DARRELL SKAGGS TALKS ABOUT HIS BREAST CANCER JOURNEY AND RAISING AWARENESS
Women in Business
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(317) 496-3599 PRESIDENT JEANNE BRITT jeanne@townepost.com (317) 810-0011 PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
HENDRICKS COUNTY COUPLE LAUNCHES INSPIRING NONPROFIT
Hendricks County couple Al and Tonya Geans suffered a loss no parent wants to endure.
Their oldest son, D’Mile, passed away at the age of 32 in October of 2020. In their grief, the couple committed to helping young people through a program they named The Miles We Walk.
“We felt it was necessary and our obligation to carry on his legacy,” Tonya said. “He persevered through it all.”
D’Mile survived two major car accidents, which led to depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and mental illness struggles. In the spring of 2020 he was diagnosed with cancer, but through it all he continued to fight.
Tonya said issues that plague families across the globe often keep them suffering in silence. They feel alone, they feel there’s a lack of resources, and they are desperate for someone to understand.
“When I was led to this ministry, I felt like this hasn’t really been talked about,” Tonya said. “Once we approached them, in the schools and in the community, we have parents and administrators and other leaders saying, ‘Yes, let’s offer programs for these serious issues.’”
The couple had not experienced mental illness until it was happening in their own home. It often goes unrecognized in social circles. “It was a surprise to me that so much is happening in Hendricks County,” Al said. “We have an affluent community, yet we are being impacted. We have teen suicide, overdoses, homelessness, and so many
are struggling with mental illness. It’s easy to take it for granted if it’s not happening to you, but it’s truly impacting our community as a whole.”
The Miles We Walk nonprofit has several different avenues to reach young people.
“Our main focus is to deliver programs and impact youth throughout Indiana and Ohio, and we’re driven by education, empowerment and advocacy,” Tonya said. “One of the ways we do this is through our hygiene initiative.”
Tonya said one of the first signs D’Mile was suffering from mental illness was unkept hygiene. It was the first initiative she wanted to tackle, and she immediately formed community comfort closets.
“All someone has to do is fill out the form online, and we’ll send them an Amazon link with a list of household items and supplies that will be sent to them,” Tonya said. “We don’t know who he or she is, and I want it to be like that because it’s a personal thing.”
They also work with Hendricks County school nurses to provide free hygiene kits to students, and are beginning to partner with Marion County school districts.
The second prong of organization’s mission includes life-skill development programs.
“We want to give youth the ability to overcome different obstacles they may face in life,” Al said. “Our Just the Facts program challenges youth
to research the effects and dangers of drugs. We also look at how to overcome, and seek advocacy and mentorship when you run into those obstacles.”
Just the Facts even includes a partnership with caregivers and parents. The program encourages participants to create public service announcement videos, informative posters, poetic compositions and puppet shows.
Monthly online chat groups create space to discuss the students’ submissions and help their voices to be heard.
Another program offered, 90 Miles Exit Right, involves preparing youngsters for their next chapter in life.
“We talk about self-assessment, goal setting and building community,” Tonya said. “There’s a portion of the program when they come up with their superpower. For example, if you say your superpower is problem solving, then you can help yourself and others with that skill. Another person’s skill will help themselves and you, and that’s how we build a community.”
In addition, they offer resources and supportive services including food and clothing banks, rent and utility assistance, and addiction services. They also support workforce readiness and entrepreneurship.
All workshops can be held in person or virtually.
The goal is to help people in the Hendricks County community become successful, and to let those struggling with a challenge know that they aren’t alone. Tonya is sharing all of the factors she wished she had known when D’Mile went off to college.
“There’s a personal connection,” Tonya said. “We’re a two-parent household, college-educated, middle-class family. We missed the opportunity when our first born was going off to college to say, ‘These things may happen.’ He was in a foreign place, accepting risky behaviors and coming back home, and we were still thinking he was the same kid. We were disconnected.”
Today she’s hoping to help high school and college-aged kids, along
with their parents, so others are able to recognize issues when they arise.
“Let’s give you coping skills - some street savvy, if you will,” Tonya said. “We want to talk about, ‘This might happen and this is something that can come up in the future.’”
From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on November 2, The Miles We Walk leaders will host their first fundraiser called Strokes for Love, at X-Golf in Plainfield. The community can visit, learn more about the organization, hear from youth advisory leaders in the program and enjoy some family fun.
“We’ll have a wall of fame,” Tonya said. “Any organization who wants to have their information on our wall can put a QR code up there and share with people hands-on information about our community. We’ll have cornhole, golf of course, and a silent auction. We’re here for the long haul, and I want to invite people in to experience what we’re doing.”
