I just spent a few moments with Flora Akers/Ryan and she had great news! As many of you already know, 
Flora is a Police Officer with our department who was diagnosed with breast cancer in March. Since then, her public safety colleagues and many of you have shown your support via emails, ribbon purchases and sponsorships for our Breast Cancer 5 K run / walk. Flora told me to pass along that she had her surgery on Monday, believe it or not it was an outpatient procedure. A cancerous tumor was removed and a lymph node was also removed, which has been sent to the lab for further testing. We all hope and pray that the results will preclude any further surgery.
Flora will soon be directed to undergo chemo and or radiation therapy. Flora looked pretty good today, a bit tired as you might expect, but overall not bad for what she has been through. Flora wanted all of you to know how much she has appreciated your support. The many emails and calls have been great for her morale and certainly have provided a lot of support to help get her through this.
To those of you who have purchased the magnetic cancer ribbons, we thank you. I am happy to report that the first 1,500 went quickly as over 1,200 were purchased by police and fire departments in Lake, La Porte and Porter Counties. You have likely noticed them on police cars all over the area. We ordered an additional 500 and we are nearly out of them so we have ordered yet another 500. They may be purchased for $5 at the Portage Police Department as well as a few stores here in Portage Please do not forget about the 5 K event, I have attached a sponsor letter that explains it a bit further, it remains a work in progress.
Many thanks again to the Portage YMCA for their help with that event. I also want to thank Steindler Signs for their help with the ribbons and the Horizon Bank here in Portage for all of their help with Cops For A Cure.
Please keep your thoughts and prayers headed Flora's way, we need those lab results to come back with positive news.
Be Safe!
Mark J. Becker
Chief of Police
Portage Police Department
Portage, Indiana