Breast Cancer Awareness Body Painting Project - ArtStreet

What makes us happy?

If you live locally, come see what my husband the Psychologist and a Buddhist Monk have to say about being happy.

Help raise awareness of Hereditary Cancers

Sweet Followers of this here blog,

I haven't yet used this forum to advance any agenda so far (I know I also haven't used this blog to do too much of anything SO FAR), but this issue is urgent and extremely relevant to the awareness raising I do hope this blog will generate. If you are with me, please read on:

We need your help now! We need to have ALL co-sponsors on board by August 2nd. PLEASE email your representative today.

This week, FORCE joined Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) to introduce HR#1522 – legislation to establish Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) Week.

The legislation calls for designating the last week of September as “National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week” and Wednesday of that week as “National Previvor Day.” HBOC Week and Previvor Day will raise awareness of hereditary cancer, leading to more education, research and resources. Knowledge of a genetic predisposition to cancer, available risk management and treatment options can save lives!

We need your help now! At least 100 co-sponsors are needed to pass the bill.

Let your House Representative know that HR#1522 is critical in the fight against hereditary cancer.

You may be asking: “How can I help?”

The answer is: Very easily! All you have to do is copy & paste what’s already written and it can all be done online in about 5 minutes!

1. Find your House Representative by going to this link: http://www.facebook.com/l/1abebKw-WyjTWcx-ZtJ56cC5KQA;https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

2. Copy, paste and send the e-mail below.

Dear Representative____(delete this & put in your Rep’s name)_:

I am writing to urge you to sign on as a co-sponsor of the legislation to establish Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week, HR#1522, introduced by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).

The legislation calls for designating the last week of September as “National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week” and Wednesday of that week as “National Previvor Day.”

HBOC Week and Previvor Day will raise awareness of hereditary cancer, leading to more education, research and resources. Knowledge of a genetic predisposition to cancer, available risk management and treatment options can save lives!

—You may wish to insert a statement on the personal impact. Personal notes make your correspondence more meaningful. If you insert a personal statement, keep it short (no more then 3-4 lines. Sample: I carry the BRCA1 mutation. I lost my Grandmother, Mother and Aunt to this disease before we knew anything about BRCA and it’s effects. The knowledge I gained about this disease allowed me to take steps that have significantly reduced my risk. I want to make sure ALL women (and men) have that knowledge.—

If you are willing to co-sponsor this bill, please contact Coby Dolan (Coby.Dolan@mail.house.gov) or Danielle Gilbert (Danielle.Gilbert@mail.house.gov) at Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz’s office.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Full Name
Address (Including City and State)

_______________________________________

Thanks so much for your time!

I'm a Previvor

"What's a Previvor?" some of you may ask. Two years ago I was one, but I didn't know myself.

It was my genetic counselor Maude who first introduced me to the word.

I felt like I was being inducted into a club that I didn’t really want to join but at the same time I was curious to know more about. Over the ensuing months, as my genetic test results came back positive for the BRCA genetic mutation, putting me at advanced risk for both breast and ovarian cancers, FORCE became a regular fixture in my life. I regularly visited the website and various postings to learn about the different options for surveillance, surgery, and surgeons. I met other BRCA+ women through the site and a local support group organized by FORCE, and even raised funds for the organization during my first half marathon. Those five letters represented a lifesaver, in the midst of relatively uncharted waters.

So why tell you all this now. FORCE is one of several organizations taking part in the CHASE Community Giving Campaign that is giving away a total of $5 million dollars to split between 200 charities. All you have to do is vote for FORCE through Facebook and you could affect the lives of thousands of women like me - many of whom don't even know that there is a gentic test out there that can save thier lives. Thanks so much for reading this far, now get to the end and don't forget to vote!

A little bit about FORCE and the CHASE Community Giving Campaign (from Teri Smija):

FORCE is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the needs of and improving the lives of individuals and families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. They provide lifesaving information on the latest medical treatment and risk management, resources, and awareness.

Voting on Facebook starts on June 15, 2010 and the lucky 200 winning charities will be announced on July 13, 2010.

What would FORCE do with the money if they won?

For starters:

• $1,000 delivers the latest in BRCA research and information to 500 families.
• $500 gives 60,000 visitors access to their website for one month.
• $300 provides a scholarship to FORCE’s annual conference to one person that could not otherwise attend.
• $200 provides life-saving information to 100 people through their newsletter.
• $100 provides phone-based support and resources via the Helpline for one month.
• $50 provides a package of informational brochures to doctor’s offices and hospitals.

Just think – if $2250 can do all of that – how much good could be done even if we only place among the bottom 195, and win the lowest amount of $20,000! That’s a whole lot of help, to a whole lot of people!

The scar I picked

Scarred

I have been working on a piece on scars and tattoosfor a while but it isn’t coming along. I'm stuck in the "it has to be perfect before sharing" place.

My experience since starting this blog has been similar. I feel crippled (pun intended!) to create posts unless I have whittled and edited them to some kind of non-existent perfection. In my head I know that this defeats the idea of a blog, but still the idea has caused me to remain mute here in this space.

And then I read this poem, by Lucille Clifton that really captured my emotions around these lines on my body and also about how I want to share my experience with others.

scar

we will learn

to live together.

i will call you

ribbon of hunger

and desire

empty pocket flap

edge of before and after

and you

what will you call me?

woman I ride

who cannot throw me

and I will not fall off.

I realize that in many ways, this is what my scars represent, they are the lines of my story. They are not flaws on my body, but rather a map of where I have been, and where I hope to be going. The challenges and roadblocks, opportunities and life experiences that have shaped who I am, are the very fabric of the scars I wear, both physically and spiritually.

So here’s the physical story from the top to the bottom:

• Each breast is partially outlined in the shape of an Eye of Horus. I believe this ancient Egyptian symbol of protection is watching over my wellbeing and future health.
• Under each arm, two red, raised, dots from the drains that ran from my body after each breast surgery. These smallest of scars healed the worst.
• A flaming rainbow over my bellybutton (which was not the bellybutton I started out with).
• A large smile from hip to hip where my stomach used to be.
• A sad face on my thumb from where my ski crashed into me during my skiing accident.
• And the latest and largest scar that I have, a hook shaped scar along my entire lower right leg where the metal plate and 15 screws were placed to hold my bones together.

So now, use the comment space to tell me about your scars...

screwed!

For those who have been wondering what 14 screws and a metal plate looks like....
Wondering what airport security is going to do with me now.