Discussing Breast Cancer

I’m starting my countdown …

I was recently interviewed by Keris Stainton, a columnist at DollyMix (thought candy to stimulate your ladybrains).

Keris keeps a great book blog at Trashionista — worth checking out!

These are UK blogs … don’t ya just love how the internet pulls the breast cancer community across borders (and oceans)?

Anyway, Keris posed a question about my honesty … and questioned if I every worried about who was reading … here’s part of my response.

“Sometimes I do … when I was re-diagnosed, I wrote about it then heard from a local girlfriend that she’d read the news online — that freaked me out because I wasn’t ready for my community to know about my diagnosis. I think it is easy to assume that your readers are virtual strangers when in fact they can be the guy next door!”

Everyone else, head on over to Dollymix you want to read the entire interview.

I suppose I’m no longer a young survivor, huh?

My family and friends threw me a huge celebration this year. My favorite place, my favorite people … it was a perfect evening.

I felt so blessed to be turning 40. I mean geesh, I almost didn’t make it there, ya know? So I really looked at this one differently than most of my friends. Instead of dreading getting older, I just kept thinking, imagine if I’d have waited until this year to get my first mammogram? Imagine? How much would my cancer have progressed in the last four years since I was first diagnosed?

I am so blessed.

Anyway, I share this with you all, not because I want to hear ‘Happy Birthday’ yet another time, but because I want to remind you all to celebrate your milestones the way you want — you are worthy of the best, most extraordinary affairs if that’s what is in your heart or the quietest, most intimate encounters if that’s your preference.

For me, there will never be another 40th birthday … and the celebration my friends and family threw in my honor was the exact one I’d previously imagined in my heart.

If you guys are reading (and you know who you are) … thank you!

Last week I posted about Ford’s Warriors in Pink campaign and promised to send the baseball cap Ford’s people sent me to someone who left a comment on this site during the week. Well, Sherry Smyth is the winner of that contest and I couldn’t be happier because she’s been such a loyal reader of this blog.

Sherry is a a two year and counting breast cancer survivor/thriver diagnosed in her 40s, living and loving life better than she ever did before. She’s Her2+ — many of you know what that means but if not, here’s a link to a May Clinic explanation. Back to Sherry … she shared with me via email this morning:

“Having a more aggressive form of the cancer has made me even more determined to not allow cancer to hold a higher place in my life than it needs to. I have breast cancer yes, but I have and am so many other things. I am a mother, wife, friend, and artist. I am creative, I read like there is no tomorrow and I am opening my mind to new subjects and new ideas through the wonder of the written word. I am taking my first steps towards writing and communicating and want to share my experiences to promote breast cancer awareness as well as spirit and inspiration.”

Good for you Sherry!

When I wrote Sherry to tell her that she’d won she told me that she intends to wear her hat to the CIBC Walk/Run for the Cure. So I couldn’t be happier to share this prize with her today.

cancer, breast cancer, kelly clarkson

I love this girl. She’s the face of the Ford Warriors in Pink print campaign and she’s speaking out on the importance of early detection (check her out).

Didn’t know this, but in 2006, a portion of the proceeds from the tickets sold for Clarkson’s Addicted summer concert tour was donated to Komen for the Cure. This year? Clarkson designed a one-of-a-kind customized Warriors in Pink miniature Mustang that will be auctioned off during the month of October.

“It is so important for all women to realize that the earlier breast cancer is detected, the better a woman’s chance to go on to live a full life. I wholeheartedly support breast cancer awareness and the eradication of this deadly disease and am proud to be affiliated with Ford’s Warriors in Pink campaign for a second year in a row,” says Clarkson. “Through my partnership with Ford, I hope to raise awareness and encourage women of all ages to join in the fight.”

You go girl!!!!

I’m not sure what to make of this.

News is hitting the Internet about a safe (few side effects) and effective therapeutic vaccine (called Neuvenge) targeting her2/neu-positive breast cancer.

Therapeutic vaccines stimulate an immune response to existing disease — it’s not like this is going to prevent the damn disease from developing. But it seems to me this is a step in the right direction and the pharmaceutical company (Seattle-based Dendreon) should be given carte blanche to proceed with trials. Do you agree?