Tonya said there are plenty of ways the community can support them. You can connect your Kroger shopping card to The Miles We Walk community rewards program. Every dollar spent sends funds to the organization.
They’re continually looking for individuals to use their knowledge or passion to volunteer and mentor during youth workshops.
Anyone can share their information with community groups, churches, businesses and schools, to bring educational workshops and programs to the forefront.
“We don’t want to overlook someone because we didn’t know the need was there,” Tonya said. “I call it the butterfly method. If I’m standing here sharing with five people and those five people take it back to their neighborhood or organization and share it with five more people, they can help us serve the community in the ways you see our youth need it.”
For more information, visit themileswewalk.com.
In the fall of 2020, the Indianapolis Colts participated in an NFL initiative called My Cause, My Cleats, for which players made known a cause that was near and dear to their hearts by writing it on their shoes.
Owner Jim Irsay’s family chose to pen the phrase “Kicking the Stigma” on their footwear to bring awareness to the stigma associated with mental health. That same year they also invested in a national PSA campaign, letting the world know that the Colts view mental health as a critical issue that should be regularly addressed.
Soon thereafter, the Colts launched an official Kicking the Stigma campaign that focused on increasing awareness about the prevalence of mental health disorders in our communities, and to raise and distribute funds to nonprofits and other organizations that expand treatment and research in Indiana and beyond. The Colts’ goal for 2024 is to focus on how best to start conversations around mental health.
“We asked, ‘How can we use the power of the Colts platform to encourage people to treat mental health like anything else - say, a migraine or a broken arm?’” says Brett Kramer, director of Kicking the Stigma for the Indianapolis Colts. “If someone is feeling anxious or down, we want these to become normal conversations to share.”
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Where do people tend to gather for connection, check-ins and chats? Coffee shops!
Kramer had been following the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) coffee sleeve campaign, so she reached out to the AFSP Indiana chapter to
see if there was a partnership opportunity between their two brands.
“The conversations surrounding the coffee sleeves, our respective organizations, and mental health and suicide prevention have felt very natural and organic,” says Brandon Puszkiewicz, Indiana programs
manager for AFSP.
As a result of this collaboration, approximately 60 coffee shops, businesses, and other offices and organizations will distribute 75,000 coffee cup sleeves across Indiana during September (National Suicide Prevention Month) and October (National Depression Awareness Month). This will cover areas of Indiana like Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, northwest Indiana, Ellettsville, Huntingburg, Shelbyville, Cumberland, Rockville, Terre Haute, Muncie, Evansville, New Palestine, West Lafayette, Richmond, Hanover and more. These sleeves aim to normalize conversations about mental health, as well as connect the community to mental health resources such as the 988 suicide Lifeline.
“We’ve found through research that stigma, without a doubt, is one of the highest barriers for people seeking help for their mental health,”
Kramer says. “The Indianapolis Colts, under the umbrella of the NFL, has an incredible platform. Our reach in our market is ginormous so we’re trying to be responsible stewards of this platform.”
Not only do the Colts have the incredible example of the Irsay family, but they also have an entire locker room of players who have lived experiences with mental health or have a loved one with such experience. Sharing their stories lets others know that vulnerability equals strength.
“These incredible athletes are going through emotions and tribulations,” Kramer says. “They are all great ambassadors of Kicking the Stigma. We’re grateful that they’re transparent in their journeys since so many people of all ages look up to them.”
Because let’s face it…mental health doesn’t discriminate.
“It doesn’t matter where you live, what you’re doing or what your net worth is, it impacts everyone on some level,” Kramer says. “We want to encourage people to be open and honest about how it affects their lives.”
Puszkiewicz says seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
“Many people face challenges with depression, anxiety or other mental health issues, and it’s important to understand that these feelings are not just common, but also valid,” he says. “It’s OK to not be OK, and reaching out for support, whether through friends, family or mental health professionals, can be a crucial step towards healing.”
Going into football season, the Colts are naturally integrating Kicking the Stigma into all they do. For instance, their preseason game on August 17 against the Arizona Cardinals was dedicated to mental health awareness. Prior to the game, both teams wore Kicking the Stigma gear to help normalize mental health conversations. During this game, the Colts invited students from Bring Change to Mind clubs
throughout the state of Indiana to line up at the Colts’ horseshoe banner during team introductions.
In addition, during the Colts’ October 20 game against the Miami Dolphins, mental health professionals from across Indiana will be special guests following a thankyou breakfast.
“We want to show our appreciation for the behavioral health workforce because they are the true champions in this space, making an impact day in and day out,” Kramer says.
