And I’m feeeeling good!

I am one lucky lady.

I have the best people in my life that choose to make an impact on the world even if in the smallest way.

My friend, Alicia, is a spokesperson for the Ava Anderson beauty products and this month she has decided to do something really special. She has a career  in the medical field just like me and sees the importance in health and cancer prevention/awareness. (Smart woman! :))

So this month, Alicia has most generously decided to donate ALL of her profits (that’s much more that 25%! Read this to understand this little remark)!!! She will use ALL of her commissions to make gift bags full of non-toxic products and distribute them to patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation.

Awesome!!

If you feel like helping out a little, here is what you can do…

Hit up this website: HERE

All you have to do is put in your order, get great products, and know that your moolah is going to a great cause! These women deserve to feel great ANNNND using non-toxic products in just a huge added bonus.

If that isn’t enough to convince you, listen to this…

All orders that are $30+ will receive a FREE reusable Ava tote or spend $95+ will receive a FREE anti-aging mask!

So do it peeps,

and feel good that you are making someone else feel good!

Happy Shopping!

Oh Happy Day!

Happy October 1st everyone!!

Today is the start to my favorite month and I can barely contain my excitement.

This is a month of pink, pink, pink and saving lives one day at a time. That is a HUGE reason to be happy! During the month of September, I went through WordPress and read other blogs of women who were going through breast cancer’s crazy roller coaster. As my eyes glazed over their words I felt their hurt, pain, sorrow, happiness, and strength. I felt so drawn to these women who do not know me and I made sure to let them know that someone was reading what they had to say, because sometimes that’s all you need. Although I am hidden behind my laptop, my inner feelings have been out there for you all to read and learn from my own experiences with my mom’s diagnoses.

I hope you have learned and changed your own life in some ways.

Whether you are new to my blog or been by my side reading on through the last three years, please remember that most cancers are preventable at stage 1. So fill your brains with information because it could save your life.

Like I have explained before, I didn’t know what breast cancer was until my mom was diagnosed. If you are in the same boat, here is a link to a cool little vid that can inform you more.

What is breast cancer? 

If it isn’t breast cancer, but another kind of cancer that has touched your life in some way, my hopes are still the same for you and I hope your month of awareness saved some lives as well.

OH!

Today is also my blog’s three year anniversary so…

Happy Anniversary Hold the Ribbon!

You’ve made me cry, happy, laugh, and appreciate life in ways I didn’t know possible.

So cheers to three years…

Oh, put a sock in it

The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk is THIS Sunday.

I am signed up and my shoes are ready, however, it would be great if I had some donations to take with me. If you would like to donate please click down below.

I know I am on the late show (procrastination is my middle name), but any type of donation would be wonderful.

And if you are my local readers and recognize my mom or I, don’t be afraid to come say hi 🙂

Click here to visit my PERSONAL page.

ANNNNNND….

Here is a nice lil’ video to see what you are supporting

Be Bright Pink

 

Bright Pink is another great organization that believes in knowledge as a cure for breast cancer as well as ovarian cancer.

I first heard of Bright Pink when Giuliana Rancic wrote about them on twitter last year. She has become very involved with them and it makes me happy to see her become a voice for women who don’t know much about breast cancer. During her reality show she would break down about her diagnoses and my mom and I would break down with her. We really felt for her and her family because they experienced feelings we were all too familiar with.

It has been wonderful to see her get her life back, but most importantly watch  another woman beat cancer and help other women beat it too.

Here is a fun little video of Giuliana in Santa Monica promoting breast cancer awareness for Bright Pink.

Pink Pumpkin

 

It is almost Halloween which means scary monsters, spooky decorations, and pumpkin carving!

This year if you are in the Fresno/Clovis area head over to The Patch (on the corner of Herndon and Clovis). They are selling real pink pumpkins and some of the profits go to the Sisterhood of Survivors.

You may remember them from the blog post I wrote last year. Well, they are still great and still helping many women, so help them out by purchasing a cool pink pumpkin.

It is just in time for pumpkin carving parties or fun family time with the kids.

So go pick up that pink pumpkin tonight

and don’t forget to check for lumps.

Hold The Ribbon

Today may be the last day of October but not the last day of my constant preaching of early detection.

Throughout these last 31 days I have laughed and cried while I revisited some of the toughest and memorable moments in my life over the 2011. Sometimes it was hard to remember and write my stories but if it helped someone relate or become more aware than I have served my purpose. 

This blog was never for sympathy or to show my “bravery”. It was to make YOU more aware about cancer and take control before it enters your life. It was to make you realize that you really do not want to go through the wig shopping experience with your mom or that maybe you should call up your new friend Christina Applegate and make an appointment for a mammogram. It doesn’t matter what you got out of these posts, the important thing is you got something out of it.

