tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71681910232405004282024-03-05T14:16:29.582-08:00Tigerlily Foundation MY LIFE BlogTigerlily Foundation's MY - Metastatic, Young, LIFE - Living in Focus, Empowered, Blog is dedicated to young women living with Metastatic Breast Cancer.Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-40155153642233696992017-08-01T19:15:00.000-07:002017-08-01T19:15:02.936-07:00Cascadian Therapeutics Announces Positive Regulatory Update for Tucatinib in Europe EMA Confirms Single HER2CLIMB Trial, If Positive, Could Support Approval <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SEATTLE, July 11, 2017</b> – Cascadian Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CASC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced the outcome of discussions with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) regarding the development of tucatinib, an investigational medicine for the treatment of HER2- positive metastatic breast cancer. Following these discussions, the Company has received confirmation that positive results from its ongoing pivotal trial of tucatinib, known as HER2CLIMB, could serve as a single registrational trial for submission of a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the EMA and potential marketing approval. The Company had received similar confirmation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2016. “Our interactions with regulators in the U.S. and Europe continue to support the design of our pivotal trial as a registrational pathway for tucatinib in both regions,” said Marc Lesnick, Ph.D., Senior Vice President Regulatory Affairs and Quality at Cascadian Therapeutics. “We look forward to continued productive discussions in our future interactions with the EMA, the FDA and other health authorities.” Scott Myers, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cascadian Therapeutics, added, “This is an important milestone for the company. We had anticipated providing an update on our European regulatory strategy later this year; and we are pleased with this early feedback from the EMA that the current design of the global HER2CLIMB trial, if positive, could support approval and a potentially shorter path to the European market for tucatinib. Site and patient enrollment is currently ahead of schedule in North America, and we are now poised to begin enrolling patients in HER2CLIMB in other countries.”</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">About Tucatinib</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tucatinib is an investigational, orally bioavailable, potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is highly selective for HER2 without significant inhibition of EGFR. Inhibition of EGFR has been associated with significant toxicities, including skin rash and diarrhea. Tucatinib has shown activity as a single agent and in combination with both chemotherapy and other HER2 directed agents such as trastuzumab.1,2 Studies of tucatinib in these combinations have shown activity both systemically and in brain metastases. HER2 is a growth factor receptor that is overexpressed in multiple cancers, including breast, ovarian and gastric cancers. HER2 mediates cell growth, differentiation and survival. Tumors that overexpress HER2 (HER2-positive) are more aggressive and historically have been associated with poor overall survival, compared with HER2-negative cancers. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">About HER2CLIMB</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pivotal Trial HER2CLIMB is a randomized (2:1), double-blind, placebo-controlled pivotal clinical trial comparing tucatinib vs. placebo, each in combination with capecitabine and trastuzumab and without loperamide or budesonide prophylaxis, in patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have had prior treatment with a taxane, trastuzumab, pertuzumab and ado-trastuzumab emtansine, also known as T-DM1. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival (PFS) based upon independent radiologic review. Key objectives related to assessing activity in brain metastases include a key secondary endpoint of PFS in a subset of patients with brain metastases. All patients will be followed for overall survival. HER2CLIMB is 2 currently enrolling patients in the United States, Canada, Western Europe and Australia. Additional information is available at www.HER2CLIMB.com. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>About HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer have tumors with high levels of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which promotes the aggressive spread of cancer cells. The American Cancer Society estimates that 20-25 percent of the approximately 246,660 annual new cases of breast cancer diagnoses in the U.S. are HER2-positive. Historically, HER2 disease has been associated with shorter survival times as well as a higher risk of recurrence and CNS disease (brain metastases). Approximately 30 to 50 percent of HER2-positive breast cancer patients develop brain metastases over time.3,4 Over the past two decades, the approvals of four targeted treatments (trastuzumab, pertuzumab, lapatinib, and T-DM1) have led to improved time to progression and survival rates of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Despite these advances, there is still a significant need for new therapies that can impact metastatic disease, including brain metastases, and be tolerated for longer periods of time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>About Cascadian Therapeutics</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cascadian Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative product candidates for the treatment of cancer. Its lead product candidate, tucatinib, is an investigational oral, selective small molecule HER2 inhibitor. Cascadian Therapeutics is conducting a randomized, double-blind controlled pivotal clinical trial called HER2CLIMB, which is comparing tucatinib vs. placebo, each in combination with capecitabine and trastuzumab, in patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer with and without brain metastases, who have previously been treated with a taxane, trastuzumab, pertuzumab and T-DM1. Additional details on HER2CLIMB can be found at www.HER2CLIMB.com or www.clinicaltrials.gov. For more information, please visit www.cascadianrx.com.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Forward-Looking Statements</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In order to provide Cascadian Therapeutics' investors with an understanding of its current results and future prospects, this release contains statements that are forward-looking. Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," "intends," "potential," "possible," “could” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include Cascadian Therapeutics' expectations regarding clinical development activities, timing of additional data, potential benefits of its product candidates, results of clinical trials of tucatinib, and the potential regulatory approval of tucatinib. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties related to Cascadian Therapeutics' business and the general economic environment, many of which are beyond its control. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause Cascadian Therapeutics' actual results to differ materially from those projected in forwardlooking statements, including the risks associated with the costs and expenses of developing its product candidates, the adequacy of financing and cash, cash equivalents and investments, changes in general accounting policies, general economic factors, achievement of the results it anticipates from its preclinical development and clinical trials of its product candidates, the receipt of regulatory approvals, and its ability to adequately obtain and protect its intellectual property rights. Although Cascadian Therapeutics believes that the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable as of the date hereof, it can give no assurance that its expectations are correct. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. For a detailed description of Cascadian Therapeutics' risks and uncertainties, you should review the documents filed by Cascadian Therapeutics with the securities regulators in the United States on EDGAR and in Canada on SEDAR. Cascadian Therapeutics does not undertake any obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements based on events or circumstances after the date hereof, except to the extent required by law.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>References:</b> 1. Moulder, S. et al., Phase 1 Study of ONT-380, a HER2 Inhibitor, in Patients with HER2+ Advanced Solid Tumors, with an Expansion Cohort in HER2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer. Clin Cancer Res, May 2017. 2. Hamilton, E. et al., Efficacy of a Phase 1b Study of Tucatinib (ONT-380), an Oral HER2-Specific Inhibitor, in Combination with Capecitabine and Trastuzumab in HER2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer, Including Patients with Brain Metastases. Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) Annual Meeting 2016, San Antonio, TX, December 9, 2016 (Poster P4-21-01). 3. Metro, et al., Clinical outcome of patients with brain metastases from HER2-positive breast cancer treated with lapatinib and capecitabine. Annals of Oncology, vol. 212, no. 3, pp. 625-630, 2011. 4. Ramakrishna N., et al., Journal of Clinical Oncology 32, no. 19 (July 2014) 2100-2108. Source: Cascadian Therapeutics, Inc.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Investor and Media Contact: Monique Greer Cascadian Therapeutics 206-801-2107 mgreer@cascadianrx.com</span></b></div>
