Kristen Bell, star of the NBC comedy series “The Good Place,” chose the winning stories in the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s first-ever campaign to honor those who care for people with prostate cancer.
The TRUE Love Campaign, envisioned as an annual event, was held throughout February. Bell, also known for her starring roles in “Veronica Mars” and “House of Lies,” joined the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s effort due to her own family connection to prostate cancer. Her mother, a nurse, helped her father-in-law battle the disease and Bell understands first-hand the value of caregivers as part of a successful cancer care support system. Bell selected the winning stories from hundreds of submissions from people across the United States.
“It was an honor to work with the Prostate Cancer Foundation to celebrate the role caregivers play in the treatment and support of prostate cancer patients,” Bell said in a press release. “I have personally seen how important a caregiver’s role is throughout a patient’s treatment journey and I can tell you it is truly a labor of love. I thank all those who shared their story and I encourage everyone to read the submissions, as they are all beautiful true accounts of courage, compassion and love.”
The winners were Wendy Dyer of Jonesport, Maine and Lynsi Piar of Millersburg, Ohio. Dyer shared her story of unconditional love between her and her husband Bill, before his death. Piar shared a touching story about her parents and how their love provided faith and strength throughout their journey after her father was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Both Dyer and Piar will receive a caregiver package personally curated by Bell.
“There are currently nearly four million men in the U.S. battling prostate cancer, a diagnosis that not only impacts patients, but also all those who love and care for them. The TRUE Love campaign was our opportunity to provide a public platform to honor supporters and caregivers of patients and to be acknowledged for the critical role they play in a prostate cancer patient’s journey,” said Colleen McKenna, vice president of marketing and communications at the Foundation. “We are so grateful to Kristen for helping us to raise awareness about prostate cancer with our TRUE campaign. Her generosity, authentic compassion, and broad reach played an integral part in the campaign’s success, and also helped shine a spotlight on all the resources we have available for patients and their caregivers.”
Additionally, Warren Starks from Casselberry, Florida, received an honorable mention for his story. Starks shared how his pregnant daughter helped him after his prostate cancer diagnosis by joining him in a cross-state journey and by using laughter as a medicinal route to recovery.
The TRUE Love Campaign will return on February 1, 2019. Visit the Foundation’s TRUE caregivers stories page to read more stories submitted to the campaign.