February is Cancer Prevention Month

Sounds a little obvious right? Like, wouldnt EVERY month be cancer prevention month?

In honor of this designation, here are some tips for reducing your risk, courtesy of the Prevent Cancer Foundation:

- EAT WELL. Research shows that diet and physical activity can influence your risk for certain cancers. Eating well balanced meals and reducing alcohol intake are not only just a smart idea in general, but can truly reduce your risk when it comes to cancer.

- BE ACTIVE. Again, this step obviously contributes to your overall well being, but has also been shown to greatly reduce the risk of particular cancers, such as colon cancer.

- STOP SMOKING. A huge challenge for so many people, but the health benefits of quitting are HUGE. Smoking or exposure to second hand smoke can be responsible for cancers of the lungs, throat, mouth and esophagus.

- GET SCREENED. Early detection is the best way to beat cancer. Know your family history, get regular check ups, and learn about performing self examinations. KNOW YOUR BODY!

There's clearly no easy way to be sure one can eliminate any possibility of ever getting cancer, but there are ways to help reduce the risk, and its never too late to make important changes to help improve outcomes. Lifestyle interventions, especially for young adults, can lead to longer, healthier lives.

Snow day...

Today was to be the last day of what I affectionately referred to as my "Week of Meetings". Mother Nature had other plans though, and stepped in to give me a snow day. Instead of working my butt off all day, I decided to take a break and go for a walk through the nearly two feet of snow we got overnight. So instead of words or links or info, here are some photos.


This is how my backyard looked when I woke up today.




And this is how my street looked....




..and my car!




More news and info very soon, for now, its only SNOW!!!

Support Imerman Angels!

The Pepsi Refresh Project is awarding grant money to all sorts of organizations- why not help a deserving, cancer related resource secure some funds!!

From the Imerman Angels Pepsi page:
Jonny Imerman is a two-time cancer survivor. During his fight he had loving support from family and friends, but never met anyone his age who was a cancer survivor. Seeing a need, Jonny founded Imerman Angels, connecting cancer fighters with someone who has survived the exact same type of cancer.

Imerman Angels provides ONE ON ONE peer support for cancer patients and survivors, a MUCH needed resource for those dealing with cancer as a young adult. They are in the $50,000 award category, help them get enough votes to win!

(And who knows, maybe youll see BRICKS in a future round of voting!!)

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!

Grants for Cancer Survivors

Many visitors to my blog land here because they are searching for information on grants for cancer survivors, and I previously did a short blog post on the subject.

I've found that a lot of organizations offer college scholarships for cancer survivors, but what about grants for life expenses? How about money to pay for medications, or food, or babysitters? The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society offers various patient financial support services, but the amount they are able to give patients has decreased significantly over the last few years.

In our time of greatest financial strain, we found that making an Amazon wish list was AMAZINGLY helpful. Friends want to help, but arent sure how, and help came from near and far when we posted our list. Just having food items and cleaning supplies land on our doorstep every couple of days was so wonderful- less things to pick up at the store and less money to spend when nearly every penny was going to medications and keeping a roof over our heads.

What tips, trick, organizations, etc have been helpful to you? Post 'em here for everyone!!

PS- For more on this topic, visit the blog of my good friend Kairol, who recently blogged about the financial impact of cancer.

Its oh so quiet....

But only in blog-land.

I've not posted anything for a week, and that may imply that not much is happening, but that couldnt be farther from the truth!
This past week has been very busy with lots of good things for BRICKS.

All of the submissions for the booklet are in- FIFTEEN of them in total (I was shooting for 12 so you can imagine how pleased I am). Now we're moving on to phase 2 of the booklet- layout and editing. Then its off to the printer, and hopefully booklets will be in my paws by early March.

Speaking of March, there are lots of amazing awareness/fundraising/celebratory events in the works, the details of which I will be posting VERY soon so you can all mark your calendars.

Speaking of calendars, how about a snazzy Google calendar of BRICKS for Young Adults events, so you never miss a thing? Im going to do my best to keep this up to date, I promise!

More soon, all of the babysteps of the last few months are about to turn into giant leaps!

.10.

10 months ago today my husband died. 10 months ago right now, I was waiting for hospice to come, listening to the clicking sound in my husband's throat, knowing it wouldnt be long. After a long, terrible, restless night, he finally looked like he was asleep. He said goodbye as my son left for school, never opening his eyes, and in a barely audible whisper told him that he loved him. An hour later, he was gone.

Ive been dreading today more than any other day, truth be told. The idea of "10 months" as a marker in my relationship with my husband has been very important. We had been married for 10 months when the diagnosis of a recurrence came to us. He died 10 months later. And now, he's been gone for 10 months. Three phases, three different pieces of a marriage.

I cant say that I am moving into some new, fourth phase. I dont know yet that Im ready to let go of it all completely or that I am moving on past my grieving. Sometimes I feel like I will always mourn him, and I think thats ok. What I can say is that I can remember things we did, I can talk about him, and I can talk to him all without crying. Oh I still cry over him sometimes, believe me, but its a little easier to remember him and feel happy when I think about the things we did together.

I often cant believe so much time has gone by. In just two more months it will have been a YEAR already. An entire YEAR since he died. I dont remember a lot of the last year, honestly, or know quite how Ive made it through. I think its a coping mechanism, this "auto pilot" mode Ive been operating in. But when I stop and look back, over the last 10 months, I can see how much Ive accomplished, how far Ive come. I can truly feel like Ive honored his life by working hard and trying to do something good for others in our situation through the work Ive done with BRICKS and by simply not spending my entire life curled up in a ball on the couch (no matter how much I may have wanted to).

So today, on this anniversary of sorts, I can close my eyes, feel my heart well up with love, and say "thank you" to the brave, beautiful man who changed my life. I will try to replace sadness at the loss of his life with gratitude for having the chance to share part of it with him. I know that I will carry him with me into the next 10 months, and the 10 after that and on and on.

Thank you, Rick. I love you.