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-55287215544434580682017-05-30T10:53:00.000-07:002017-05-30T10:53:16.078-07:00Get Busy Living Podcast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Join us on the latest podcast episode of Tigerlily Foundation's MY LIFE Matters as </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Host, Erin, chats with Lisa Quinn about how</span> to get busy living after a stage 4 cancer diagnosis.</span><br />
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<span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">breastcancer</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">MBC</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">metastatic</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">metastasis</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">family</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">cancer</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">women</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">strength</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">young</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">advocate</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">advocacy</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">mylife</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">mylifematters</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">tigerlily</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">inspiration</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">strength</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">overcome</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">parenting</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">children</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">tips</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">advice</span><span style="background: rgb(139, 97, 181); 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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-41369099536978652052017-05-12T13:42:00.002-07:002017-05-12T13:45:33.747-07:00Kelli Parker's MY LIFE Matters Podcast<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Join us on the latest podcast episode of the Tigerlily Foundation's MY LIFE Matters as Host, Erin McCarthy Azuse chats with Kelli Parker, a fierce advocate, loving mother, and beloved member of the MBC community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> #MBC #MYLIFE #MYLIFEMATTERS #TIGERLILYFOUNDATION #MBC #METS #METASTATIC #PODCAST #CANCERPODCAST #CONNECT #TLF #METSMONDAY #IAMSUSAN #STAGE4 #STAGEIV #DONTIGNORESTAGE4 #INSPIRATION #KELLI</span><br />
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-82996647960728297812017-04-15T10:34:00.002-07:002017-04-15T10:34:34.086-07:00Brain Metastasis Research: A Summary of Two Recent Reviews<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Many types of cancer are
capable of spreading or metastasizing to the brain including lung, breast,
melanoma and colorectal cancer. There is no cure for metastatic cancer of any
type, but treating brain metastasis poses unique challenges.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In two recent review
articles, President-Elect of the <a href="file:///C:/Users/Megan/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/BRKIQBO8/metastasis-research.org">Metastasis
Research Society</a>, Dr. Dihua Yu, and colleagues discuss what is currently known
about the complex biology of brain metastasis and which therapies or strategies
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The brain is unique. It supports and preserves neuron functions with
a network of specialised cells including astrocytes and microglia, and is
protected by the ‘blood-brain barrier,’ which separates the brain from the circulating
bloodstream. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So how do cancer cells
survive in the foreign environment of the brain and grow into metastatic brain
tumors? Simply put, these cells are endowed with aggressive traits that enable
them to cross the blood-brain barrier, escape recognition by anti-cancer immune
cells in the brain, use the existing brain vasculature for nourishment, and they
can even ‘educate’ other normal cells in the brain to support their growth and
survival. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Unfortunately, the aggressive
traits of metastatic brain tumors can also make them resistant to standard
systemic cancer therapy. In addition, more than 80% of patients with metastatic
brain cancer already have multiple metastatic tumors at the time of diagnosis,
making them ineligible for surgery. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dr. Yu and colleagues note
that the support of cancer growth in the brain by surrounding resident brain cells
is a major contributor to therapy resistance.
Therefore, counteracting the ability of metastatic cancer cells to communicate
with resident cells of the surrounding microenvironment should increase the
clinical benefit of standard therapies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It may also be possible to
target the unique metabolic needs of brain metastatic cancer cells
therapeutically. Metastatic cancer cells must alter their
metabolism to survive and grow in the brain.
For example, cancer cells can adapt to use neurotransmitters of the brain
as metabolites. Cancer cells may also
become addicted to certain metabolites that could potentially be limited. But,
the concept of targeting metastatic cancer cell metabolism isn’t ready for
primetime in the clinic because many aspects of these molecular pathways still
need to be clarified.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Much insight in the field of
brain metastasis is expected to come from studies with preclinical models that
recapitulate the entire metastatic process, and the intimate interactions between
tumor cells and cells within the tumor microenvironment (cells in the area
surrounding the brain tumor). Moreover, advancements in neuroimaging techniques
are providing new tools for live imaging.
This technology is increasing our understanding of metastasis in
experimental models and improving diagnostics in patients. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The extensive characterization
of genes (genomic characterization) and molecules that are transcribed from
genes to create proteins (transcriptomic characterization) in metastatic tumors
isolated from patients is also providing clues to how tumor cells that
metastasized to the brain differ from normal cells and from each other. Tumor cells may be heterogeneous (different)
and endowed with different molecular features and abilities even if they are
within the same tumor. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With this information, new
hypotheses on the molecular mechanisms that orchestrate the establishment and
progression of brain metastases are developing and creating new opportunities
to find therapies that target a specific molecular feature of brain metastatic
cancer cells. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In addition to targeted
molecular therapies, immunotherapies are emerging as a potentially efficacious strategy
for the treatment of brain metastases.
