Discussing Breast Cancer

More on yesterday’s post about breast cancer and the presidential race:

Anyone watch Project Runway? For those of you who don’t, it’s a reality show where contestants are actually talented “unknown” fashion designers competing for the opportunity to show at New York’s Fashion Week. Their competitions involve making clothing suitable for the catwalk.

Well, in January of 2008, the season’s sixth episode aired, and the contestants’ mentor Tim Gunn challenged them to design a dress made from materials gathered during a five minute shopping spree at the Hershey’s Times Square store.

The image to the right is the winning contestant’s exact winning design. And now, it’s available for auction exclusively on projectrunway.com and to benefit the Young Survival Coalition. YEAH!

Keep in mind, the dress is tailored to fit the model and might have unfinished edges due to the nature of the challenge and is sold “AS IS.” Item ships May 2008. HERSHEY’S auction ends March 18, 2008.

Again, here’s a direct link to the auction page. Let me know if you’re going to bid on anything!

(By the way, if you love Project Runway, check out Reality on Bravo!)

Can’t figure out what to get that special survivor in your life? Think out of the box — the greatest gifts will let her know you think about this illness that has become a part of her life

How about a mammogram? Gift wrap an appointment card and put it in with a gift card bag. She’ll appreciate knowing that you’re taking your health seriously because of her.

What about genetic testing? A mother can do this for her daughter, a daughter can do this for her sisters, a husband can do this for his wife and kids (yes, even men should consider this test if breast cancer runs in their family).

Coupons to cut? I’m sure you crafty guys and gals could make a coupon book offering up rides to/from appointments, babysitting when she wants to drive herself, company when she doesn’t want to be alone. Use your scrapbooking/craft supplies and make it personal and pointed.

Of course, you can always hit up the Pink Ribbon shop or Presents for Purpose. Nothing like a pink ribbon somethin’ under the tree!

breast cancer, cancer, Christmas, gifts, survivor

I spent a considerable part of my weekend addressing Christmas cards to my friends and family and holiday card to my editors and professional colleagues. But I’m psyched; I wrote personal notes on each this year and hand wrote each address. I feel satisfied because I truly thought about each recipient as I prepared their card and that’s the way it should be, right?

Don’t stress; it’s not too late to wish all your friends and family a happy holiday. But when you’re out there shopping, consider a card that donates to the cause or raises awareness. I should have talked about this before I started talking about 2008 calendars, but honestly, I hadn’t done my own cards yet and was already looking at the New Year with anticipation.

So … keep this in mind: if you have to order online at this point, you’ll pay through the nose for shipping. But it might be worth it … consider the hope and joy you’ll bring someone this year.

My favorite cards are these specialty note cards by Mer. There are also some ‘pink ribbon’ beauties at the
Komen Marketplace. Finally, proceeds from these ‘Heartfelt Greetings’ benefit the Cancer Research Foundation.

Good luck!

Haven’t you noticed calendars are all over the stores right now? This is the time to buy one, to start marking your plans down, to start planning vacations … I’m not waiting until January to get my calendar because I’ll feel behind the eight ball and I need to get ahead of it now!

Not that I’m wishing the rest of the year away. 2007 has been a surgery free year for my family, so I’ve enjoyed almost every minute of it. But I am focused on 2008. Come July I’ll mark five years of survivorship — five years since I was first diagnosed with cancer.

I want to mark that milestone on my calendar. Of course, it won’t be my ‘five years of being cancer free’ anniversary, I had to reset the clock on that with my second diagnosis. But it’ll be in interesting year of reflection and direction for me, I’m sure.

So … I need a cool calendar to ring in the new year and while I was looking, I thought, you guys might need one, too.

How ’bout a pin up calendar featuring some gorgeous survivor babes? Proceeds go to Making Strides, an event near and dear to my heart. I wish I had the gumption to do this. Hey, any local photographers want to work with me on one for 2009? I’d love to be Ms. September!!! (That’s Geri Bell, Ms. October 2008, by the way, with some pink ribbon cupcakes - yum! Here’s a link to her story.)

Alright, alright … how ’bout one you won’t worry your husband will swoon over: an inspirational calendar available online at Zazzle’s, created by a breast cancer survivor and artist. Those botanical shots are gorgeous!

Or one specifically for mothers?
“The Hope & Inspiration: Surviving Mothers of Breast Cancer 2008 calendar is the fifth of its kind by renowned Houston photographer Alisa Murray. Featuring photos and advice from twelve Houston-area breast cancer survivors who are also moms, this calendar is a tribute to survival and mothers’ love.”

Tell your secret (and not so secret) Santa’s to get online today!

Do you know someone who is dedicating his or her life to educate others about breast cancer and/or the importance of early detection? Someone with a strong commitment to the cause? Made an impact on people’s live? Well, if you do, nominate her to be one of the 2008 Yoplait Champions!

Yoplait and Susan G. Komen for the Cure are searching for 25 individuals doing extraordinary things in the fight against breast cancer. Each of the champions will receive a $1,000 donation from Yoplait to the breast cancer charity of their choice. Nomination forms and criteria are available on Yoplait.com and will be accepted through November 6.

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Fellow freelance writer Kristen King just forwarded me this photo and I LOVE it! It’s from Kristen’s friend, Matthew Zachary. It’s real … Matthew owns that beautiful license plate. He’s the executive director of a non-profit organization called, I’m Too Young for This — a global community for people under 40 dealing with stupid cancer. Check it out:

Remember Lizzie — the young woman I wrote about in my last post? Well, Lizzie loved red shoes. Apparently, a lot. So her mother, Merry Prostic started ‘The Red Shoe Society’ in her memory.

