A Childhood Cancer Survivor Blogging about the World of Childhood Cancer

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CureSearch Helping Children

 

 

 

Today, I want to tell you about CureSearch. The work that CureSearch has done in the past to support the Children’s Oncology Group  has very likely led to my life being saved. This is an amazing association of more than 5,000 experts in this field who are passionately dedicated to eradicating childhood cancer.

Quoted from CureSearch Website:

CureSearch for Children’s Cancer is dedicated to raising private funds for childhood cancer research for the Children’s Oncology Group, the world’s largest cooperative cancer research organization. Together, we are committed to conquering childhood cancer through scientific discovery and compassionate care.

CureSearch Children’s Oncology Group is a network of more than 5,000 physicians, nurses, and scientists whose collaboration, research and care have turned childhood cancer from a virtually incurable disease to one with an overall 78% cure rate.

http://curesearchwalk.org/htmlcontent.asp?cid=102631

CureSearch is organizing walks to raise money. Perhaps you would like to slip on those walking shoes, get some excellent exercise, and raise money to make a difference for children. At this moment, I am giving thanks for those who have supported CureSearch in the past. These people helped save my life. I intend to use this life I have been given to help save the lives of other children. Please join me and do what you can to help CureSearch keep doing their miraculous work!

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Lance Armstrong Helping Children with Cancer

The information in this link makes me very happy!

http://www.wapiyapiclassic.com/

On September 26, Lance Armstrong will ride to help Wapiyapi raise money for families affected by childhood cancer. I can imagine that Lance has his schedule packed with events– that he would take time to do this inspires me so much! I love that he realizes how important it is to help families who have children battling cancer. Not only does he recognize the truth, he actually does something about it. Yes, inspiring!

Once again, I thank Lance Armstrong for leading us in this global battle against cancer. I thank him for caring not only for adults fighting cancer, but for caring deeply about children battling cancer as well. I am joining Lance in this fight, and I invite you to join as well. Together…

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Oprah! Please Do a Show on Childhood Cancer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgC6YKlrG9A

There is a newly created Facebook page with the title above that I would love to have all of you “like.” Even though this page was just created yesterday, there are already over 2,000 people who have joined in the request.

There is so much that people need to know about childhood cancer. I think that when children suffer, it is difficult for people to see and hear about. I understand. The important thing is, if no one looks, no one sees, no one will help and these children and families who are barely hanging on are alone in their nightmare. We cannot do this– we cannot let these children and families claw and struggle their way through the misery. Yes, it is horrible– but what we can do about this is beautiful.

It’s time for us to take off our “Fuzzy Glasses” and look at the realities of childhood cancer that exist before us. I pray that my book will do for these families and children exactly what I intended it to do… help. I want to thank this “sister” of a 2 year-old cancer patient for sharing this with me after she read Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery:

“My mom bought an early copy, and I’ve been up all night reading (and re-reading) it. It’s indescribable… it’s the first time I’ve ever read/heard of a story that was similar to that of my sister and family. Everything that you went through…. the fighting against this illness, the SURVIVING, even the depression that you went through after remission, was something that my family endured. Your detailing of treatment was what I needed, to hear in words what my baby sister was going through. She was too young to articulate her pain, and your book put into words what I saw everyday for two-and-a-half years. I thank God that she was too young to be depressed about her situation…but I wasn’t. I struggled for years, even after she was given a clean bill of health, with anxiety and depression and God knows what. Your book helped me realize that I wasn’t alone.

I just wanted to send you a message and let you know that you are really one of the most amazing people I’ve met. Seriously. Thank you for putting into beautiful words your experiences with cancer… your book is something that I’ll keep forever.”

There are so many ways we can reach out and help. What a blessing it is to be able to help!

 

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No Money– Just a Few Minutes!

My friends, today I have another “free” opportunity to show how much you care about improving the lives of children with cancer.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/CureChildhoodCancer/

Also, have you ever wondered how much you really do know about childhood cancer? Have you ever wondered how much you don’t know?  There is a short survey to help you:

 (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XQGLLQS

There may be some surprises for you. I will admit there was a big surprise for me. I was shocked to learn what a  pitifully tiny amount that the American Cancer Society contributes for childhood cancer. Hmmmmm…. I may have to work on them to create a “Childhood Branch.” I mean, kids are “Americans” too!

Does it appear to you that I am on a mission? Yes, I am certainly on a mission! There is no way I can sit back and do nothing… I truly love the children. They need us!

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Little Samantha

This link is about a little girl who is fighting brain cancer– written by her loved ones as Samantha struggles between life and death.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/samanthaarnett

There are still tears in my eyes from reading this. I’m not posting this to make you cry as well, but because Samantha’s plight will put a name and a face to childhood cancer. I imagine how her parents must feel, and her siblings. We really don’t have any time in this world to spend on meaningless things. There are so many people who need our love and our care. This link lights the truth– our mission in this life is to give freely to others in need.

I will be thinking of Samantha, and all of the other children who are bravely fighting the mean, ugly, horrific Beast called Cancer. While I am thinking of them and praying for them, I will also keep formulating ways to help them. Please, please join me.

 Breanna, Clay (you cancer warrior, you!) Blake, and Logan, you are doing it! Keep fighting!

