The type of Esophageal Cancer that is increasing so rapidly is caused by acid reflux or heartburn – and most people are not aware of that fact. Sadly, patients often learn about the link between heartburn and cancer when it is too late to save their lives. That’s one reason that raising awareness about Esophageal Cancer is so important. It is a preventable disease – but patients need to know they are at risk.
During April we encourage supporters, survivors, and warriors battling this cancer to show their Periwinkle Pride as Periwinkle Blue is our awareness color. We would be thrilled if _______(location) could shine a powerful Periwinkle beacon in the night sky of __________(city or state) and help us share a life-saving message.
Some locations will ask for information about the organization you are working with and what your role with that organization is. You can download and share this document about ECAN and let them know that you are an ECAN Awareness-Raising Volunteer. If they request information about the cause (Esophageal Cancer Awareness) you can share these Esophageal Cancer Facts 2024.
KEEP US INFORMED:
Once you submit your request, please send us an email with details about your location lighting request at ECAM2024@ecan.org. We would be honored if you would include a couple of paragraphs about why Esophageal Cancer Awareness matters to you and would be thrilled if you could also share a photo that illustrates your motivation.
We are keeping track of all of the lighting requests our ECAN community is making and once they are approved, we will add them to an online calendar and to our national Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month interactive map and our Periwinkle Lighting Calendar.
Once you are notified that the location will be lighted, please email us again at ECAM2024@ecan.org. When you do, we will post your building on our interactive map and include information about you and the reason EC Awareness matters to you. We will also post news releases about the upcoming lighting, and if you approve, include the information about you making the request. It’s possible some news coverage will result – and you will have done even more to raise awareness of Esophageal Cancer.
If it’s possible, we would love to get a photo of you at the site when it is shining its powerful Periwinkle Light to share with our ECAN community!
SHARE YOUR STORY:
While a building shining Periwinkle Blue in the night sky is something wonderful to behold – it only has life-saving power if we let people know why that Periwinkle Power is so important. And we will do some media outreach once your location lighting request has been confirmed. But your personal story is a much more compelling way to gain news coverage. So we ask that you consider sending a news release to media outlets in your state (TV, radio, daily and weekly newspapers, and online news sources like Patch).
Our 2024 Draft Periwinkle Building Lighting ECAM News Release can help you craft this important message – but don’t forget to include your personal story. Your experience with Esophageal Cancer will help media outlets understand the human toll of this devastating disease. After you’ve sent your new release, we recommend that you call to make sure it was received and reviewed by the staff of the media outlets you’ve contacted.
If you would like some assistance, we welcome an email to us at ECAM2024@ecan.org and we’ll look over your draft and make suggestions. We have a lot of experience gaining coverage for EC Awareness Month and are happy to provide any assistance you think you may need.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
If you have any questions or concerns, or simply want to talk with someone about how you can help, please email ECAM2024@ecan.org or call 410-358-3226.
We are here to help!