MONROE - Justice for a Cure, a breast cancer awareness and fund-raiser program for law enforcement agencies, brought a retired deputy back to friends and co-workers at the Green County Sheriff's Department this month.
Deputy Joan Kamholz, Albany, a recent breast cancer survivor, started Justice for a Cure through Susan G. Komen for the Cure after she retired from the Dane County Sheriff's Department. She worked for the Green County Sheriff's Department from 1977 through 1993.
"It shows the compassionate side of law enforcement," Kamholz said about the fast-growing program.
Kamholz discovered she had cancer in March 2007. With quick medical response, doctors declared her cancer-free by April 26.
"They moved so fast, and I was grateful," Kamholz said.
Doctors tried a lumpectomy first, which proved unsuccessful. When Kamholz had to choose between chemo- and radiation-therapy, or a mastectomy, she chose the latter.
Kamholz had educated herself - quickly - about the dangers of and recovery time for chemo and radiation, she said.
"I told them, I don't have time for this," she said.
The next step was breast reconstruction - another choice for another major surgery and more recovery time, and Kamholz said no to it.
"I was moving into retirement phase, with a photography business on the side, and I had things to do," she said.
Like helping spread awareness about breast cancer by starting Justice for a Cure.
Since starting the program and partnering with the Dane County Sheriff's Department in 2008, Kamholz has taken the program countywide in 2009, statewide in 2010 and national in 2011. Partnerships with international law enforcement agencies are expected next year.
She found plenty of support right here in Green County.
As part of the effort, this month, Green County Sheriff's Department went pink. Pink is the color designated to show support for breast cancer awareness.
Members of department took part in the Justice for A Cure & Breast Cancer Awareness Month kickoff event Oct. 7 at the capital. They had a local department "Pink Day" Oct. 17, wearing pink ribbons, shirts and hats. Even the squad cars got pinker, with antennae ribbons and breast cancer awareness magnets.
Kamholz sends out program packets to law enforcement agencies each spring. When Sheriff Jeff Skatrud looked for a volunteer to head the activity for his department, Lt. Kari Phillips stepped up.
Skatrud and Kamholz worked together when he first began in the department. They stayed in touch after she left, and he said he was aware of Kamholz's fight with cancer.
"I thought (Justice for a Cure) was something we should participate in," he said. Phillips took the project under her care and "ran with it," he added.
Phillips has a family member who had breast cancer. "I guess that had something to do with it," she said.
When Phillips joined the department in 1993, Kamholz helped train her for a few months before transferring to Dane County.
"She is always on the run," Phillips said. "I can't keep up with her. I don't even try anymore."
But Kamholz's non-stop energy helped Phillips put together the department's project and get local business involved fast, she said.
"If I needed magnets or pens, I just called her up and she'd deliver them," Phillips said.
But she needed no help getting members of the department to participate.
"They just came to me and asked, 'How do I get involved?'" she said.
"I'm not surprised," Skatrud said of his staff. "They're low-keyed, but I'm very proud of them. They volunteer all over the place. This is just another thing where they jumped in and got involved."
Kamholz said 75 percent of the donations raised by the program stay local for use by uninsured or under-insured women for mammograms and screenings.
The rest goes to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure for outreach. The Madison affiliate of the organization has expanded to become the South Central Wisconsin affiliate, encompassing Rock and Sauk counties this year and expanding to include Green and other counties surrounding Dane next year.
"But as much as there is a little fundraising," Kamholz said, "Justice for a Cure is about awareness."
Kamholz travels around the state, promoting and helping her partners in the program kick-off their departments' involvement.
"It's my second life, my second job," she said.
Deputy Joan Kamholz, Albany, a recent breast cancer survivor, started Justice for a Cure through Susan G. Komen for the Cure after she retired from the Dane County Sheriff's Department. She worked for the Green County Sheriff's Department from 1977 through 1993.
"It shows the compassionate side of law enforcement," Kamholz said about the fast-growing program.
Kamholz discovered she had cancer in March 2007. With quick medical response, doctors declared her cancer-free by April 26.
"They moved so fast, and I was grateful," Kamholz said.
Doctors tried a lumpectomy first, which proved unsuccessful. When Kamholz had to choose between chemo- and radiation-therapy, or a mastectomy, she chose the latter.
Kamholz had educated herself - quickly - about the dangers of and recovery time for chemo and radiation, she said.
"I told them, I don't have time for this," she said.
The next step was breast reconstruction - another choice for another major surgery and more recovery time, and Kamholz said no to it.
"I was moving into retirement phase, with a photography business on the side, and I had things to do," she said.
Like helping spread awareness about breast cancer by starting Justice for a Cure.
Since starting the program and partnering with the Dane County Sheriff's Department in 2008, Kamholz has taken the program countywide in 2009, statewide in 2010 and national in 2011. Partnerships with international law enforcement agencies are expected next year.
She found plenty of support right here in Green County.
As part of the effort, this month, Green County Sheriff's Department went pink. Pink is the color designated to show support for breast cancer awareness.
Members of department took part in the Justice for A Cure & Breast Cancer Awareness Month kickoff event Oct. 7 at the capital. They had a local department "Pink Day" Oct. 17, wearing pink ribbons, shirts and hats. Even the squad cars got pinker, with antennae ribbons and breast cancer awareness magnets.
Kamholz sends out program packets to law enforcement agencies each spring. When Sheriff Jeff Skatrud looked for a volunteer to head the activity for his department, Lt. Kari Phillips stepped up.
Skatrud and Kamholz worked together when he first began in the department. They stayed in touch after she left, and he said he was aware of Kamholz's fight with cancer.
"I thought (Justice for a Cure) was something we should participate in," he said. Phillips took the project under her care and "ran with it," he added.
Phillips has a family member who had breast cancer. "I guess that had something to do with it," she said.
When Phillips joined the department in 1993, Kamholz helped train her for a few months before transferring to Dane County.
"She is always on the run," Phillips said. "I can't keep up with her. I don't even try anymore."
But Kamholz's non-stop energy helped Phillips put together the department's project and get local business involved fast, she said.
"If I needed magnets or pens, I just called her up and she'd deliver them," Phillips said.
But she needed no help getting members of the department to participate.
"They just came to me and asked, 'How do I get involved?'" she said.
"I'm not surprised," Skatrud said of his staff. "They're low-keyed, but I'm very proud of them. They volunteer all over the place. This is just another thing where they jumped in and got involved."
Kamholz said 75 percent of the donations raised by the program stay local for use by uninsured or under-insured women for mammograms and screenings.
The rest goes to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure for outreach. The Madison affiliate of the organization has expanded to become the South Central Wisconsin affiliate, encompassing Rock and Sauk counties this year and expanding to include Green and other counties surrounding Dane next year.
"But as much as there is a little fundraising," Kamholz said, "Justice for a Cure is about awareness."
Kamholz travels around the state, promoting and helping her partners in the program kick-off their departments' involvement.
"It's my second life, my second job," she said.