Man Speaks on Dangers of Tobacco

Source from:  Feb 11 2008 kxmb.com KXMBTV Bismarck  02/13/2008

What would it take for you to quit using tobacco? What about losing half of your jaw to oral cancer? That's what one man went through after using chewing tobacco for fourteen years. Reporter Tracy Fugere has more... Rick Bender travels across the continent to spread the message...that the day you start using tobacco is the day you start putting things in your body that can cause cancer. He says you don't have to be fifty or sixty years old to get cancer (Rick Bender, Cancer Survivor) "I mean we see people in their, well sixteen-year-old boys that have died from cancer from spit tobacco. I mean, regardless of how old you, the day you start, you put your body at risk of cancer." Rick tells his personal story of what he went through with oral cancer.. (Rick Bender, Cancer Survivor) "I had it when I was twenty-six. I was only given two years to live. It took a third of my tongue. I can still talk pretty good. Obviously, I'm still here. Maybe it's the reason God left me here. You know, to go out and give these young people information that I never had so they can make a choice in their life." When Rick tells his story to Wachter Middle School students in Bismarck, the reaction is quite powerful.. (Ross Neumann, 9th grader) "Wow, that could...something as simple as chewing tobacco do that much trouble in a man's life." (Mack Keller, 9th grader) "My dad and uncle both...well, my dad used to chew and my uncle still does. And I was thinking that I was gonna but after today's little speech, I don't think there's any way I'm gonna because I've seen what it can do and it's just not good." Rick says the best thing you can do for yourself if you are using tobacco is to quit. (Rick Bender, Cancer Survivor) "Any sort of sore in the mouth, heartburn, blister on the lip, white bump, red bump...anything that doesn't heal up and go away in ten days needs to be addressed by a professional. Early detection of any type of cancer is the only way to potentially beat this stuff." Rick has been telling his personal story to crowds for over twenty years and plans to continue spreading the message that tobacco kills for the rest of his life. For KX News, I'm Tracy Fugere. Rick will be speaking at other schools around the region this week. More information on Rick Bender and the dangers of tobacco is available at www. nosnuff.com. Enditem