Making Strides against Breast Cancer
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
On friday afternoon I got an email form the president of our local American Cancer Society office asking if I would mind stopping by on Monday to speak at their “pep rally”. I didnt really have much to do yesterday morning so I agreed.
Making Strides Monday
I somehow procrastinating writing my speech for the American Cancer Society. We have all been sick with some pre-k crud and my brain has been in a fog. So I finally sat down on Monday morning while Maddie was eating breakfast and wrote my speech. I started out about my cancer diagnosis the date and how it felt. My world stopped for a moment however, the craziest thing was while mine was stopped others went on. Its crazy to think about. I was getting a diagnosis of one of the most feared words in our vocabulary “CANCER”. At that very same time I bet someone was getting a promotion, or having a baby, or just having a great day! While my life took an awful spin others where celebrating. Crazy right?
Should be Leaps and Bounds
The American Cancer Society has a low admin cost and funnel most of their donations to research and programs for cancer patients. I think that is wonderful!! I did not find out about all the programs until my 4th of 16 chemo treatments. I met my first two volunteers (for the American Cancer Society) when I changed Oncologist. I did not have a great experience at my first choice so I switched. That is when I met two ladies who, though much older had been through almost what I have been through. They took me under their wings and I saw them often over the next few months. They always put a smile on my face, asked relevant questions (people ask a lot of dumb cancer questions), as well as asked about Maddie. They made me feel good about my bald head and one made me a cap. I wish I knew more about what was available and what the American Cancer Society offered earlier on…
Why are you WALKING
One of the main questions that the area president (of the American Cancer Society) asked me was why am I walking? The actual act of walking doesnt matter, really. You can show up and “walk” but its more about raising funds. To me its a trickle down. The more I walk, the more money I raise, the more programs and research there are. My reasons for walking and pushing are completely selfish. Yup, I said it selfish!! I never ever want Maddie’s world to stop for a moment due to fear or Cancer. I want her to be aware of my cancer and advocate for cancer however thats it. I will gladly do this all again as long as she does not have to. I will yell from the roof top and walk, jog, or run as long as she does not have to endure what I did.
So my wish for you, for all is to have a life with more birthdays, more celebrations, more babies, and promotions, more good days than bad and for a life with out that dreaded word CANCER.