October Highlights


October has finally come to a close.  It was a long month of many supportive blessings as well as many struggles.  Below, I thought I would share some of the highlights that made this month special for me. 

 October 5
IU Health invited me to go onto the field for the Colts Breast Cancer Awareness event at Lucas Oil Stadium.  This was so special to me to share this moment with 74 other breast cancer survivors. 

 October 18
Dan Young had their 3rd annual car wash and raised almost $1,000 for the Women's Fund of the Tipton County Foundation to use for breast cancer awareness in our county!





October 21 
Last year, I was thrilled when IU Health Tipton Hospital agreed to work with me to create "Turn Pink with Tipton" Breast Health Awareness Event.  I was honored to help plan this event again this year.  Nearly 80 women attended this informative evening with two doctors speaking and many educational booths and free health screenings. 

 

October 30
The Vera Bradley Breast Cancer Foundation announced that they had raised $3,200,000 in the last year for breast cancer research at the IU Health Simon Cancer Center.  My doctor, Dr. Cathy Miller is pictured here in the check presentations!  So proud to say she is my Oncologist!!


Hope, Joy & Laughter...
Carry them with you, wherever you go

And don't put off getting your mammogram! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bravery in the Moments of Brokenness

Image
What is Bravery? Dictionary.com says that bravery is an admirable quality of being able to confront frightening things. I think everyone has the capacity to be brave. You are really only confined by the walls that you put up around yourself. Those who may not feel like they are brave, probably have amazing bravery within that maybe they just haven't had to face yet.  I have many people say to me, I don't know how you do it.  You are tougher and braver than I am, or could ever be.  Well that is just silly...I really don't think I am tougher or braver than you or anyone else.  I just have to be.  As you know, this year has been rough.  I had a new breast cancer tumor removed in April.  In July, I started having new pain in my sternum which led to changing my treatment plan.  I was unable to get in the clinical trial I wanted. Meanwhile, two new cancer spots on my ribs began to grow. So I started Xeloda, a c...
Read more

Finding Grace in the Midst of the Next Storm

Sometimes the fog begins to fade, the strings holding the stress slowly loosen. The medicine is working, and the body has adjusted the best it can to the side effects.  Some kind of new normal has gradually settled in, but then suddenly in one long day, you find yourself broken again, trying to find grace in the midst of the next storm.  Cancer has no boundaries.  Cancer takes no consideration of your feelings.  Cancer takes on your strength as it opponent.  Cancer has challenged me for four years now.  It has challenged my body with treatments and surgeries that have left me to continue to rebuild a body that is broken. It has challenged my emotions, taking me to dark places of brokenness that only God and the love of my husband, kids, family and friends can pull me out of.   It has challenged my feelings as I have learned of the new cancer diagnoses of two friends and mourned the lo...
Read more

Starting Chemo...The Search for Miss Wiggly

Image
I believe that waiting to see if, when and how much of my hair is going to fall out is kind of like Ben and my boys (who are loyal Purdue fans) waiting to see if Indiana University will win the National Tournament or just how far they will go.  I am not going to lie to you, the thought of losing my hair sickens me. But I have a new friend, Miss Wiggly.  She is quietly waiting on her stand in my bedroom to keep her fluffed and beautiful.  I have asked her not to stare much at me right now when I walk into the room.  Our bond isn't that strong yet...we just met a week ago. And there is always that chance that I may not even need her. You see, my hair loss is unpredictable.  They say that I could lose a little hair, a few clumps of hair, or possibly... probably all of it. I started my first of twelve weekly Taxol chemo treatments on March 7....
Read more