I have exposed my weaknesses as well as some of my families, but also our strengths. We are so much stronger because of this and we are happy to almost be past this part of our lives. My mom is about two weeks away from being done with radiation and we see the light at the end of the tunnel. Although I expressed all these events through my eyes and shown the struggles I went through,I have not dealt with half of what she did.

It is my mom who is the true warrior.

We don’t look at the pink ribbon the same and we never will. It is a symbol of strength and courage. And to me, the symbol of taking breast cancer straight on.

If you are ever in my position or in my mothers learn and educate yourself. Find out who your true friends are and make new friendships. Don’t ever take those people for granted. Remember that you will get through this even when you feel weak and have lost hope. Remember there are good people  you can lean on when people around you may not be able to relate. Remember all the support groups and non-profit organizations with the same goals as you. Remember to laugh and to cry. If things get too hard take a breath and go get ice cream for an hour. Appreciate your family and the time you have with them. Remember that everyone reacts differently and the whirlwind of emotions one can feel. Remember all the doctors and nurses are the best. And remember early detection is the cure.

You will find a strength inside of you that you may never knew you had. When it is finally over you will look at the world differently and appreciate life in a whole new way.

Because you made it.

You worked for it.

You deserve this.

You survived.

And you hold that ribbon for all to see.

FAITH

This morning my mom asked me what I was going to write about (like she does every morning) and I told her I didn’t know. She told me I should write about faith. I have thought about writing about this subject a couple of times but I always pushed it a side due to the fact that I do not know what everyone believes in or who they pray to or if they even pray. But after thinking about the word “FAITH” I realize that that word does not just deal with religious beliefs…

But everything in life.

I have faith in God: He put me where I am today. He put all the people in my life to teach me things about myself. He gave me the talents that I have for a reason, even if it is for some little october blog. And he has helped my family in more ways than just this one.

I have faith in People: In the beginning of this cancer episode and the different experiences I went through I learned that there are strangers out there who WILL help you, no matter what. When my mom was wearing a scarf I would find myself glaring at people who would stare at us. I would ask my mom, “HAVEN’T THEY EVER SEEN A SCARF BEFORE?! PEOPLE ARE SO RUDE!” (I used much worse language than that, but I’ll spare you) The stares killed me and I was angry. One weekend my family and I went to visit my sister in San Diego. My sister, mom, and I went shopping at this busy area in Solana Beach and as we were walking back to our car I heard a man’s voice say, “Hey mam!” from afar. (I am usually very anti-social. Ya know, your friend who doesn’t answer your call but will text you back not even a minute later… I am THAT person.) So my ears didn’t hear a thing. He kept on and I could hear his voice getting closer. Then I thought, “Great, we are the next three women on the missing reports on Nancy Grace!” Finally, my nice mom and sister turned and there stood two tanned beach blonde surfers in front of us. (Believe me, I was kicking myself after I saw them.) He said, “I just saw you from down the street and I had to tell you that you look great. My mom is battling breast cancer for the second time and you will kick this cancer’s ass!” Ok, now I know you are calling me an asshole right now and I agree. I was. I was so used to the stares and annoyed by the people who were unaware that I overlooked the good that was still out there.

I have faith in Love: The type of love I learned through this has made me have a softer heart. I have made friends and made friendships stronger. The word love does not scare me anymore because life is too short to be scared. I have really grown to love some people over the last year and I have realized that love is a compliment whether romantic or platonic. One night I went to the movies with one of my best friends, he was such a trooper because I forced him to see a chick flick. As we were sitting there waiting for the movie to start he asked me how my mom was and I started telling him a little bit of what I could without bursting into tears. I told him how I was helping my mom with stuff and how it was hard sometimes. I looked in his blue eyes and saw him really listening to my words. He sat there and let me say whatever I wanted and once I was done he put his hand on my hand and said, “I am so proud of you”. Him and I have been friends for seven years, but have never gone through something like this in the length of that time. He proved to me that not only did I make smart decisions in the friendship department but that he was just as great as I always thought.

I have faith in Family: My family is my whole life. Those five people make me who I am (and put up with it, they don’t have a choice 🙂 ) Although I have ALWAYS had faith in my family, I have realized that just because you are family it does not always mean they are there for you in the ways they should be. My aunt, uncle, Godparents, & their children have been there every step of the way. Whether it was rubbing my back in the hospital or texting me every day to get updates, I always knew they were there. And sometimes in times like these when you don’t know what to say to someone, being there is all they need.

I have faith in The Cure: Although prevention is all we have at this point I believe that one day there will be a cure. I believe that I won’t have to worry about my sister or my brother’s future daughters, or even myself. I believe that all of the fundraisers and organizations will help in some way. And I believe women like my mom helped paved the way to get us there.