These therapies don’t target brain metastatic cancer cells themselves,
but instead enhance the function of immune cells to suppress tumor growth. Clinical investigations are now demonstrating
that the ability of immune checkpoint inhibitors to effectively inhibit metastatic
brain tumors is similar to their ability to treat metastatic tumors outside of
the brain. However, they could produce
severe side effects. This concept is
explored in another article <a href="http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v23/n2/full/nm.4286.html">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite encouraging progress
in this field, the clinical management of patients with brain metastases is still
challenging and financial support for studies on metastatic cancers is limited.
Further effort is required and active cooperation among biologists,
neuroscientists and oncologists is the key to targeting metastatic cells early
and from different fronts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Source
Articles</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Advances+in+breast+cancer+brain+metastasis+and+dihua+yu">C.
Zhang and D. Yu. Advances in decoding breast cancer brain metastasis. Cancer
Metastasis Reviews. 2016. 35:677-684.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Brain+metastasis%3A+unique+challenges+and+open+opportunities">F.J.
Lowry and D. Yu. Brain metastasis: unique challenges and open opportunities.
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 2017. 1867:49-57.</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilU0ZKUF6vh8gIkid8NZKltw14B-BygZ3yhfwUhRnRNx5XcSdCjbPI7wZGJ3DLwoYdbtMsrPb6MC13OAmU1lsOQvstQJixjLT5ovCym51NorvGzPrVrF8_bbNTSrFH0vMvFXeazRUev1cr/s1600/Complete+MRS+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilU0ZKUF6vh8gIkid8NZKltw14B-BygZ3yhfwUhRnRNx5XcSdCjbPI7wZGJ3DLwoYdbtMsrPb6MC13OAmU1lsOQvstQJixjLT5ovCym51NorvGzPrVrF8_bbNTSrFH0vMvFXeazRUev1cr/s320/Complete+MRS+Logo.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">About the Metastasis Research Society<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Metastasis Research Society (MRS) is a 31 year-old,
non-profit, international professional society for researchers, clinicians,
members of industry, and entrepreneurs who are dedicated to solving the problem
of cancer metastasis. The mission of the MRS is to support progressive
research on any processes fundamental to metastasis. This includes supporting
the exchange of information between all stakeholders in metastasis research and
treatment via conferences, networking events, webinars, and the two official
journals of the society (<i>Clinical and Experimental Metastasis</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Cancer
and Metastasis Reviews</i>). We also strive to educate the public about
metastatic cancer, and raise awareness about the funding discrepancy for
metastatic research worldwide.<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"><br /></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;">
We encourage you to join our efforts and support metastatic cancer research and
metastatic patient education globally by becoming an MRS member. Click<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: red;"><a href="http://metastasis-research.org/benefits-membership" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;">to view membership
categories and benefits, and join today. Follow the MRS on</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: red;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: red;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/metastasisresearch/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Facebook</span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;">and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: red;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MetastasisRS" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Twitter</span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;">for up-to-date metastasis-related news. Email </span><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="mailto:metastasis.research@gmail.com"><span style="background: white;">metastasis.research@gmail.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white;"> for more information.</span></span><br />
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-22625628457781710932017-04-05T08:34:00.000-07:002017-04-05T08:34:42.028-07:00Northwest Arkansas Metsquerade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLp3Xb73nUZQyfb4dZpNhg2QVMzxlAoVpriiStGCx43g7JnHIA3IqB8PGzdozXDA2vmNaVdKm7r7QkW3TuV5M6kWDMzN7TkwwPf1z3I3sxBpu5wDq8r8HYtM_EXYJzVg0bST3zivaqLQV/s1600/Metsquerade-banner-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLp3Xb73nUZQyfb4dZpNhg2QVMzxlAoVpriiStGCx43g7JnHIA3IqB8PGzdozXDA2vmNaVdKm7r7QkW3TuV5M6kWDMzN7TkwwPf1z3I3sxBpu5wDq8r8HYtM_EXYJzVg0bST3zivaqLQV/s640/Metsquerade-banner-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "noticia text"; font-size: 24px;">How the </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Noticia Text"; font-size: 24px;">Northwest Arkansas Metsquerade</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "noticia text"; font-size: 24px;"> came to be:</span><br />
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Pink ribbons are all around us in October and April announcing the seasons of Breast Cancer “awareness” throughout the country. Hundreds of millions of dollars are raised nationally for Breast Cancer, but a very small portion of this money is being allocated for Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC). And while there is plenty of giving going on, there are very few advocates and organizations for MBC. One of our local outspoken advocates is Kelli Parker of Bella Vista, Arkansas. She was diagnosed at 26 with stage 1 breast cancer and metastasized to stage 4 by the age of 33. She did everything the early detection/awareness campaigns said she was supposed to do—double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, hysterectomy, hormonal therapy, and more. Kelli realized that the current awareness and early detection approach is not working and is fighting for Metastatic Breast Cancer patients around the country and world.</div>
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One of the organizations she supports is <a href="http://www.metavivor.org/" style="background: transparent; color: #6dbc69; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">METAvivor</a>, a non-profit run primarily by women with MBC, which uses <b style="margin-bottom: 0px;">100% of donations for research</b>. 100%–this is unheard of in the non-profit sector. Imagine donating money to an organization that will maximize every dollar toward its goal. Knowing that the only key to making MBC a controllable chronic illness instead of a terminal one is more research, Kelli decided to throw her support to METAvivor.</div>
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In 2016 she came up with The First Annual Northwest Arkansas METSquerade idea as a way for the local community to specifically support the individuals with the only breast cancer that kills. She joined forces with another Northwest Arkansas woman with MBC, Lisa Quinn, to help make the Metsquerade happen. Lisa, age 37, was diagnosed with MBC in July 2015. She had no previous history with breast cancer. The idea behind the Metsquerade is to provide METAvivor with additional money to help research MBC, raise awareness to MBC, and to acknowledge the women and men living with metastatic breast cancer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoj6_vqYSa34joayMStO-v6_RXoDRZvQiJGkJJ9lN4vsUMXk28jkFuj4CL3E1j0xHjTBrnR8MfaMsmAGDb1qWii9yVZikWIs8Jt6hB1tAV1xU3Iwg24k4UG1UqhKv6pRRXt_MwPf44PLrb/s1600/co-founders.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoj6_vqYSa34joayMStO-v6_RXoDRZvQiJGkJJ9lN4vsUMXk28jkFuj4CL3E1j0xHjTBrnR8MfaMsmAGDb1qWii9yVZikWIs8Jt6hB1tAV1xU3Iwg24k4UG1UqhKv6pRRXt_MwPf44PLrb/s320/co-founders.png" width="316" /></a></div>