The Colts are happy to be cultivating so many mental health partnerships. For instance, this past May they partnered with the Indianapolis Indians for a Mental Health Awareness night for one of their games.
“We’re trying to utilize our partners and champions throughout the community in
talking about mental health and bringing awareness in these spaces,” says Kramer, who expects collaborations to grow.
“We’re grateful we’ve been supported by the community and mental health organizations across the state who have come alongside us in this journey. We can’t do this alone, and we’re not doing this alone.”
Kramer is quick to point out that she’s not a mental health expert. She and her team, however, are experts at using the power of the horseshoe to bring people together, to set an example and to elevate the mental health experts in this space.
“A lot of these organizations don’t get the credit they deserve for the incredible work they’re doing,” she says.
Puszkiewicz encourages all of us to strive to foster environments where open conversations about mental health are encouraged and supported.
“Mental health issues can feel isolating, but no one has to face them alone,” Puszkiewicz says. “Your mental health matters. There is always hope and help available.”
To learn more, visit colts.com/kickingthe-stigma.
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For 50 years, Godby Home Furnishings has been providing Central Indiana with quality furnishings at affordable prices. When my dad, Jim Godby, started this company back in 1974 he never dreamed we would grow to be as big as we are today. It was his friends and family who helped him get started back then, and it is your loyalty and support today that have helped us reach this milestone. We are truly grateful to be a part of this community with you! Please join us as we celebrate you, our friends and family, and this great accomplishment of 50 years as a locally owned and operated business.
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Team members at IU Health West Hospital spend each day caring for patients in their local communities through their work at the hospital. That drive to help others has led several team members to take that mission beyond the hospital walls, and serve people in other areas of the United States and abroad. From Kenya to Turkey to Jamaica and more, we sat down with a few IU Health West clinical team members to chat about their recent experiences, and the “why” behind their trips.
JENNIFER BOSTON
Physical Therapist
Eighteen years at IU Health West
How many trips have you been on?
When and where did they occur?
Eight medical trips to work with Missions of Hope International in Nairobi, Kenya. 2012-2018, and 2024
How did you help medically during the trips?
Physical therapy with special-needs children. I was able to provide physical
assistance to the family while showing to the community that these children have value, and they aren’t a “curse” on their family.
What inspired you to go?
I initially went to Kenya to try to be a blessing to the people there, not realizing that I would be the one who was blessed. Working with kids with disabilities in the Mathare Valley of Nairobi was totally out of my comfort zone, but when Missions of Hope International asked me to work with
these kids, I agreed, and my life has changed. The people have very little, but the joy they have because of what Jesus has done in their lives is beyond comprehension.
LESLIE GIBBS
Lead Emergency Medicine Nurse Practitioner Seven years at IU Health West
How many trips have you been on? When and where did they occur?
More than 20 (not sure of exact number). 2015-2022. Multiple refugee camps across Greece and Turkey; long-term Tibetan refugee medical care in Zanskar, India; Standing Rock Reservation, North Dakota; multiple migrant camps on the U.S.-Mexico border.
How did you help medically during the trips?
Medical provider, primary care and urgent/emergency care; team leader; board member, medical non-governmental organization.
What inspired you to go?
I believe all humans should have access to health care when they need it, and in the obligation of those with resources to share with those without.
ai172503616715_TownPost- 3.5 x 4.75-OCT-OUTPUT-082924.pdf 1 8/30/2024 12:42:47 PM
ERIC PEAK
Team Lead, Pharmacist
Fourteen years at IU Health West
How many trips have you been on?
When and where did they occur?
Ten trips total (eight non-medical and two medical). Guatemala, India, and Liberia were non-medical trips from years past. 2023 - served on a medical clinic boat that traveled along the Amazon River in Brazil. 2024 - served on a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic with practitioners and a group of health care students from Butler
University. Included daughter, Carli, a Butler student studying public health and psychology; she is also a trained EMT.
How did you help medically during the trips?
In Brazil and the Dominican Republic, I worked as a pharmacist serving the popup medical clinics our team provided.
What inspired you to go?
My faith in Jesus has taught me to use my time, talent and treasure to serve others. In the past two years I have discovered opportunities to use my medical knowledge in service.
TONYA MITCHELL
Registered Nurse and Ambulatory Procedure Unit and Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Day Shift Clinical Coordinator
Twelve years at IU Health West
How many trips have you been on?
When and where did they occur?
Five trips. February and July each year except February 2024. In Jamaica.
How did you help medically during the trips?
February trips - meet up with the preschools to pass out toothbrushes and toothpaste, as well as teach dental hygiene. July trips - health screens and pass out Tylenol, ibuprofen, vitamins, ace wraps, triple antibiotic cream, knee braces, ankle braces and reading glasses.
