my Breast Cancer blog2004, age 34 — this is my story |
Making Strides 2010
Maybe I’ll be back next year. Maybe not. I’m just not sure.
Danny (he’s 7) loves dinosaurs. He first loved them years ago, then the passion faded, and now we’ve got a full-on resurgence on our hands. Danny reads about dinosaurs, watches movies about dinosaurs, runs and walks like dinosaurs, and draws dinosaurs.
Prehistoric Pink!
Yesterday, I asked Danny to draw me a breast cancer awareness dino. Here’s what he produced: A 40-foot meat-eater, capable of running 20 mph. Oh, and pink ribbons, and a monogrammed “C” at the top of one leg. One spiffy guy, I must say!
www.tirecraft.com
Another company supporting the breast cancer cause: Tirecraft.
Tirecraft began supporting breast cancer research in 1999 after starting to see the direct effect it had on staff through either a family member or a member of the staff being diagnosed. In the last four years, Tirecraft has raised more than $160,000 through an annual golf tournament in Ontario and another $12,000 through the sale of pink valve caps.
Pink valve caps.
Cool.
Tirecraft sells pink valve caps at their locations for $5 a package — and all of the proceeds go directly to the CIBC Run for the Cure and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
Love it!
And you’ll love this (I hope!) – I’ve got a package of caps to give away (you can use them on your vehicle or your bike). Want them? Just enter the giveaway below.
My sweet momma strikes again. Today, she gave me this Pandora Single Pink Leather Bracelet, and this Breast Cancer Ribbon Bead. Love her!
True Religion brand jeans are one of the iconic premium denim brands on the market today, and now, for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Reclaimed Becky in Indigo has pink crystal broaches on the pockets and fly. Proceeds from the sale of these jeans (totaling $25,000) will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Free shipping is all yours before November 6 when you “Like” True Religion’s Facebook page or with the use of this code: FBSHIP.
Photo credit: Bret Dampier
And so Joey is not the only one sporting pink laces in his football cleats this month.
All 30+ teammates and coaches are doing it, too.
Everyone laced up one night during practice last week, after a few moms scoured the stores for hot pink and shared their finds with the bunch of boys, who were more than happy to fancy up their shoes for a few weeks. Some kids are even wearing pink bands around their ankles and shoes.
Inspired, I am.
7 , 8, and 9-year-olds.
Pop Warner football.
Powerful.
My momma gave me this awesome gift today — Philosophy’s Shower for the Cure, a bottle of yummy stuff that is shampoo and bath and shower gel, all rolled into one.
Philosophy.com
Besides the great news that I’ll be squeaky clean and smelling all sweet, 100% of the proceeds from my mom’s purchase (she got one for herself and my sister, too) benefit The Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund.
100%.
Gosh, I just love that!
amazon.com
Today is National Face Your Fears Day, and this fine October 13 is intended to push you to discover more about yourself and your fears and learn a thing or two about how you can handle the obstacles that render you frozen. Here are some ideas, compliments of Face Your Fears Today:
Devour Your Fear
Spell out your fear in your favorite bite-sized food (peanuts, M&Ms, Skittles, peas), and then eat your fear.
Torch Your Fear
Write down your fear(s) on a sheet of paper. Then, hold it over your outdoor grill and burn it up. Poof! Gone.
Cut Your Fear to Shreds
In case you suffer from pyrophobia (fear of fire), simply write down your fears and cut them into a million pieces. Then, boldly toss the pieces into your trash can.
Get In The Mood
Listen to upbeat positive music, watch movies about others who have triumphed over the obstacles in their lives, or simply talk to someone who has already been where you want to go.
OR, you could check out the new book, “The Courage Companion.”
Released today, “The Courage Companion,” written by Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons, feautures stories of ordinary people who have found extraordinary ways to tap in to the fortitude within.
“Courageous people feel their fear but take action anyway,” write the authors, who also believe these folks “pay attention to the tiny little-engine-that-could voice inside them that says, ‘I think I can, I think I can,’ even when they are trembling in fear.”
This book would be an inspiring addition to your library, and of course, it’s a perfect book to give away! Here’s how you can try to snag one!
Congrats to reader Margaret, who won Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book! Margaret shared in her entry: “I would love to have this as my ‘go to’ book. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2010, just finished my radiation treatments and have just started hormone therapy. So many changes in such a short time, it would also be helpful in educating my two wonderful daughters.”