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2016 <strong>Success</strong></h3>
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The 2016 Metsquerade was an enormous success! The event raised over $130,000 and was able to donate over $100,000 after event costs to Metavivor. The amount of money raised in the first year will fund two years of metastatic breast cancer research.</div>
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2016 <strong>Sponsors</strong></h3>
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The 2016 NWA Metsquerade sponsors included Diamond Sponsor <i>40/29</i>, Gold Sponsors <i>Coldwell Banker Harris McHaney & Faucette Real Estate </i>& <i>Embassy Suites</i>, Silver Sponsors <i>Slim Chickens</i>, <i>Hunt Ventures</i>, & <i>Walmart</i>, Elite Sponsor <i>Harps Foods</i>, and Plus Sponsor <i style="margin-bottom: 0px;">Highlands Oncology</i>.</div>
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About <strong>METAvivor</strong></h3>
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“<a href="http://www.metavivor.org/" style="background: transparent; color: #6dbc69; cursor: pointer; margin-bottom: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">METAvivor</a> is dedicated to the specific fight of women and men living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. At the time of METAvivor’s founding, no organization was dedicated to funding research for the disease and no patient groups were speaking out about the death of stage 4 cancer research. While more and more people have taken up the cry for more stage IV research, METAvivor remains the sole US organization dedicated to awarding annual stage IV breast cancer research.”</div>
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METAvivor’s <strong>Mission</strong></h3>
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“METAvivor exists to sustain hope for those living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Passionately committed patients ourselves, we rally public attention to the urgent needs of the MBC community, help patients find strength through support and purpose, and make every dollar count as we work with researchers to regain longevity with quality of life.”</div>
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What METAvivor <strong>Does</strong></h3>
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<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px;"><em style="color: #128391; margin-bottom: 0px;">Awareness</em></strong></div>
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“We bring attention to the specific issues of stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, and raise public awareness about the facts of the disease. With 30% of breast cancer patients metastasizing, our goal is to see to it that 30% of breast cancer support and funding for research is dedicated to metastatic breast cancer.”</div>
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<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px;"><em style="color: #128391; margin-bottom: 0px;">Research</em></strong></div>
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“METAvivor awards research grants to individuals with a clinical or other doctoral degree who are actively engaged in areas of metastatic breast cancer research and whose proposals show distinct promise in making a difference for the stage 4 breast cancer community. The goal of our funding efforts is to transition metastatic breast cancer from a terminal diagnosis to a chronic, manageable disease with a decent quality of life.”</div>
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<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px;"><em style="color: #128391; margin-bottom: 0px;">Funding</em></strong></div>
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“METAvivor is run entirely by volunteers, most of who are living with metastatic breast cancer. Although we do not pay any salaries, we work to obtain grants and corporate sponsors to support our operation expenses. This allows us to ensure that donations can be entirely dedicated to our research grants that fund the cutting edge research that will ultimately save lives. Unless otherwise specified by the donor, 100% of every donation and 100% of proceeds from every fundraiser (after event expenses) goes into our research grants.”</div>
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To donate, attend, or learn more, please visit the <a href="http://www.nwamets.org/" target="_blank">NWA Metsquerade</a> event page.</div>
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-6645603028943839842017-03-31T08:05:00.003-07:002017-04-03T07:35:58.367-07:00Self-advocacy and Parenting with Cancer Podcast <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/my-life-matters/id1177665833?mt=2" target="_blank">Available on iTunes</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.buzzsprout.com/71822"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Buzzsprout Page</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Join us on the fifth podcast episode of Tigerlily Foundation's MY LIFE Matters as </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Host, Erin, chats with Jennifer Campisano about how</span> to be your best advocate and overcoming the hurdles of parenting after a cancer diagnosis.</span><br />
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<span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">breastcancer</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">MBC</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">metastatic</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">metastasis</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">family</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">cancer</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">women</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">strength</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">young</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">advocate</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">advocacy</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">mylife</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">mylifematters</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">tigerlily</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">inspiration</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; padding: 2px 10px 4px;">strength</span><span style="background: rgb(139 , 97 , 181); border-radius: 20px; color: white; display: inline-block; font-family: "lato" , "nelvetic neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" ,; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 5px; 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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-68131013084384037292017-03-23T08:20:00.002-07:002017-03-23T17:25:59.454-07:00Rebecca's Ode to Beth Calabotta<div class="post-content" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6d6e71;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I don’t know what to do so I’m doing this, I’m writing. I am consumed by that horrible, helpless feeling that comes when someone you love is suffering and there is nothing you can do to stop it. I can stand here from across the country and connect with other people in her life and let her know that we are praying for her, thinking of her, crying for her, loving her, and staying present for her as much as we possibly can at this difficult time. I want to honor my friend Beth and let her know how loved she is by so many people. I want her to know what an impact she has had on this horrible disease. She has educated so many about the realities of metastatic breast cancer. She has bravely shared