An eye doctor’s office here at IU Health West gave me a lesson on how to interpret what reading glasses people would need, and we have given over 200 pairs of reading glasses. A lot of these have been donated by my nursing team.”
What inspired you to go?
The feeling of making a difference in someone’s life with the things we take for granted is humbling. My most rewarding times are when I do reading eye tests and give out reading glasses. Those smiles when they can see what they are reading warms my heart.
AARON AND SHANELE RHOADS (MARRIED)
AARON RHOADS
Registered Nurse in Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab
Nine years at IU Health West
SHANELE RHOADS
Registered Nurse in Ambulatory Procedure Unit and Post-Anesthesia Care Unit; Also serves as Surgical Services Bereavement Coordinator
Eleven years at IU Health West
How many trips have you been on?
When and where did they occur?
Aaron has been on several mission trips, including: 2004-2005 - Mexico; 2005 - Costa Rica; 2012 - Kenya; 2016Uganda.
Shanele has been to: 2005 - Mexico; 2012 - Kenya.
How did you help medically during the trips?
Casa de Ninos (San Luis Potosí, Mexico): Spent time with the children and helped to repaint a building at a local Christian college. Traveled to neighboring cities to preach the gospel of Christ.
Agua Viva Ministries (Bri Bri, Costa Rica): Provided supplies and aid to remote villages in the Talamanca Valley after suffering from a devastating flood. Rebuilt and remodeled parts of the Agua Viva church.
Missions of Hope International (Mathare Valley, Nairobi, Kenya): Opened a
medical clinic to serve the Missions of Hope school children and the residents of the Mathare Valley of Nairobi. Spent time with the children who attended the school and visited with their families and others in the community.
What inspired you to go?
Aaron: By serving others, I have the tremendous privilege of reminding people of their immeasurable value - value that is not merit-based, nor is it attached to our race, gender, creed or bank account. My mission is to live out the words of Jesus, to love God and to love others.
Shanele: Mission trips help open your eyes to the needs of others outside the comforts of America, and provide the less privileged with things they would normally not have, like medical care, dental care, Bibles, toys and more. I was able to witness the power of Jesus through healing, kindness, labor, prayer and people.
1 NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
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4 FIRST FRIDAY CRUISE-IN
DANVILLE TOWN SQUARE, Over 200 new and vintage cars on the square. Fun for the whole family! www.visithendrickscounty.com
8 HOURPRACTICE & QUALS
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INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, 4790 W 16TH ST.
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Writer / Claire-Anne Aikman
Like it or not, we live in a world of influencers and being influenced. One way marketers try to influence us is through the psychology of color.
I find it fascinating how companies choose the colors in their logos, and how they display those colors to stir up our feelings and emotions. Are you skeptical? Think about how many fast-food places you have visited that utilize orange or red in their branding - be it in their logo, in their dining area, or both. On a basic level, those colors are said to promote hunger and energy, which makes sense (they want you to come in, eat a lot and leave quickly).
Now think about how many fast-food places use the color green in their branding - far fewer. Why? Possibly because green is easily associated with nature and, as a next step, all things healthy (which contradicts
the opinion of what fast-food is).
Color influence is around us all day every day, which brings me to this - if the world outside of our homes spends so much time trying to steer our mood one way or another with color, why don’t more of us use color to create the moods we want in our own homes?
So much of how we decorate our homes is driven by the plethora of home renovation shows, which have told us to keep our walls beige, which transitioned to grey, all because they said that is what we all want. But is it?
Think about your home. Now think about what happens in each space of your home. Would you, could you, dare to paint an accent wall red in a room where you want to direct high energy (like a toy room, or
an office if you need to be on your feet and think fast)? What if you added some shade of orange to your kitchen to inspire that picky eater to eat more (no promises)? Maybe you could bring in some green to a space that you would like to be quieter (a study space, reading area or living room), or utilize the calming nature of blues in your bedrooms to exude calm, which could help with a good night’s sleep.
You get the idea. Become your own influencer, and make your space a true reflection of YOU.
Claire-Anne is a west side realtor helping people make Hendricks County their home. You can reach her at 317-345-6640 or thepointinrealestate@gmail.com
Claire-Anne and her team have
pproximately 2,800 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and for more than 500 of them, the diagnosis will be fatal.
Hendricks County resident Darrell Skaggs is making it his mission to spread
the word and encourage men to rid themselves of the stigma surrounding the disease. Skaggs was diagnosed for the first time in 2010.
“I had gall bladder issues and they did a CAT scan,” he said. “The gall bladder
was bad, but they also found a mass in my left breast and they wanted me to get a mammogram.”