So if at times you may not think you have faith or lose it (which sometimes I did) sit back and look at all the things in your life. Open your mind and heart to see the big picture and realize that there is always something to have faith in. It could be in God, getting into a college, getting through a divorce, Buddha, that one day you’ll marry Rob Kardashian (I will), or beating cancer.

It is the faith that you have that will get you through one day at a time.

(Thanks for the topic mom, I guess mother knows best. xo.)

Sisterhood of Survivors

When breast cancer first came into my life I didn’t realize there were so many support groups that helped new women through it.

After a couple of months of learning about breast cancer I decided to volunteer for Susan G. Komen. I sent in my volunteer application and was quickly contacted by a woman named Sharon. Her email (that I still have) explained that she felt the need to reach out. She told me a little of what she went through and sympathized with what we were going through. At the very end of the email she wrote, “Please give your mom a hug for me…and know I’m sending one to you as well.” Although she was just a name behind an email, to me I felt like she was a good friend. Her words really sunk into me and in that moment I would have gladly snatch up that hug. I choked up and read my mom the email. It was comforting to know that she knew what I felt and that she got through it so we would too.

A couple of weeks later I spoke to Sharon on the phone to go over volunteer information and she told me about different programs offered to women with breast cancer.

One was called, The Sisterhood of Survivors.

As soon as we hung up the phone I googled them and requested for a survivor to come speak to my mom and I at our home. The day rolled around and a pretty woman arrived with a pink tote bag full of brochures, scarfs, beanies, toothbrushes, books, and a bunch of other goods. All information that would be helpful to a new patient. She told us her story and let us ask her as many questions as we wanted. She was a strong woman with a full head of thick hair and no signs that she had ever gone through breast cancer. She inspired me and helped me feel like my mom was going to be just like her one day. My mom was going be that woman giving the tote bag instead of receiving it.

The Sisterhood of Survivors not only do things such as that but they also have luncheons and get togethers. Although most women have family or friends to support them there is something a little bit different about relating to another woman who TRULY knows what they are going through.

This is an amazing group of women and they are helping others feel comfortable in a very uncomfortable situation. They may be strangers, but they don’t care who you are or where you come from… they are women bonded by this one thing in their lives forming them into a sisterhood.

A sisterhood of love, inspiration, compassion, strength, and SURVIVORS.

i heart boobies

By now I am sure that everyone has seen all these teenagers walking around with an arm full of bracelets. You might even notice a thicker one that reads, “I ❤ boobies”. Now before you think that little emo kid is a perv be aware that they are actually promoting a great cause and foundation.

Keep-a-Breast is a non-profit organization that tries to appeal to a younger audience in hopes of spreading awareness. This organization is EVERYWHERE…Warped tour, surfing events, snowboarding events, and many different retail stores.

The younger you are, the better it is to be aware. My seventeen year old brother had three of these bracelets before my mother was even diagnosed so Keep-a-Breast is doing what they set out to do.

Whether you are wearing the bracelet to be a part of the trend or wearing it for someone, the point is you’re wearing it. And like my brother you might look down at your wrist one day and have a different outlook on what that little rubber bracelet means, than what you did before.

Here is the link to learn more about Keep-a-Breast & a cool little somethin’ somethin’ to watch 🙂

www.keep-a-breast.org 

Ch-ch-check em out

The good thing about being in the public eye is that it makes it easier for people to listen to what you have to say. Christina Applegate and Fran Drescher both have created foundations to help women get mammograms, MRI’s and/or ultrasounds who may not have insurance or under the age of 40.

FYI: If you don’t know what a mammogram is just head on over to www.komen.org 

It has great information and will help you understand why mammograms are so important. MRIs and ultrasounds are just as important as well. Sometimes the breasts can be dense making it hard to spot any abnormalities and it is easier to find through MRIs or ultrasounds. That is what happened in both my mother’s and Christina Applegate’s cases.

There are also programs for women under the age of forty to get checked. In most cases offices do not check women under that age because it is not considered high risk, however, more women are getting breast cancer at younger ages. I am not a fan of this because I have read many stories of women as young as twenty-five getting breast cancer. Luckily, there are people who feel the same way and are willing to help young women find it as early as possible.

Here are the links to the Christina Applegate Foundation. Her foundation helps women who are not insured to get mammograms.

www.rightactionforwomen.org

&

Here is the link to Fran Drescher’s foundation called Cancer Schmancer. She also helps with uninsured women and women under 40.

www.cancerschmancer.org

I, myself, have spoken with people with Fran Drescher’s foundation and they are great. Both are informative and very helpful.

Now that you have a little information strap on your big girl bra and go get those babies checked out if you haven’t already.

You may be happy you did!