Blood & Cupcakes 3 is TOMORROW!!!

And its not too late to come and donate blood! We've sweetened the deal with some extra special prizes for the donor raffle- gift certificates from our beloved friends at Gypsy Cafe, Piper's Pub and the Tartan Devil's Football Club, Jester's Court Tattoos and more!

As always there will be cupcakes for everybody- from independent bakers as well as our friends at My Goodies Vegan Bakery and Magnolia Cafe. Each donor receives raffle tickets to enter to win prizes, as well as a commemorative mug for the first 45 donors! We'll also have copies of the BRICKS for Young Adults Cancer Awareness & Resource Guide for those of you who may not have one yet, or want to know more about what we're about!

The drive benefits the Central Blood Bank, and their basical donor qualifications can be found here. The CBB staff are super helpful and really good at what they do- so dont be afraid to come out and learn more about donating. Repeat donors are always welcome and encouraged, as are "first timers"!

Its a really fun and exciting day, we hope we'll see you there. We're counting on you all to help make our third annual Blood & Cupcakes the most successful yet!

T-Minus 6 days, or Why Im Lopping Off My Locks in the Name of Cancer

As many of you know, the amazing lads of the Tartan Devils Football Club are sponsoring a benefit event for BRICKS on Saturday March 13th, in cooperation with Pipers Pub on the Southside. The banding together of locals fills me with an amazing sense of community that Im very proud to be a part of, and there is a clear sense of solidarity with our brothers and sisters diagnosed with cancer in the act of shaving ones head. What at first seemed like a simple and fun event has really made me consider my surprisingly deeper thoughts on the idea.

Its obvious that all of us participating in this event recognize that we have the OPTION of losing our hair, something our cancer affected peers do not always get to chose. Ive never really been one to be so full of self esteem regarding my physical appearance that making a change to my hair would be a big decision, I didnt have a whole lot of vanity to put aside, I suppose. But I have realized that I hide behind my hair, its my cover, a shield. Could I really have the confidence to go from this:



to something like this?:




When I start to have doubts, I think about how cancer affected my husband's appearance time and time again, especially in the last couple of weeks of his life. He lost weight, his skin was dry and yellowed, he let his hair and beard grow wildly before the chemo could take them from him. He took self portraits in the bathroom mirror and when I recently stumbled accidentally upon them on the laptop I was taken aback by the old, haggard man looking back at me. I remember that after he took those pictures he shaved his hair and beard, making a decision about his appearance before chemo could make it for him, returning to the familiar scruff and stubble of his healthier days.

Cancer leaves you exposed and vulnerable, open to constant poking and prodding and probing. Medications, procedures and illness itself can alter your physical appearance in innumerable ways. People handle this with great variety- some in anger, others with quiet acceptance. Some with scarves, wigs, tattoos, clothing. Regardless of the method, there is coping that happens, because it has to. You adjust, do your best to feel whole and like yourself, and you carry on. Sometimes acceptance never comes.

For me, should I remain as healthy and fortunate as I am now, this haircutting shouldnt be a big deal. My hair will grow back, if I allow it to. I have the opportunity to raise awareness about young adult cancer, raise some money for BRICKS, and have an amazingly fun time with new and old friends. No doubt I will stumble into the bathroom the morning of Sunday the 14th, and be shocked by what I see in the mirror, but hopefully I will do less hiding, and go out into the world more confident for having gone through with it.

My love and respect for those organizing and participating in this event grows as it approaches, and I hope through doing this they realize how important this event is to me. For my friends and loved ones who have been on the other side, who have experienced the involuntary loss of their hair due to cancer, Im doing this for you, in honor of your strength and courage. This is about so much more than just a haircut.

Calm before the storm...

Good day, dear readers, thanks for stopping by. Its been a little quiet around these parts, but not for long. March is gearing up to be the busiest/best/worst month ever. Hopefully just two of the three. It certainly cant be any worse than last March, so at least we've got that working on my side.