her story, time, DNA, brilliant mind and so much more to help prevent others from suffering as she has. I want her to know what an impact she has had on me. Her fierce, unwavering determination and dedication to do as much as we can as fast as we can to eradicate MBC energizes me every step of the way in fighting for this cause. So many of her brilliant ideas have helped shaped how I think about the disease and how we need to research and fund it. Beth thinks big but then she takes the time to attend to details and to people. She has no ego, no stake in any of it. Beth has known for some time that she would not benefit from the research and advocacy she has done so much to advance. Yet, even in her darkest hours, her most painful moments, she is still churning out ideas, emails, phone calls to help prevent others from experiencing this suffering. She is one of those rare individuals who is not only beloved by the entire MBC community and beyond, but she is truly revered. She is universally respected and admired as well as loved – and that is no small thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I went swimming the other day at an indoor pool. I mean really swimming – like actual laps – not just wading my cankles in to cool off kind of swimming. I thought of Beth the whole time. I hadn’t swam laps in years, but my doctors keep recommending it because of the severe joint pain I have caused by the cancer meds. As I eased into the rhythmic breathing and movements of my limbs gliding through the soft water – it occurred to me how much this sport – that she loved so much – suited Beth. Swimming is a tough sport. You have to be strong. You have to work at it to build stamina. You have to be dedicated. You have to know how to stay afloat and move at the same time. You have to multi-task – breathe, move, rotate, kick, pull, flip, push and glide. It is silent and often solitary – although Beth formed an incredible camaraderie with her swimming pals with whom she has strong and unbreakable bonds. You have to think, or deliberately not think as there are few distractions. You have to be self-reliant, driven, disciplined and self-motivated. It is for people with strong minds, bodies and hearts. Someone like Beth.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheC0J_M5M3D5edaFkNPHf51cz6IqFrFJUsIFgeS2_qX4LSnR9pcLyOod8U8LN8b-z11Ct_EDtbzLicd5NyuNGWb-YOl4pWzEEv1ZARaudXackJt5DgEmK2HaEUDLa44nUFtjZkwMzvDjRB/s1600/Bethc.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheC0J_M5M3D5edaFkNPHf51cz6IqFrFJUsIFgeS2_qX4LSnR9pcLyOod8U8LN8b-z11Ct_EDtbzLicd5NyuNGWb-YOl4pWzEEv1ZARaudXackJt5DgEmK2HaEUDLa44nUFtjZkwMzvDjRB/s400/Bethc.png" width="267" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I don’t know what to do, but I know that I want to let Beth know all of these things that I think about her. I want her husband Dave, and her parents and her family to know all of this and more, what so many others think about our beloved Beth Calabotta.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">I asked a small group of people in the MBC community who know and love Beth as I do, to each give me a word to describe her. This is what I got back.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Beth Calabotta believed in me and in The Cancer Couch from its infancy. She encouraged me, helped me, rallied around this foundation, and played a huge role in getting us where we are today and where we are going. Beth generously donated the funds from her annual Beth Calabotta Swim Challenge to The Cancer Couch. Planning is already underway for this year’s swim, not only in Illinois, but also here in CT – my sister and her amazing crew in Cheshire are hosting a Beth Calabotta Swim Challenge in her honor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you would like more information on hosting a swim challenge of your own for The Cancer Couch in Beth’s honor, or participating in one, contact carrie@wellnessdatasolutions.com </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">or vmciampi@gmail.com. A portion of the proceeds from all the swim challenges will go back to the fund set up in Beth’s name at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Illinois as an angel fund to help MBC patients in financial need. A brick is also being placed in the garden there in Beth’s honor.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Beth, you make me want to swim.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>You make me want to never stop fighting for MBC funding and advocacy.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>You make me want to be a better person.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Thank you for giving all of us a shining example of the very best a human being can be.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I love YOU to the moon and back my friend</span><span style="font-family: "pt sans" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">.</span></b><br />
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-44083031531263961882017-03-09T14:07:00.000-08:002017-03-09T14:08:34.511-08:00Preserving Fertility in Women Undergoing Chemotherapy<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />Infertility caused by chemotherapy is an unfortunate problem that many cancer patients face. Although chemotherapy can be effective for treating cancer in young women and girls, their ability to conceive following chemotherapy is markedly reduced. A <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Chemo-impacts-female-fertility-more-than-thought-2310393.php">2010 study conducted at UCSF</a> found that up to 23% of women can have trouble conceiving after chemotherapy, yet only 5% received fertility counseling, and only 4% took action to preserve their fertility.<br /><br />Ovaries are particularly sensitive to and are more affected by chemotherapy, which can irreversibly damage oocytes (eggs) and the ovarian follicles they develop in. This is why chemotherapy is described as gonadotoxic. However, several options are currently available to preserve fertility in women with cancer to give them the opportunity to become mothers after undergoing chemotherapy. These options include embryo freezing, oocyte freezing and ovarian autotransplantation.<br />In a 2015 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4722873/">Cancer and Metastasis Reviews</a> article (a journal associated with the <a href="http://metastasis-research.org/">Metastasis Research Society</a>) Dr. Teresa K. Woodruff and colleagues describe what ovarian autotransplantation is and discuss its' advantages and disadvantages. We are summarizing the information in this article now with the hope that it will encourage women undergoing chemotherapy to talk to their oncologists about fertility options and enable them to make more informed choices regarding their reproductive future.<br /><br />The process of autotransplantation involves freezing a patient’s ovarian tissue, storing it while the patient undergoes chemotherapy, and then transplanting it back into the patient to allow them to resume regular reproductive function. The procedure is approved for teenage girls and young women (approximately age 15-42), especially those undergoing gonadotoxic treatments for cancers such as breast cancer.<br />Ovarian autotransplantion is considered the most promising procedure for preserving fertility in comparison to embryo and oocyte freezing because: (i) it does not require additional procedures, (ii) it allows patients to begin chemotherapeutic treatment immediately, and (iii) it can restore full reproductive functionality after cancer treatment. So far, autotransplantation has resulted in 40 healthy babies worldwide.<br />However, ovarian autotransplantation is not a technically easy procedure. It is a very sophisticated procedure that requires a highly skilled team of oncologists, gynecologists, biologists, and surgeons, and it may not be suitable for all patients. One of the major challenges is avoiding the reintroduction of cancer cells into the body of the woman. It is critical to thoroughly analyze samples of the tissue to be transplanted for any sign of remaining tumor cells.<br /> <br />Still, ovarian autotransplantation is an exciting and promising option for fertility preservation and offers a beacon of hope for female cancer patients. Researchers are actively working together to further guarantee the preservation of a woman’s fertility and we are making great strides. Now, we also need to raise awareness among young women in the cancer community so that they know to discuss fertility options with their doctors prior to undergoing cancer therapies such as chemotherapy that are known to be toxic to the reproductive system.<br /> <br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Senior Editor:<br /><a href="http://metastasis-research.org/author/kate-bankaitis-phd">Kate Bankaitis PhD</a></span></span></div>