Red shoes mean courage, strength, confidence … what a great way to honor Lizzie. (So refreshingly not pink, don’t you think?)

All profits from shoes sold through The Red Shoe Society go directly to benefit Metacancer. Shop away!

Elizabeth Prostic (Lizzie) was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in October 2004. She was just 31 years old and a first time mom to a three-month-old baby at the time. She was one of Allison Winn Scotch’s closest friends.

Six months after her diagnosis, Lizzie passed away. Allison still grieves, still mourns … and yes, Lizzie was her inspiration as she started writing The Department of Lost & Found. But all those who’ve battled breast cancer inspire her, not just her friend.

Here’s something Allison said about survivors in a recent interview: “I’ve always walked away with the impression that these women are incredible and that their courage is unmatchable.”

Interestingly, Allison’s fictional character, Natalie, barely resembles Allison’s friend, Lizzie. However, Allison still viewed the book as an opportunity to rewrite her friend’s story: “Not her story in particular, but that of a woman who had so much left to live for. Only this time I could control the ending, rather than watch helplessly from the sidelines.”

Ah, to control the ending. Unfortunately, unless we’re talking about writing a story of our own, we just can’t do that now, can we? We don’t know the cards we’ll be dealt. We just have to make the best of the hand we get.

Allison herself said, “I really believe that life is what you do with it, something Natalie learns along her bumpy road as well. Losing Lizzie only heightened those feelings. The simple, and perhaps cliched, truth is that you only get one shot, and who knows when, how or why that might be stripped away from you.”

As I said yesterday when I reviewed The Department of Lost & Found, Lizzie would be proud of her friend, Allison.

She’d also be proud of her husband, Michael Lundblad, and her parents. Together, they established a foundation in her honor called The MetaCancer Foundation (www.metacancer.org) to provide inspiration and psychosocial support for patients and caregivers living with metastatic cancers.

It’s a great site. If you get a chance, check it out. Meanwhile, in case you don’t, tomorrow I’ll post about the red shoes.

Red shoes, you ask? Red shoes?

Ha, ha … you’ll have to wait and see!

How do you tell people that the tears you cry as a survivor walking the track at a Relay for Life event are both joyful and sad? How do you explain that you are both relieved and burdened to be there? How do you convey that you are both proud and regretful that your caregivers are walking beside you?

Last night’s Relay for Life event (in Fairfield, CT) was spectacular; a friend at the American Cancer Society informed me it was their “best” Relay yet, even with the rain, and that it would truly take all night to determine the total funds raised.

Today I’m exhausted but there are a few things I want to share with you immediately:

A researcher from Yale Cancer Center spoke about the ACS grant that was funding her research. She told us that non-defense research funding from the government was way down … and every little bit we can give to the ACS will ensure that cancer research will continue.

There is an entirely new culture of teenagers who are out there making a difference in a tangible way. They cried as I walked the track. They were kind to my children who wore their caregiver sashes. They came up with creative ways raise even more money — one girl carried safety pins and asked people to pin dollar bills onto her shirt so that at the end of the night, when she gave the ACS the shirt off her back, it would be extraordinary. Today’s teens are extraordinary.

Survivors, though we don’t necessarily feel as inspiring as everyone says we are, truly give hope to those who’ve not been stricken with the disease. If we can do it, we reassure them that if they get cancer, they’ll be able to do it, too. We are hope.

Breast Cancer, Relay for Life, American Cancer Society, Survivor, Caregiver

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Lance Armstrong has had a tremendous influence in the world of cancer survivorship. His story is so inspiring — his childhood passion for bicycle riding enabled him to become a world champion cyclist by age 25. In 1996, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of testicular cancer and endured an equally aggressive treatment. Then he went on to take six consecutive Tour de France victories. His survivorship is almost supernatural. But he’s human and making a huge difference for others who have to take a ride with cancer.

One trip to his website and you are united with all survivors in their fight against cancer. That’s Lance’s mission over there. A united front. A united army.

It’s important to fight against breast cancer because it’s personal; it’s our cause to fight for and we can pour all our passion into it and that’s what we are meant to do. But there are times we need open our hearts to the world of survivorship and acknowledge everyone’s battle. Tout le cancer suce, if you’ll excuse my French … all this talk about the Tour de France has me translating!

Head to Lance’s site and check out some survivor stories. Read his blog. Join his army (the petition is online). Shop his store. Purchase an infamous yellow wristband (to wear on the days you aren’t wearing a pink one!).

You may not be riding in a Tour de France after your battle with cancer but you can still live strong.

On May 4th, Belkin announced their new pink cases for the iPod nano designed and sold for the cause. A sport armband and a ‘hope’ remix metal. AWESOME!!

When you click on that link you’ll see the details and their explanation on the benefits of exercise so key to staying healthy, especially for breast cancer survivors. The facts are continually shown in studies: exercise lowers your risk of getting breast cancer (See 2/16/07 CBS News story and 3/1/07 Science Daily article).

10% of the proceeds go to Susan G. Koman with a minimum donation of $100,000 — now that’s what I’m talking about. Thanks Belkin!

Love this iPod case … many thanks to the girls at Shiny Shiny and my husband for pointing out this pink product!

Last Friday I had the honor of speaking at Fairfield University’s first ever Relay for Life event as an alumni survivor speaker. (Here was their newspaper’s coverage prior to the event.)

The event was part of the American Cancer Society Program Colleges Against Cancer.

The evening was fantastic for more reasons than I can count, but let me give you the highlights here:

Sometimes the blessings of breast cancer show up brilliantly in front of your eyes.