Tuesday, May 16, 2006

LIVESTRONG Day

Today has been designated LIVESTRONG Day by the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
http://www.livestrong.org
All across the country, thousands of people will be working to raise awareness of an issue that has affected too many of us- Cancer..

Three out of every four American families will have at least one family member diagnosed with cancer.

I lost my mother just over seven months ago. Some days it seems like yesterday. Other days it seems forever ago. The pain is still very real, as is the anger, and the fear.

Since December of 2004, I have met so many people whose lives have been affected by cancer. Sadly, many have died along the way... Too many.

We have to make changes so our sons and daughters
and grandchildren and great-grandchildren won't have to live in fear.

Talk to your state representative.
Talk to your doctor.
Make a donation.
Run a marathon.
Walk for a cure.
Examine your breasts.
Examine your testicles.
Get a colonoscopy or a mammogram or both.
Remind your parents, your kids, your neighbors.
Wear a teal or pink ribbon or a yellow bracelet.
Light a candle and say a prayer.
Just do something.............
TOGETHER we can make a difference and LIVESTRONG.....................................

Sunday, May 14, 2006

...Mother's day

Today was my first mother's day without mom.

It goes without saying that it was difficult. In some ways, the days leading up to today were more difficult than today itself..
I kept thinking of what I was going to buy for her mother's day gift..

I read back to last year's mother's day. It was a good day for mom...
http://jsdaughter.blogspot.com/2005/05/happy-mothers-day.html#comments

As I visited with my children today, I realized how blessed I am. I have so many wonderful days to look forward to, and so many precious memories to cherish...

(written September of 2005) I have learned much in the last nine months. I have read that ovarian cancer whispers. I say it screams. It just needs someone to listen. The American Cancer Society statistics for ovarian cancer estimate that there will be 22,220 new cases and 16,210 deaths in 2005. This is a death rate FOUR TIMES that of breast cancer.Almost 70 percent of women with the common epithelial ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until the disease is advanced in stage. The 5-year survival rate for these women is only 15 to 20 percent. This is unacceptable. Women need to be made more aware of the symptoms, and doctors need to listen to their patients. Especially when the patient tells them that they fear they have ovca, as my mother did for almost a year before she was finally diagnosed. It’s so sad and senseless when a woman knows the symptoms but can’t get anyone to listen to what she is saying.

©JsDaughter