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Article Provided by Metastasis Research Society<br /><br /><br />The Metastasis Research Society (MRS) is a 31 year-old, non-profit, international professional society for researchers, clinicians, members of industry, and entrepreneurs who are dedicated to solving the problem of cancer metastasis. The mission of the MRS is to support progressive research on any processes fundamental to metastasis. This includes supporting the exchange of information between all stakeholders in metastasis research and treatment via conferences, networking events, webinars, and the two official journals of the society (Clinical and Experimental Metastasis and Cancer and Metastasis Reviews). We also strive to educate the public about metastatic cancer, and raise awareness about the funding discrepancy for metastatic research worldwide.<br /><br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We encourage you to join our efforts and support metastatic cancer research and metastatic patient education globally by becoming an MRS member. Click <a href="http://metastasis-research.org/benefits-membership">here</a> to view membership categories and benefits, and join today. Follow the MRS on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/metastasisresearch/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MetastasisRS">Twitter</a> for up-to-date metastasis-related news. Email <a href="mailto:metastasis.research@gmail.com">metastasis.research@gmail.com</a> for more information.</span><br />
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-59968297752685417592017-02-28T13:17:00.001-08:002017-04-03T07:36:10.400-07:00Bald Ballerina Podcast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/my-life-matters/id1177665833?mt=2" target="_blank">Available on iTunes</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />Join us on the fourth podcast episode of Tigerlily Foundation's MY LIFE Matters as Host, Erin McCarthy Azuse chats with Maggie Kudirka, 23 years young, Maggie Kudirka was a member of the Joffrey Concert Group in NYC when she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in June 2014. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> #MBC #MYLIFE #MYLIFEMATTERS #TIGERLILYFOUNDATION #MBC #METS #METASTATIC #PODCAST #CANCERPODCAST #CONNECT #TLF #METSMONDAY #IAMSUSAN #STAGE4 #STAGEIV #DONTIGNORESTAGE4 #INSPIRATION #BALDBALLERINA </span><br />
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<script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.buzzsprout.com/71822.js?player=large" type="text/javascript"></script>Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-51590071222841984282017-02-23T12:55:00.003-08:002017-02-23T12:55:19.396-08:00How a Disney Princess Helped Me Discover My New Normal<header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #545454; font-family: "Playfair Regular"; font-size: 16px; padding: 20px 0px 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was <a href="http://prettywellness.com/about-me/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2b70bf; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none !important; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer</a> in the Fall of 2013. The news was shocking and sobering, especially considering I knew very few people who thrived with it. Scared beyond comprehension, filled with sleepless nights and worries dancing through my head, I thought I knew what that diagnosis meant. At the same time, publicity ramped up for Disney’s “Frozen,” but I didn’t pay attention. The movie opened Thanksgiving weekend and after the holidays, the world knew it was not only a box office hit, but the key to a young girl’s heart. I didn’t realize, it would be to mine, as well.</div>
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As the world was singing “Do you Want to Build a Snowman, ” I was anxiously awaiting my first set of scans after being diagnosed. My mind was filled with wildly ranging thoughts:</div>
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Was this the calm before the storm? Would the results show tremendous growth and I would only have a few months or years left?</div>
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If so, would my child really know me? Should we tell him or not?</div>
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Will my new treatments debilitate me? Will I feel like myself? Will I be myself?</div>
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With great luck, blessings and positive vibes, I received some good news mid-January. The cancer was stable. All things considering, it was the best news we could receive. I was thankful that my low-volume, oligometastatsis, stage IV metastatic disease didn’t rage its ugly head. However, the truth about stage IV disease is that the cancer has traveled through my blood and could be lurking in other places. My doctors can’t be sure it will not grow again. Science doesn’t really know. And in many cases, cancer will resist drugs after working well for a time period. So while I was relieved that the cancer hadn’t spread and happy to stay on my current treatment because the side effects were minimal, I felt empty.</div>
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What does this mean? Just because my cancer isn’t growing now, what if it returns? Do I jump into my old life now that we better understand how to handle my cancer today? But how can I do that knowing I need to take care of myself differently? Life no longer has to be put on hold assessing my state of health, so it was about to get back to normal. Yet, what was normal?</div>
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Normal was me prioritizing work or graduate school near the top of my list.</div>
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Normal was me trying to jam pack my days with family, friends, acquaintances, school, work and the list making goes on…</div>
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Normal was seldom exercising, eating a ton of packaged goods and drinking caffeine to keep me awake through the day.</div>
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Normal was me trying to be perfect in all of my big roles: superstar employee, top of the list graduate student, incredibly supportive wife and a hands-on mother.</div>
