Team Bernie McCreesh

Bernie McCreesh was a 65-year-old happily married man with two awesome children, four beautiful and intelligent granddaughters, and two adorable grandsons. He worked at GEICO for 40 years. There are usually three questions people immediately ask. No, he never smoked. No, he never once used dip. Yes, he went to a dentist (and an oral surgeon) regularly, but the easily diagnosed precursors were missed. 

 In 2015, Bernie was diagnosed with stage IV oral cancer, which had spread to his jawbone, two nerves, and his lymphatic system, meaning the tumor was the size of a fist. In June of 2015, he underwent an 11 ½-hour surgery at University of Maryland-Baltimore Hospital, where doctors are doing groundbreaking research and procedures in oral cancer. Throughout Bernie’s three-year battle, he underwent radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, which proved successful in treating metastatic tumors that would arise in his lungs. 

Bernie developed pneumonia in June 2018, which, coupled with the metastasized tumors, constricted his breathing and ultimately took his life on August 3, 2018. Bernie’s courageous three-year battle encourages us to work even harder to raise money to help fund continuing research and encourage early detection.

We do everything we can to raise funds and support in hopes that others will not go through the same experience. 

Team Bernie McCreesh Golf Tournament proceeds go to the Oral Cancer Foundation.

 At the forefront of their agenda is the firm establishment in the minds of the American public for the need to undergo an annual oral cancer screening, combined with an outreach to the dental and medical communities to provide this service as a matter of routine practice. Oral cancer takes more lives than cancers we routinely hear about, such as cervical, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, skin (malignant melanoma), testicular, and many others. In the efforts to reduce the death rate from cancers in the US, the most significant progress has been made through early detection. 

 Early discovery and diagnosis yields better long-term outcomes and lower morbidity to those who undergo treatments. Oral cancer is not hidden within the body in some hard to find location requiring an invasive examination, the majority of the time it is literally in plain view, right under your nose, and can be seen with the naked eye or felt with the fingers. In most cases, its early, highly survivable stages are easily detected in a 3 to 5 minute painless visual and tactile examination. Even the precancerous lesions, which can progress into malignancy, can be seen with the naked eye. An annual oral examination conducted by members of the dental and medical communities will have a definite impact on reducing the death rate associated with oral cancer. It is their mission to bring this about. 

All Team Bernie Golf Tournament proceeds will go solely to OCF, who we have actively participated with in the past with our golf tournaments and nationwide walks.

We are excited, as Team Bernie McCreesh, to contribute and look forward to many successful years of working with OCF.