My name is David Bergen, I am the UAW.

I have been a proud UAW member for the past 13 years.

I am a UAW pipe-fitter by trade.

I have been a UAW Representative (Skilled Trades Rep, UAW Health and Safety Rep and currently Chairman of the Chesterfield Bargaining Unit) for the better part of the past 7 years prior to my plant, the Ford Chesterfield Trim Plant closing in July 2006.

In November 2004 my 14 month old daughter Zoe was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, (stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a cancer of the sympathetic nervous system).

• It is a very aggressive cancer with almost 70% of children having metastatic disease (spread to other parts of the body) at diagnosis.
• Neuroblastoma is the third most common cancer in children under 18.
• Neuroblastoma has one of the lowest survival rates of all pediatric cancers.
• The survival rates of high risk children is 30% at best.
• There is no known cause or cure.
• More than 40% of "fully insured" families with a child with Neuroblastoma declare bankruptcy due to the high costs of treatment, often considered experimental. Standard care for 70% of children with cancer require participation in clinical trials.

My Union brothers and sisters at UAW Local 400 plants helped me and my family out with a tremendous amount of support while my daughter and my family began our journey in our fight for her life. It was them as well as a great group of other friends and family that lead me in a new direction with a new focus on life. Thus, I started the Zoe Bergen Childhood Cancer Foundation in 2005. I now look at our plant closing as somewhat of a blessing for me, because when I was placed into the GEN pool and was given the opportunity to do community service, I knew I would have the time to build this foundation into something much bigger and better. I was given the chance to "Pay it Forward" and I did so with the help of many others including my brothers and sisters at UAW Local 400 and Region 1.

We have held to date 3 golf outings, fundraisers for various families and 1 charity hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association and a second game that is coming up on Saturday, January 26, 2008 in Fraser Michigan. To date we have been able to raise over $70,000.00 that will help benefit families who have a child with cancer in our area. We have been able to donate nearly $10,000.00 directly to families to help in their fight.
Whether these funds help to pay to send a child with cancer (or their siblings) to a week end or week long medically safe camp, or we purchase items needed for the patients while they are in the hospital or receiving treatment at an out patient facility or just helping the family out directly with a donation, it is the help that they deserve and need. No child chooses to have cancer, no parent chose for their child to have cancer and last but not least no family can or should they battle this alone.

I thank the UAW for protecting our jobs, I thank the UAW for looking out for its members and I thank the UAW for negotiating a contract that when we are not allowed to work in the plants we are allowed to help others in our communities. As the misconception goes that many have, that we just sit around not doing anything while getting paid while in the job banks or GEN pool, I can personally tell you we work just as hard but for our community, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters. God Bless the UAW and please continue to support those who need help.

For more information on our foundation please visit www.fightchildhoodcancer.com [2]. We are a 501(c)3 tax exempt foundation run by volunteers.

David M. Bergen
Chairman
Chesterfield Bargaining Unit
Chairman
Zoe Bergen Childhood Cancer Foundation.

~ Posted on January 29, 2008