Comment on any 451 Press site during the month of August and you could win $300, $200 or $100.

Three comments will be chosen at random to win a cash prize at the end of the month. The more you comment the more chances you have to win.

There are links to the other 451 Press sites on this page, or comment away here at DBC.

Good luck!

No sooner did I try to reassure you all that I was back from vacation and getting in the saddle again — I drop off the face of the earth again.

I’m sorry.

Life … takes crazy turns. Been hectic. Mostly good. Some not so good. My health is fine though, rest assured.

Thanks for your patience (again).

I was on vacation last week with the family. I’ll post more later today but I wanted to let you know first thing this morning that I was back and haven’t forgotten you!

Good Morning America host Robin Roberts announced today that she had breast cancer.

Robin found a lump while doing a self-breast exam. Her lumpectomy is Friday; pathology will be forthcoming though her doctors believe the cancer is in the early stages. After that, she’ll know the full treatment protocol.

What I love about Robin is that she already wrote about her experience on the ABC blog.

Check it out.

Women are really amazing human beings. Give ‘em adversity and they give you innate strength. I’m already proud to call Robin my sister in the fight. I hope she learns that I’m on her side in her particular battle.

When Tim and I went to Fairfield University’s Relay for Life event we bid on a few silent auction items. Turns out I won one of them: a great Fairfield University sweatshirt!

There are three reasons this is so exciting to me: (1) I won something (2) I graduated from Fairfield U and (3) I love comfy clothes.

Time to write another check to the American Cancer Society!

Did I ever post about the skeptic who wondered what I did with my earnings from this board? HA! It’s almost a joke when I think about her skepticism. I give, and give, and give. Let me tell you, Tim and I are not living the high life here, we barely make ends meet most months. What I earn is a dime in comparison to the dollars we contribute to the cause.

I’m not discussing breast cancer for the income. I’m discussing breast cancer for the same reason you are reading this post right now. I care deeply about this cause.

Now, it’s time to turn the air conditioner up so I can wear my new sweatshirt!

The National Cancer Institute decided not to proceed with research into drugs that could prevent breast cancer. The benefits of the research for women at high risk of the disease were outweighed by the potential and uncertain dangers. Too many unknowns at this point to move forward. (Read the story in the Washington Post here.)

I wasn’t at high risk before I was diagnosed (heck, I was barely at risk at all). Would I have taken a preventative drug? No way, no how. But if I were at high risk … well, I’d most likely have wanted to do everything and anything to prevent even one little cancer cell from growing in my body.

Many women at high risk of breast cancer get voluntary mastectomies … can you really blame them?

I think it was a mistake to cancel the effort. I mean, how many mistakes resulted in wondrous medicines and cures? Seriously! Can you spell PENICILLIN?

Maybe in their work to research preventative medicines they’d have come across a cure.

This morning, I checked my email, and there was the most beautiful work of art inside. A gift for a survivor. A gift for me.

The email was from Mig, a woman I don’t know, a woman with an artistic talent beyond words, and it’s not even her source of income from what I can tell.

Her website for Online Public Relations speaks of her other talents.

A few days ago she posted about her collages that ‘unleash your dreams’ — I love that she unleashed my dream for this banner, my dream for this site, my dream for survivors everywhere.

She saw into my heart and created something that takes my breathe away.

More on Mig to come … but i couldn’t wait another minute to share my gift with you.

I’m just finding out about this (PR people have to get to me sooner): The Beauty Blog Network is sponsoring a ‘Comments for the Cure’ event.

For each comment made from June 4th - 6th … $1 is donated to a cancer related charity. Cool.

There’s even an event t-shirt at Cafe Press.

Here’s a few of the blogs giving specifically to Susan G. Komen:

99 Products
All About the Pretty
Beauty Hatchery
eBeauty Daily
GirlPaint
Mystical Beauty Musings
The Makeup Bag
The Makeup Girl

Hmmm … I could do this, too, though I’m not part of that network. What do ya’ll think?

Breast Cancer, Comments for a Cure, Susan G. Komen

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