SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO JUMP IN WITH BOTH FEET!!!

There are times when you are a little unsure... but I have found out what is best for me is to face my fears head on and "JUST DO IT"!! So, here I am writing my first blog post :) I have to admit that I never saw myself as someone who would have a blog, but this is a big beautiful world we live in, and what runs through it and connects us to one another and anything else that we would like to learn about, is CYBERSPACE!!

Okay...here I go...ONE, TWO, THREEEEE....OMG....JUMP!!!

With my first attempt as a "newbie blogger", I want to share with everyone my passion for Breast Cancer Awareness and Education; the American Cancer Society; and one of the most "dig deep in your soul ~ realize what really matters in life" events that you can be involved with ~ RELAY FOR LIFE.

I became involved with the American Cancer Society over seven years ago when I was invited to help out with my company's Relay for Life team. I felt that I had a connection because my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995. In the beginning I just never imagined how that "connection" would grow and just how important this event can be to so many people and on so many levels.

In 2006 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. Now, my mom and I share a special, and kind of "quirky", relationship. I sensed how scared she was, and how she was trying to be "brave" for all of us. I decided right then and there that I was not going to let her go through this alone and to allow her to fall into a depression. I was going to do all in my power to help her face this "demon" called cancer. I would be right there with her as she fought with everything that she had and that she would never let IT "see her sweat"! Through every phase that she went through we found a "positive" that we could look at and even make us laugh:
The Mastectomy ~ perfect opportunity to get those "perky boobs" ~ cute story she shared with the male nurse as he wheeled her into surgery (thanks to the power of anesthisia!)
Chemo and Hair Loss ~ what cute, stylish, hats we would find and to think of the time saved on not having to fix her hair every morning!! FYI ~ did you know that when you loose your hair from chemo that this includes nose hair? I didn't, and neither did my mom, so she had to call me one day at work with this new discovery!!

I knew that my mom would benefit from being a part of the Relay for Life that year. I signed her up as a survivor and drove her to the football field. As my mom stood in the middle of the field, in her cute little white hat, she watched as the other survivors received their t'shirts and survivor medals, she knew she was not alone. When two of the committee members, who were also survivors, asked if she would like to help carry the banner during the Survivor Lap, her weary eyes immediately lit up! That day was the hottest we had that year, and I was a little concerned that she would have trouble completing the entire lap. As I stood on the sidelines, watching my mother proudly walk by helping to carry the banner that told the world that she and so many others were warriors, I started to sob. Right then and there, my commitment and passion to make a difference was born!

My mom is one of the "lucky ones", even through all she has endured. My mom found her cancer both times in the early stages and it did not spread to any other organs. She is living proof as to why Breast Cancer Awareness and Education is SO important ~ and why we need to be aware of our health and to be proactive in our health care.

Little long winded for a newbie...but as I started to write so much started to pour out that I have had to edit this more than once!! More will follow, but until then please check out http://www.cancer.org/ and learn how the American Cancer Society can help you or someone you love.