I wasnt feeling very good today, which is probably ok- Im sure Ive been overdoing it, working too hard, and my body has had ENOUGH. I tried to take it easy this morning, but my brain doesnt slow down very easily. So, in an effort to not feel like a total slacker, Ive decided to post a little reminder of the events we have coming up. I hope to see as many of you as possible over these three very busy weekends in March.

March 13, 2010- Tartan Devils Football Club Benefit for BRICKS for Young Adults

Join the Tartan Devils Football Club at Pipers Pub, located at 1828 E. Carson St. on March 13th, 2010 from 12-3pm as members of the team shed their locks to raise money for BRICKS for Young Adults. Teammates will accept donations in support of their public haircuts beginning today and leading up to the day of the event. Joining them will be the owner of the Pub, wives and girlfriends of team members, AND yours truly, founder of BRICKS for Young Adults. Those with hair long enough to donate will send their tresses to Locks of Love. Offering her time and skills to the cause will be the owner of Lunasea Salon and Day Spa, located at 110 S. 15th St., also on the South Side.

March 20, 2010- BRICKS for Young Adults Cancer Stories Booklet release party

Release party for the long awaited BRICKS for Young Adults Cancer Awareness & Resource Guide, to be held at AIR, 518 Foreland St, Pittsburgh, from 3-10pm. This project supported in part by a Seed Award from The Sprout Fund.

Details are still coming together but this event will include readings by booklet contributors and performances by local bands. With the help of the kind folks at AIR, attendees can bring a tshirt to screen with the BRICKS logo. Local healthcare comrades will be in attendance with info as well, such as the lovely Jude of Be Well! Pgh.

Stay tuned for more information, including a list of bands, confirmed so far are:

The Frantic Heart of It
Onodrim
Devil Deer
Shambolish

Booklet contributors are:

Katlyn Basilone
Robin Belinsky
Stuart Boslow
Ezra Caldwell
John Elliff
Luke Ferdinand
Joe DeFerrari
Charissa Hamilton-Gribenas
Jenn Gaugler (r.i.p.)
Rick Gribenas (r.i.p.)
Kristen Griener
Eric Meisberger
Jim Semonik
Louise Silk
Douglas Weaver


March 27, 2010- Ride and Talk with Ezra Caldwell of Fast Boy Cycles

BRICKS for Young Adults is teaming up with Urban Velo magazine and Bike Pgh to bring Ezra Caldwell to town. Ezra is a cancer survivor (WOOHOO!!!) and bike builder, who has an amazing story to share. He is also a booklet contributor and all around nice guy. Exact time and locations are still in the works, but there will be bike riding, story telling, and FOOD. Stay tuned for more info any day now...


Im really grateful to our friends and supporters, who believe in the BRICKS mission of raising awareness about young adult cancers, and connecting young adult cancer patients and survivors to resources and each other. Because of the generosity of more people than I can list individually, all of these events are FREE to the public. When I think of everything we have been able to accomplish in only 10 MONTHS as an organization, I feel really hopeful about the future. Please please please join us for one or all of these events, say hi, and support the cause!!!

Tartan Devils Football Club Benefit for BRICKS

Join the Tartan Devils Football Club at Pipers Pub, located at 1828 E. Carson St. on March 13th, 2010 from 12-3pm as members of the team shed their locks to raise money for BRICKS for Young Adults. Teammates will accept donations in support of their public haircuts beginning today and leading up to the day of the event. Joining them will be the owner of the Pub, wives and girlfriends of team members, AND yours truly, founder of BRICKS for Young Adults. Those with hair long enough to donate will send their tresses to Locks of Love. Offering her time and skills to the cause will be the owner of Lunasea Salon and Day Spa, located at 110 S. 15th St., also on the South Side.

Please come out, support the cause and drink a pint. Or three. Or just buy me one as I say goodbye to my long, black locks in favor of a short pixie cut. This promises to be an amazingly fun time, contact me for info on how you can sponsor a haircut!