I'm overwhelmed at the generosity and love shown Saturday at Perkins Stadium

My mind is still spinning uncontrollably in the wake of Saturday’s Team Tom Cancer Fundraiser in conjunction with the Warhawk football game vs. UW-River Falls at Perkins Stadium.

I’m told that over $10-thousand has been raised through the incredible effort of former UW-Whitewater football coach Bob Berezowitz, UW-Whitewater Athletic Director Paul Plinske and Assistant Athletic Director/Marketing and External Relations Leah Thyne along with Jim Vreizen, Shane Sparks, Gary Douglas, Arnie Peck and the staff of KOOL 106.5 Radio.

To the many that came up to me to personally express best wishes and good luck during my ongoing battle against cancer – THANK YOU! Your words are incredibly uplifting to both me and my family.

And to my wonderful daughter Kim and her family, thank you so much for being hand-in-hand with me at Saturday’s game. You gave me the strength to make it through an incredibly emotional day for me.

To the fans of UW-Whitewater football, I will never be able to adequately express in words the love that I, along with my family, felt through the incredible generosity that you showed towards me at Saturday’s game.

The emotion of the day came crashing down on me during that end of the third quarter on field “ceremony.” As I looked up into the stands during the ceremony an incredible feeling of love and family overwhelmed my soul. It has reinforced my will to beat this terrible disease.

Again – thank you and GO WARHAWKS!

Daily Jefferson County Union & Janesville Gazette publish articles on Tom Pattison's battle against cancer

I've a number of professional friends in my 25-plus years of broadcasting here in southern Wisconsin. Jeff Seisser, sports editor at the Daily Jefferson County Union in Fort Atkinson and Tom Miller, sports writer with the Janesville Gazette both published feature articles on my current bout with colorectal cancer and a fundraiser that will be held on Saturday in conjunction with UW-Whitewater's Family Day football game vs. UW-River Falls at Perkins Stadium.

The following story written by Jeff Seisser appeared in the October 4, 2012 edition of the Daily Jefferson County Union:

Tom Pattison is UW-Whitewater

While he never caught a touchdown pass at Perkins Stadium, shot a jumper in Kachel Gymnasium, or hit a home run out of Jim Miller Stadium, he very well broadcast every single monumental Warhawk moment that occurred over the past 20-plus years.

Known simply as "Voice," Pattison's golden pipes have been a bit silenced due to health reasons, including his latest battle - cancer.

This Saturday will be "Team Tom Cancer Day" as the local university will help give back to one of their family members in an effort to help offset Pattison's increasing medical bills.

The three-time defending national champion Warhawks host UW-River Falls in a 2 p.m. kickoff at Perkins Stadium.

The event will coincide with Family Day, which has produced some of the biggest crowds to watch Warhawk football games in recent years.

"I'm totally humbled and overwhelmed," said Pattison. "I used to cry every time it was brought up, but now I'm getting better with it; it's a weird situation."

Football, above all over Warhawk sports, has been Pattison's passion. Warhawkfootball.com debuted in September, 2003.

"When Mount Union started winning and had a website dedicated to football, he said we needed to start one. It was his idea, and I was all for it," said former Warhawk head football coach Bob Berezowitz. "Mount Union's (site) is down, and his is still going."

Currently, the site has over 1.7 million hits.

"All I wanted to do was put a face on these players.

"Tom has been a valuable part of Warhawk football," said UW-Whitewater head football coach Lance Leipold. "Our exposure has been expanded in a lot of ways, but Tom was there before any of that happened. He's continued to get the stories out there covering all the areas of Warhawk football."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with him as he battles this," said Leipold.

The Janesville Gazette also posted a story in Thursday's edition. The story was written by veteran sports writer Tom Miller.

UW-Whitewater to rally around long-time announcer

Tom Pattison was there to help raise money when Edgerton native and UW-Whitewater graduate Jay Baker lost his legs after a drunken driver hit his motorcycle in 2003.

In 2010, Pattison played a major part in collecting contributions to help former two-time All-American linebacker A.J. Raebel in his recovery from testicular cancer.

Now the 60-year-old Pattison, who was the play-by-play announcer for Warhawk athletic events for nearly a quarter of a century, is the one in need.

Pattison was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer in May. He underwent surgery at Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital, but doctors could not remove the entire tumor. He just began his second round of chemotherapy, which leaves him dehydrated and tired.

On Saturday, UW-Whitewater will attempt to repay Pattison for his many hours of dedication to Warhawk athletics by accepting donations before and during Whitewater's WIAC football game against UW-River Falls at Perkins Stadium.

"It's humbling to be on the other side of it," Pattison said Wednesday. "I always did my darndest with my website (to help others). Now it's me, and I'm not sure how to react."

Team Tom Cancer Fundraiser to be held in conjunction with Warhawk game on Saturday at Perkins Stadium

Tom Pattison – longtime broadcaster of UW-Whitewater football, basketball and baseball has broadcast many sports battles in his nearly 25 years calling games on WFAW and KOOL 106.5. This Fall Pattison is facing his own battle – the battle against colon cancer.

Pattison has already gone through the initial stage of chemotherapy and radiation with the second and heavier dose of chemo just underway. This phase will be conducted over the next four months.

The follow-up C-Scan following the first phase shows that the tumor has shrunk significantly but a portion still remains. The current chemo will hopefully continue to have a positive impact on the tumor along with destroying any “seeds” that may be attempting to form in Pattison’ s lymph nodes.

“Tom was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer back in May and surgery took place two days later at Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital,” Berezowitz told WFAW and KOOL 106.5 Radio in Fort Atkinson. “Tom has acquired staggering medical bills (in excess of $150-thousand) and we look to be able to raise some money as part of the Team Tom Cancer Fund Drive.”

”Tom has ‘bled purple’ for nearly a quarter century being actively involved in publicizing UW-Whitewater athletic events,” Berezowitz said. “Now is a time for us to assist a man in need.”

Pattison debuted his popular Warhawkfootball.com Website in September of 2003 as a way to promote Warhawk football 365 days a year.

”Warhawkfootball.com was Tom’s idea and he did it for one reason – his love for UW-Whitewater football and other athletic teams on campus,” Berezowitz told the Fort Atkinson radio station. “His main goal is to promote the local student-athletes to the general public.”

Berezowitz along with KOOL 106.5 are in charge of the fundraising event that will take place on Saturday as part of Family Fest and the Warhawk football game with UW-River Falls at Perkins Stadium.

”We’ve been able to get a number of autographed football helmets that will be raffled off on Saturday,” Berezowitz said. “We expect to have helmets from the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and of course the UW-Whitewater Warhawks.”

Saturday’s event is part of the Team Tom Cancer Fund that was established last month at Commercial Bank in Whitewater. If you are not planning to be at Saturday’s Warhawk football game you may make a donation to the Team Tom Cancer Fund and either drop off the check at Commercial Bank located in downtown Whitewater. You can also mail your donation to Commercial Bank, 200 South Freemont Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin 53190.

Special guests expected at Saturday's game are the world famous Klement's Racing Sausages wbo will be challenging UW-Whitewater mascot, Willie Warhawk, in the annual "loser leaves town" halftime challenge race.

Kickoff on Saturday at Perkins Stadium will be 2:05 p.m.

More on this event will be posted here on Warhawkfootball.com later in the week.