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Hugs and More Hugs

Today I am offering another suggestion for what you might do to observe National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This suggestion is one that does not cost even a dime. You will need two arms that you can wrap around a child, and just a bit of your time. It’s time to hug that child with cancer, or that mom who is caring for her child with cancer, or for that dad who is trying to be so strong.

This may be hard to understand… a child who is seriously ill treasures the smallest of gifts– “small” to you, but HUGE in their life. To be very honest with you, one of the things I was most thankful for when I was sick was just having someone be with me. They didn’t need to say a word, just be. Somehow I felt incredibly loved when anyone would sit with me. When I was semi-permanently plunked for hours, days, and weeks, it was a brilliant treasure when someone cared enough to spend time with me amid all of my physical, emotional, and psychological problems.

When you are a complete mess and someone still wants to be with you, and still wants to love you and hug you, what a miracle happens in your soul!

Give away those free gifts… giving may feel even better than receiving them!

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September is Child Cancer Awareness Month

Just giving you a heads up… September is upon us. My school started a couple of weeks ago, and my brothers both left for college. I miss them already.

So now, my friends, what does Childhood Cancer Awareness Month mean to you? Have you ever known a child with cancer? Have you ever known a family who has a child with cancer? I know it’s not pretty, and I know it probably breaks your heart to think of it. It sure breaks my heart to know many children who are fighting right now. These kids are filled with love and hope and they are brave– filling everyone around them with joy.

I am asking you to join me this month and please choose one thing that you can do to show you care. Each time I post this month, I will give you at least one suggestion, one opportunity. Today, I will begin with the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation. www.teddybearcancerfoundation.org. This incredible foundation helped save my life. They help families with hotel room vouchers when they need to stay near the hospital, they help families pay bills… most of the time, one parent must quit work to be with their sick child, and they even help families with funeral costs. There are so many wonderful things that they do to help families… there is no way I can name everything here. Maybe you would like to send a check, or maybe you would like to offer something amazing for their silent auction at the October luncheon fundraiser.

No gift is ever too small when it comes from the heart.

I love your hearts:)

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Happy Birthday Dean!

My brother, Dean, is 19 today. He’s getting ready to go back to Westmont College this weekend. I have loved having him home for the summer!!!!!

When we were little, Dean and I would play together every day. We both loved stuffed animals, and we would play with them for hours. Sometimes they explored our backyard, sometimes they played baseball on the field we mowed perfectly into our lawn, and sometimes they were entrepreneurs with Starbucks Stores set up complete with plastic croissants, little Starbucks cups, and of course, cash registers.

Sometimes we would spend all day writing intricate stories, or we would make up plays or movies that our stuffed animals would act out. Other times we would gather everything we could find in the recycling bin, grab our duct tape, and enter the world of creating out of cardboard and plastic. When we were in the car together, we would play, “Make me Laugh,” with one trying to do something that would make the other crack up. One of my mom’s very favorite activities of ours (sorry Mom!) was gathering every pillow and cushion in the house into a “Jumping Pile.” We would fling ourselves onto the soft mountain and roll down it… ahhhhh… fun, fun, fun!

Today, as I watch this brother I love so much hop  into his ’92 Honda Accord and head to the beach with his surfboard next to him, I feel grateful. To have not only one, but two brothers who bring me joy is something I will never, ever, ever take for granted.

Happy Birthday, Dean! This Mushy Quail loves you so much!

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Gosh, I have missed you!

My goodness, my goodness! Do you ever get so busy in life that you feel things are swirling around you????????

Well, this would be me these past three weeks:)

The really difficult thing about not posting for a long time is that so much happens in that time that I have a hard time condensing the happenings. Here is my Campbell Soup “Condensation” of the past few weeks:

August 10–Kelly Teal from KSBY TV and Carina Corral taped an interview:

Published author, dancer, cancer survivor: Nipomo teenager being honored this weekend – KSBY-TV- msnbc.com:
http://cp2test.msnbc.msn.com/id/38693561/from/toolbar

August 12– I traveled to Santa Barbara for a TV interview with Marni Rozet, Executive Director of the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation. It will air on Cox 8 during September for Child Cancer Awareness Month.

August 13– Early morning radio interview to talk about the upcoming American Cancer Society Tolosa Winery Fundraising Event with Amy and Kahuna, Coast 101.3.

August 14– All day dance rehearsal for Academy of Dance School Show

August 15– Early morning rehearsal at the Performing Arts Center– show at 2:00 p.m.  5:30– speak a few words at ACS Tolosa Winery Event.

August 18– Travel to Los Angeles with Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation for their annual Universal Studios Event.

August 19– First day of my junior year in high school… trying to add a community college course to my schedule.

In the meantime, I have been doing interviews and writing articles:

 RIT Open Publishing Guide Article:

http://opg.cias.rit.edu/battling-cancer-grace-publishing-perspective

(This one was fun to write and I got to meet Rachael… very, very nice!)

 TheSBON Interview:

http://thesbon.com/grace-interview/

(Thank you, Kira!)

 Choose to be a Hero Interview:

http://ichoosetobeahero.com/2010/08/24/grace-an-interview-with-melinda-marchiano/#sf488116

(My thanks to Shennendoah!)

Aren’t you happy I gave you the Campbell Soup “Condensed” version?

August

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KSBY News San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles – Published author, dancer, cancer survivor: Nipomo teenager being honored this weekend

KSBY News San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles – Published author, dancer, cancer survivor: Nipomo teenager being honored this weekend.

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