My name is Steve Fiscus, and I am the principal and Science teacher at Prairieview-Ogden Junior High in Flatville.  I am also an assistant football coach at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.  I have been married to my wife Amy for 6+ years, and we have two great children, Makenna (5) and Kellen(1).  I grew up in St. Joseph, and have experienced the support of this community first hand.  I am counting on that support to help me in the fight against diabetes.

Want to see me kiss a pig? On Friday, April 8, I will be given a chance to do just that during the 2011 Champaign County American Diabetes Association’s Kiss A Pig Gala. The prestigious honor of “kissing the pig” will be mine only if I can secure enough votes (contributions) to win. Needless to say, I need all the help I can get.

Why do I want to kiss a pig? I am volunteering for this unique opportunity in memory of my mom, Jill Fiscus, who passed away in 2003 from complications of diabetes. She was only 55 years old. Her untimely death meant that she never got to meet my wife, attend our wedding or play with our children. My dad was also recently diagnosed with diabetes. My wife’s grandparents, dad, and brother have all been diagnosed with diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes in our family is staggering, and it means there is a greater likelihood that Amy and I, or our children, will develop the disease. Diabetes has had a tremendous impact on my family, and I want to do my part to fight this disease.

Every year, the American Diabetes Association hosts the Kiss A Pig contest to create greater awareness of the devastating effects of diabetes and to promote the role pigs have played as a source of insulin for persons with diabetes. Insulin, a substance that sustains the lives of those suffering from diabetes, was once derived from pigs. Modern medical advances have enabled manufacturers to now make insulin synthetically. Due to these advances, we no longer use extreme quantities of pigs for medical research. However, we continue to show our thanks to pigs, for the many sacrifices they have made, by giving them a kiss!

I want to kiss a pig for my mom and my family! You can help by showing your support for my campaign. Become a sponsor, purchase a program advertisement, buy a seat or table at the gala, donate an auction item(s), or simply vote for me by contributing money to the Steve Fiscus Kiss A Pig Campaign ($1 per vote). My goal is to raise $10,000. Money from my campaign will expand research and education efforts and will be used to support Camp GranADA, a summer camp hosted by the American Diabetes Association for kids with diabetes.

Please send in your votes, and with your help, I’ll pucker up April 8! 

To make a donation, please email me here.

Thank you for your support!