The appointment to get the mammogram required him to walk into the women’s center, and Skaggs was reluctant. His wife of more than 50 years,
Wanda, suggested most of the people would think the appointment was for her and she was right.
Skaggs said the only question on the form pertaining to a man was the line to place his name.
“After the mammogram they wanted an ultrasound and then they did a biopsy that same day, and three days later my doctor called me and said it was breast cancer,” Skaggs said.
Skaggs received the news at work and headed home, but he didn’t want to call his wife; he would wait until she came home that afternoon. It was a long wait and gave Skaggs plenty of time to think.
“I graduated high school in 1969 and served with the United States Army in Vietnam in the early ‘70s,” he said. “I’m a military guy and a sports guy. This is embarrassing for a man. I felt like I had a woman’s disease, and it affected my whole family.”
After talking and praying with his wife that afternoon, they began researching and Skaggs was in the surgeon’s office two weeks later.
They removed the tumor, but found a second surgery was needed to take additional lymph nodes. After the surgery he underwent four rounds of chemotherapy and took preventative medication for five years, eventually being told he was in the clear.
Those years were transformative for Skaggs and his family. Not only were they dealing with their own emotions and concerns, but they were also still mulling over the facts concerning men and a breast cancer diagnosis.
“For about a year I didn’t want to talk about it,” he said. “I didn’t want anyone to know, but my family kept encouraging me to talk about it because other men need to know about this. My son said there was a contest with Major League Baseball, picking an honorary bat girl
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for each team. He suggested I enter it and I said, ‘That’s for women.’ He said, ‘Send in the application anyway,’”
Skaggs was chosen, and soon after, more and more organizations began reaching out to him to represent the men.
“I got a call from Susan G. Komen and they wanted to share my story in their monthly magazine,” he said. “Then in 2012, Ford Motor Company did a Warriors in Pink campaign and I was chosen along with 10 other breast cancer patients to participate. We traveled to New York and L.A., modeled clothing and other items, and had ads in magazines. There’s a nice documentary about it and all the money raised went toward breast cancer research.”
Churches, nonprofits and other organizations in the community began asking Skaggs to speak at their breast cancer
awareness events and the American Cancer Society enlisted him for their Reach for Recovery program.
“Reach for Recovery is for other men diagnosed,” he said. “I have a very supportive family but I needed another man to talk to, another guy that’s been through this, and it’s helpful to see a guy who has gone through what you’re going through today.”
He’s currently talking to five men all over the country who are looking for a mentor, and one who knows the ropes.
The biggest problem, according to Skaggs, is finding symptoms far too late. If men have discounted the symptoms, or shrugged them off as a strained pectoral muscle or an injury from work, they put off going to the doctor for far too long.
“When the doctor found my cancer, I had no symptoms at
the time,” he said. “If it wasn’t for my gallbladder, by the time it was found it would have been way too late, and a larger percentage of men die because we’re ignoring it.”
Symptoms include soreness around the breast, nipples draining or changing color, a lump or swelling in the breast, and more.
Unfortunately, Skaggs’ journey hasn’t been as standard as chemo, radiation and a clean bill of health.
In 2019 he received his second breast cancer diagnosis.
“I wasn’t feeling well again and I went to the ER,” he said. “They sent me to my oncologist and the cancer was back. They started me on another drug that had a lot of side effects. It was new but about as bad as the chemo. I was in remission three years later.”
In April of 2024 it returned - this time as stage four.
“Stage four is the worst,” Skaggs said. “It’s bad. There are new drugs and you don’t know what the side effects will be. Whether you do the drugs or the chemo, both are terrible. I was sick forever. But I know God and I know he’s not going to give me anything worse than I can handle. It’ll be sad. I think about my boys, my grandkids and my wife, but I try to stay positive.”
Even through his own worries, Skaggs and his family agree that he shouldn’t shy away from the mission.
The veteran and sports nut wants men to know they shouldn’t be embarrassed or frightened. The earlier they find it, the better the outcome.
He said eventually, the need to warn other men to be diligent and check symptoms with their doctor outweighed his own embarrassment or nervousness.
“Other men need to know about breast cancer,” he said. “At first it was tough to talk in front of a big group, but after a while it got easier. If sharing my story means one person gets something checked out, it was a win.”
He’s still fighting.
Skaggs takes a daily pill and gets two injections every four weeks that put him in bed for three or four days afterward. He wants as much time as possible with his wife, two sons, two daughters-in-law and four grandchildren.
This October, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, he wants to save one more man through learning about male breast cancer.
Men and women can learn more at komen.org.