You will soon have the breast cancer world at your fingertips, Margaret. Happy reading!
Reader Abby wrote to me today and asked me to help her promote an upcoming breast cancer awareness event. It’s in New York, so if you find yourself in the area on October 21, you might want to join in on the festivities. Here’s the full scoop:
Special recognition will be paid to breast cancer activists, Stewart Krentzman and Sandra van den Broek. Put on your festive business attire and come be a part of a great evening and an important cause. Don’t forget to jazz up with some PINK! For information about sponsorship opportunities or ticket pricing please contact the Benefit Office at 212.675.9474 (ext 14), or: nlevinson@sualtd.com.
www.egglandsbest.com
I received a comment on one of my posts the other day from a guy stating that he treats cancer naturally — no surgery, chemo, or radiation necessary. His focus is on food, and here’s one tip he offered: ”please stop eating eggs, even if they are from veg fed chicken.”
I guess he’s been reading my egg-inspired posts and wanted to weigh in.
Well, is he right? Should I stop eating eggs? Should you stop eating eggs?
According to Jonny Bowden, renowned author and America’s top nutrition, anti-aging, and weight loss expert, the answer is a big, fat NO. Bowden believes there is a definite place for eggs in a healthy diet, and he told me all about it.
Me: You say the egg has been demonized over the years? Explain.
Jonny: The egg has been demonized because of two reasons: One, its cholesterol content, and two, its saturated fat content. Both are nothing to worry about. It’s now well known and established that DIETARY cholesterol has virtually no effect on serum (blood) cholesterol, and many health professionals (such as myself) doubt whether blood cholesterol is even as big a health issue as the mainstream health organizations believe it is. In any case, cholesterol in the egg does not raise your blood cholesterol. And most of the fat in egg yolk is monounsaturated — plus the saturated fat from whole foods (like eggs) is rarely, if ever, a problem anyway.
Me: Eggs whites only — healthier or not necessary?
Jonny: Completely not necessary — see above. In addition, there are wonderful nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin (for the eyes) and choline (for the brain) that are in the yolk!
Me: Name a few good qualities of the egg?
Jonny: One of the most bioavailable sources of protein on the planet. Cage-free eggs also contain omega-3 fats, and the yolks are the source of a number of very important nutrients (see above).
Me: How often should we be eating eggs? Is there such thing as too many eggs in a diet?
Jonny: There’s no “right” answer to this. Eggs should be in “heavy rotation” along with foods like berries, wild salmon, and nuts. Eat as often as you like.
Me: Name a few simple ways to incorporate eggs into a diet.
Jonny: Hard boiled sliced over a spinach salad, hard boiled as a snack (with fruit or cheese), scrambled, omelettes, even raw in a protein drink a la Rocky!
Thank you, Jonny!
OK, so if you’re an egg eater, or you’re thinking of becoming one, consider Eggland’s Best for your next purchase. They’ve always been tops when it comes to nutrition, but now, EB eggs are more nutritious than ever. Buy them this month, and you’ll be in on the pink partnership — EB is donating $50,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and each individual egg is stamped with the pink ribbon logo to prove it.
This post is sponsored by Eggland’s Best. I received monetary compensation for my participation, but my review and opinions are my own.
youdidwhatbook.com
If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer — any cancer — you may have been approached by folks who recommended you abandon conventional treatments for a more holistic route. It happened to me, and I kindly declined the advice, knowing in my heart and gut that I had to travel the medical path. I’m not saying alternative options don’t have a place in a treatment plan — I mean, I’m definitely an advocate of revamping diets and fitness regimes in the name of survival — but saying ‘No’ to the likes of surgery, chemo, and radiation just wasn’t something I wanted to try.
But Hollie and Patrick Quinn did try. Together, they rejected conventional cancer treatment, and things seem to be working out just fine. It’s been eight years since Hollie was diagnosed, and she is living quite well.
There’s a whole lot more to this story, and you might want to pick up a copy of the Quinn’s book, “You Did What? Saying ‘No’ to Conventional Cancer Treatment.” To view of trailer of the book, and to check out other resources, simply click here.
Then tell me: Could you say ‘No’ to chemo?
Now, there are instances for breast cancer patients in which chemo is not called for. But rejecting all traditional cancer treatments is what this book is about.