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After all the reading and inquiring about <a href="http://prettywellness.com/confessions-of-a-diet-dr-pepper-addict-gone-green/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2b70bf; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none !important; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">plant-based eating</a> and optimal wellness those first few months after the stage IV diagnosis, I knew I couldn’t get back to that stressful lifestyle. I often thought: how do I figure out the new normal? Will the dark cloud of cancer always loom over my life? The first few weeks after the good news, I was living off the high, but still wondering what was next for me. One Saturday afternoon, I took my then five-year-old to see “Frozen.” While the movie theater was packed with a choir of families decked in Frozen-mania swag, it hit me. Elsa, who hid her true identity, finally ran free dancing up the mountains in blizzard conditions, allowing the force of nature to take over resulting in a crystallized winter wonderland. I realized I, too, had to “Let it Go.”</div>
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My body was shaking, holding back tears. The easiest way for me to deal with my new normal was to let go of my old expectations and embrace what was in front of me right now. Take the life I have with cancer and make it the life I want it to be.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNu2kyRTtKRbZINHEP6wGaw4b7AbeTlihuHPN9I_j7uQXU9QKkO0V0x-fLSgf7p1P2DPWYf9I7n-6fme8JuHQlUIPHxOfraYlrcCLBTSSnYusXmO3gPitr2fCxDWmkuUFz0MDWujVUCJs/s1600/aboutme1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNu2kyRTtKRbZINHEP6wGaw4b7AbeTlihuHPN9I_j7uQXU9QKkO0V0x-fLSgf7p1P2DPWYf9I7n-6fme8JuHQlUIPHxOfraYlrcCLBTSSnYusXmO3gPitr2fCxDWmkuUFz0MDWujVUCJs/s1600/aboutme1.jpg" /></a>So now I’ve used Idina Menzel’s rendition as my theme song. Rather than jump back into my old <span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">stressful habits, I’m exploring the potential of opportunities in front of me and handling them with different tools. I now prioritize exercise and down-time. I’m writing more and enjoying speaking engagements on subjects I love: health and wellness. I’m involved in my son’s classroom and school. And I still love and honor my husband as my true Prince Charming. Do I worry of the cancer returning? Of course, but I try to give myself some time to accept each appointment milestone or setback, then move forward. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">I never wanted to be defined as a Caryn with cancer, but maybe all of us survivors can be seen as royalty in a kingdom of wellness, compassion and love. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Because that is what my new normal is focused on.</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How have you dealt with hardship and embraced change?</strong></div>
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-28468944919509906842017-02-06T11:45:00.003-08:002017-02-07T10:36:00.419-08:00EXPOSED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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EXPOSED: AnaOno x #Cancerland Sends Diverse Breast Cancer Survivors Down the Runway at Powerful New York Fashion Week Show</h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>New York, NY Jan 30 2017 </b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">- <a href="https://www.anaono.com/">AnaOno</a>, the leading </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">lingerie and loungewear line designed for breast cancer survivors, by a breast </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">cancer survivor, is thrilled to show its Spring/Summer 2017 Collection at <a href="http://www.artheartsfashion.com/new-york-.html">Art Hearts Fashion</a> New York Fashion Week this February, a philanthropic-minded runway collective showcasingboth emerging and established designers. In partnership with <a href="http://cancerland.tv/">#Cancerland</a>, a New York based non-profit dedicated to providing support and services to women in the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">fight against breast cancer, AnaOno is proud to showcase the beauty, strength </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">and determination of breast cancer survivors by exclusively casting real-womenmodels living with varying stages of breast cancer to walk the show. AnaOno x </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">#Cancerland EXPOSED will take place at Art Hearts Fashion New York Fashion Week </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">on Sunday, February 12 at 5 p.m. at the <a href="http://www.orensanzevents.com/contact.html">Angel Orensanz Center</a> (172 Norfolk </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">Street) on the Lower East Side.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">AnaOno designer and fellow survivor Dana Donofree is honored to send her collection down the runway on a powerful, diverse group of all real-women models. Led by #Cancerland founder and fearless breast cancer advocate <a href="http://cancerland.tv/about.html">Champagne Joy</a>, models range from previvors to survivors, a ballet dancer to a tattoo artist; a musician to public figures. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">Encompassing varying stages of breast cancer diagnoses, surgery and reconstructionchoices as well as surgical scarring, all 15 women walking the show are set to </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">determination in fighting through the battle. Bravely expose the reality of breast cancer alongside their own strength and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> determination in fighting through the battle.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to show that these inspiring women walking our runway are no different than any other woman walking New York Fashion Week, or sitting in the audience or even riding the subway or walking into your neighborhood coffee with breast cancer or have a genetic marker, have breasts or have none, have shop,” says Donofree. “We want to show that whether you have been diagnosed are still empowered, strong and sexy!” visible scarring or even tattoos in place of nipples, it doesn't matter. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You are still empowered, strong and sexy!”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">In regards to the partnership, Joy affirms: “It is my honor to call Dana [Donofree] my friend, and I cannot be happier to have her brand AnaOno represent the ladies of #Cancerland. To bring together these elements of women who have been transformed, who are willing to be exposed, on the world’s stage of fashion and beauty is to bring powerful, needed awareness that this disease is affecting all of us.”</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">An otherwise invitation-only event, a select amount of tickets to the AnaOno x #Cancerland show are open to the public. 100% of all ticket sales will go to directly benefit breast cancer</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Admission) to $1500.00 (VIP Experience Package) through <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cancerland-x-anaono-exposed-nyfw-art-hearts-fashion-parties-tickets-31434332936?aff=efbeventtix">EventBrite</a>. Now throughpatients through #Cancerland, currently available from $33.00 (General</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">February 8th, supporters can also enter to win two General Admission tickets</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">(retail value $66.00) to AnaOno x #Cancerland by completing a short entry form</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">on <a href="https://www.anaono.com/pages/nyfw">AnaOno.com</a>, no purchase required. Through February 2nd, supporters may also bid to win the VIP Experience Package for two (retail value $3000.00) through <a href="https://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/2-tickets-to-cancerland-x-anaono-exposed-show-on-feb-12-1239900">CharityBuzz.com</a>.