Julie Clark
Julie Clark (you know, Baby Einstein Julie Clark!) recently worked with me on a giveaway of her new children’s book, ”You Are the Best Medicine,” and then she kindly answered some questions for me about her breast cancer journey. What follows is what Julie has to say about being diagnosed with cancer — twice — and how important kids (hers and yours!) are in her life.
Tell us a little about your life at the time you were diagnosed?
I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, at the age of 37. My life was stressful, but terrific. I had sold Baby Einstein to Disney and was financially lucky, and I was in the midst of filming a video for my new company, The Safe Side. I was raising my daughters, and I was happy and healthy. I ate well and worked out most days.
Can you share a bit about your diagnoses and treatments?
When I found the lump in my breast the first time, I was ‘lucky’ because the disease was stage 1. The tumor was under 1cm in size, and it had not visibly spread to my lymph nodes. Though a lumpectomy was recommended, I opted for a double mastectomy. I was devastated by the cancer, and wanted to assure that this would never happen to me again.
Unfortunately, it still did. In 2008 I found another small lump on my chest wall. When I learned that the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes and liver, I was in shock. I heard the words Stage 4 in relation to me, and I couldn’t believe it. I did chemo and Herceptin (another cancer treatment) for five months, and came out with no evidence of disease — the best news I could expect. Now it’s about maintenance. Trying to stay in this place. I had my ovaries out, because my cancer was estrogen positive. I take a medication called Femara to help shut down any additional estrogen from my body. I have osteoporosis in my spine and neck from early, forced menopause, but I’m here. And thankful to be so.
How old were your kids when you were first diagnosed, and how did they handle the cancer news?
They were six and nine the first time, and eleven and thirteen the second time. The first time they were young, and I was really optimistic that I’d caught it early and eradicated it. The second time was harder. They were older, and had a better understanding of what it could mean. They knew people died from cancer. And chemotherapy was worse to watch than surgery, because I really looked sick. That’s when I saw the need for a book like “You Are the Best Medicine.”
How did you deal with having a recurrence (mentally, physically and emotionally)?
Anxiety. Fear. Depression. Shock. I still feel these emotions, but I also feel hopeful. I feel grateful for the beautiful life that I have, and lucky to have my current health status.
What “aha” moment led you to write “You Are the Best Medicine”?
I’ve never seen myself as a very brave person. I don’t deal well with physical pain. But I knew that I would be brave and strong because I wanted to be around for my children, and I wanted them to know how much they were a part of my strength and hope. I wrote the book because I wanted to give other people with cancer a way to tell their children the same important message.
What do you hope is the end result of having written this book?
I hope it will help kids understand how much their love means. And I hope to raise $100,000 for the research team at UCLA, to help with their incredible work in finding a cure for all cancers.
Since you have accomplished so much, what do you hope will be your greatest legacy one day?
Julie Clark made children smile.
www.outofthebluedelivered.com
A friend asked me the other day if cancer ever made me cry. She’d just recently survived a medical issue, and she said it rendered her completely emotional. She wondered if the same thing happened to me.
“Yes!” I told her. I cried. And cried. And cried. It mostly happened at night, when my house was quiet, and my babies were sleeping, and things seemed so, well, dark and lonely. It also happened when some well-meaning person asked me, “How are you doing?” in that I-am-so-sorry-you-have-cancer tone. Instant tears. I sometimes could only choke out a brief, “I’m fine.”
I wasn’t really all that fine. I had cancer, for goodness sake, and it made me very sad.
Then I started taking an anti-depressant, and I went for counseling, and life got better. I took my little Zoloft pill every day for a year and a half, and I saw a therapist once a week, until all the hard treatment stuff was over, and now, I am fine.
I don’t really cry over cancer anymore. Well, I do, but honestly, my tears now come from a place of happiness. When people comment on my strength, or tell me I’ve helped them in their cancer journeys, or it hits me just how far I’ve come from those bald and blah days — that’s when I cry.
There are no more dark cancer days in my world, and while I realize in the back of my mind that the disease might come back, the fear really isn’t all that strong anymore. It’s there, a tiny bit, but that’s all. My bigger fear: That if I let myself sit down and put my feet up for just a moment, I won’t get everything done. Now, that’s something I need to get over.
The breast cancer awareness inspiration stone set pictured above can be purchased at Out of the Blue Delivered.
kmart.com
Kmart Pharmacy wants you to know that in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and between now and the end of October, for every customer who participates in the prescription transfer incentive, Kmart will provide the following:
Regardless of customer participation in the transfer program, Kmart intends to make a minimum donation of $10,000 in support of The BCRF.
For more information: Kmart Pharmacy Encourages Prescription Consolidation and Introduces ‘Transfer for a Cause’ Incentive Program
ghirardelli.com/luxe/OK, so we all know that a healthy diet consists of the likes of fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and the nutritious list goes on and on and on.
And while you really ought to be eating this sort of stuff most of the time, it’s not that terrible if you steer off course once in a while and enjoy something sweet, like, say, chocolate — especially if it’s for a good cause!
Something more for you — a chocolate giveaway!
lynnsagebear.com
100% of the profits generated from the sale of this organic pink ribbon bear go to the breast cancer cause. The cute, cuddly thing costs $25, so that means $25 is donated.
Now, that’s what I like!
100%!
More info:
CHICAGO, IL – October may be Breast Cancer Awareness month, but Zubels is committed to the cause year round as they introduce their new pink ribbon bear. The breast cancer awareness bear is hand made by talented artisans using 100% organic cotton eco-friendly yarns. Their aim in this adorable new addition to their collection is to raise money and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. This bear symbolizes the continuous fight with the hope to one day eradicate breast cancer.
With over 200,000 women being diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone, Zubels has partnered with the Chicago-based Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation. The Lynn Sage Foundation, which was established by her family in her memory, is committed to the discovery of a cure for breast cancer. Since it was founded in 1985, the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation has raised over $20 million in the fight against breast cancer.
As friends of the Lynn Sage Foundation, Zubels has designed a special bear for a special cause. 100% of the profits from the sale of this bear will go to the Lynn Sage Foundation for breast cancer research and help bring us one step closer to a cure. This disease has touched many lives and we hope that through research and perseverance we can make a difference.
With the purchase of this bear you will not only benefit breast cancer awareness and research, you will also be purchasing an environmentally friendly hand knit toy. All Zubels have been tested safe and are suitable for your little ones from birth and up. Every Zubels character is created with a distinct personality, just like every child!
Zubels are heirloom quality toys which are sure to be cherished and loved by children of all ages. This 100% super soft organic cotton knit bear also washes beautifully. Zubels 12” breast cancer awareness bear retails for $25 (with all profit going to the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation) and is available at www.lynnsagebear.com.
ABOUT ZUBELS: Family owned Renzo Company Inc., has committed themselves to creating eco-friendly toys to be cherished and loved by children of all ages. Renzo Company, which has been in business for over 30 years, offers traditional, eco-friendly, hand knit toys, quality gifts, accessories and apparel (0-6x www.petitami.us) which are available at various boutiques and online retailers. Additional information, an online catalog and a store finder is available at www.zubels.us.
For more information on the Lynn Sage Foundation, please visit: www.lynnsagefoundation.org.
If you are a cancer caregiver, then please take this survey for Navigating Cancer — an online resource that helps folks take control of their experiences and navigate their journeys.
This survey, which takes less than 10 minutes to complete and closes on October 15, will help Navigating Cancer understand the needs of the cancer caregiver community so tools and resources can be developed to help caregivers provide the best care for their loved ones.
If you know of anyone else who has provided care in the past or is currently providing care to a cancer patient in any way, please copy the link below and pass this survey along.
http://www.navigatingcancer.com/caregiver_survey
Thank you!
www.wellthen.org
I have a new presence in the virtual world, and it’s at a place called well, then. It’s a community of people who inspire each other with ways to be well, and the interface is so simple and seamless and easy to navigate — which makes total sense for a place promoting well-being. No stress at all. Just easy.
If you want to be inspired, check out all the ways to be well — maybe you need some eat-healthy motivation, or some tips on connecting with your family. If cancer is your topic of choice, well, then, be sure to stop by — it’s the space I’ll be primarily occupying, and when you have a free moment, you can check out my first contribution: Prescription for Living.
There are lots more categories, so take a spin through the whole site. You can share your own ideas, too. Each week, a new question is asked about a specific way to be well, and the community takes it from there — liking, commenting, sharing and writing posts, and adding pictures and video. It’s all brand new, so get in on the ground floor, and you can help build well, then into something more magnificent than it already is.
This post is sponsored by Harvard Pilgrim. I received monetary compensation for my participation, but my review and opinions are my own.