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>About AnaOno</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">technical construction are unparalleled in the market today, and takes the guessingout of bra shopping for survivors and women living with breast cancer. All shapes, sizes and surgeries are taken into account, from bilateral to Dana Donofree knows first-hand what it’s like to battle breast cancer and wish unilateral to FLAP surgery to enhancement. All AnaOno styles are designed with beauty, femininity and utmost comfort, as Founder/Designer and fellow survivor for well-fitting, comfortable lingerie and loungewear.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">Together, AnaOno Intimates, Recovery Loungewear and the recently debuted MAKEMERRY Collection by AnaOno present a full suite of stylish, comfortable and functional lingerie and lounge solutions (some that may even be covered by insurance) conscientiously designed</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">beyond. for the beginning of the journey to surgery, radiation, recovery and life</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">The AnaOno mission is to build confidence and redefine what it means to be “sexy” while opening a space for survivors to communicate with one another and share their stories. Dana’s idea for the future of AnaOno is beyond providing beauty and quality in a product,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;">wants survivors and women battling breast cancer to know you are NEVER ALONE. <a href="http://www.anaono.com/">www.anaono.com</a> it is about providing beauty and quality in life.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><br />
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-45398106257644034692017-02-01T07:46:00.001-08:002017-02-01T13:20:12.688-08:00Renee in Cancerland Podcast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />Join us on the third podcast episode of Tigerlily Foundation's MY LIFE Matters as Host, Erin McCarthy Azuse chats with Renee Linke Sendelbach, author and a Stage IV breast cancer thriver, mommy, wife, and artist, learning to enjoy and appreciate life despite having a terminal disease. #MYLIFE #MYLIFEMATTERS #CANCERANDCOMEDY #TIGERLILYFOUNDATION #MBC #METS #METASTATIC #PODCAST #CANCERPODCAST #CONNECT #TLF #METSMONDAY #IAMSUSAN #STAGE4 #STAGEIV #DONTIGNORESTAGE4 #RENEEINCANCERLAND#Renee Sendelbach#INSPIRATION</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Join us on the second podcast episode of Tigerlily Foundation's MY LIFE Matters as Host, Erin McCarthy Azuse chats with Annie Bond about living with metastatic breast cancer while pursuing her dreams of being a comedian. #MYLIFE #MYLIFEMATTERS #CANCERANDCOMEDY #TIGERLILYFOUNDATION #MBC #METS #METASTATIC #PODCAST #CANCERPODCAST #CONNECT #DREAMS #COMEDY #ANNIEBOND #TLF #METSMONDAY #IAMSUSAN #STAGE4 #STAGEIV #DONTIGNORESTAGE4</span></span><br />
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-65939279049416285222016-12-16T15:13:00.001-08:002016-12-16T15:15:49.574-08:00Renee in Cancerland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">How did I end up here I often wonder?<br /><br />Let me start from the start and make this as quick and easy as possible. I am going to use what me and my other Lifer friends call “cancer talk.”<br /><br />Age 30: Stage 1, Triple Negative breast cancer.<br /><br />I did what I was told: chemo (A/C x 4 and Taxol x 4); lumpectomy; 36 radiation treatments.<br /><br />After surgery, I was informed that I had had a complete pathological response to the chemo treatment. Pretty much that I had NO cancer left for them to remover during surgery. <br /><br />GREAT I thought. I did kick cancer’s a*s.<br /><br />Almost 16 months later, I was approved for my yearly CT scan to make sure all was still well. I honestly thought nothing of this appointment because I thought me having a complete pathological response meant I was good to go.<br /><br />I thought wrong.<br /><br />Really wrong.<br /><br />I was told the breast cancer had spread to my bones and lungs. I honestly had NO idea this was possible. I mean, I thought breast cancer meant in my breast. I was quickly educated on how little I actually knew about Breast Cancer. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />I started with abraxane which didn’t work. My tumor grew while on it, which was VERY traumatic to me. I thought it was going to be like when I did chemo for Stage 1…one chemo and done.<br /><br />I moved on to carboplatin and gemzar plus a trial of BSI-201. After 6 weeks, we scanned and it showed I was NED. No one wanted to believe it, so I kept on this combo for 6 months until my body could not rebound. The decision was made for me to stay on just the trial BSI-201. <br /><br />All was great for 8 months until I was walking down some stairs when my right side went numb. I called my oncologist, and she said to go straight to the ER. After an MRI, I was told I had a mass in my brain about the size of a tennis ball.<br /><br />After brain surgery, I thought I was all clean again. That didn’t last long. In November my leg went numb again, so back to the MRI machine. Another mass was there…in the exact same place. Surgery again. 6 months went by with me recovering again, and the same symptoms appeared and I just knew that the cancer was back. It was. 3rd brain surgery in 9 months. Recovered once again and all was well for some time.<br /><br />This May I had to get a bone biopsy because all my counts had been continually falling. The biopsy showed that I have MDS (pre-leukemia). From then to September I was able to get chemo while the search for a bone marrow donor was on. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">As of now, two 100% matches have been found for my bone marrow transplant! I should have an answer from one on Monday! I can’t even start to explain the excitement, fear and so much more that is going on in me.<br /><br />So for now, that is my story. I pray to add that after the bone marrow transplant, I stay clear of any kind of cancer!<br /><br /><br />-Renee Sendelbach</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Renee-Cancerland-Sendelbach/dp/098589475X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427887963&sr=8-1&keywords=renee+in+cancerland" target="_blank">Renee In Cancerland - The Book</a><br /></span>Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-12148046034796930222016-11-22T09:24:00.001-08:002016-12-01T08:48:47.842-08:00My Life Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Welcome to the next way to connect with one another in the MBC community, My Life Matters. The Tigerlily Foundation's podcast series dedicated to sharing the perspectives of and learning about the unique challenges facing young women living with metastatic breast cancer, the MBC community and what they are doing to change it. <br /><br />My Life Matters is hosted by Freelance health writer Erin Azuse RN, BSN, and features guests discussing topics such as the importance of clinical trials, balancing life and cancer. The conversations with guests are filled with honesty, stories of remarkable strength, and insight into relevant clinical topics.<br /><br />Monthly episodes will be released on the 1st of each month and posted on the My Life Blog and will also be available in the<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/my-life-matters/id1177665833?mt=2" target="_blank"> iTunes Store. </a><br /><br />Thank you to everyone that has contributed and we look forward to sharing this powerful series with everyone in the Metastatic Community.<br /><br /><br />Warmly,<br />Tigerlily Team</i></span><br />
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<script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.buzzsprout.com/71822.js?player=small" type="text/javascript"></script>Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-89374534390842302222016-11-07T12:31:00.002-08:002016-11-10T10:49:40.435-08:00Scan-xiety<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It all starts with <i><b>"it's time to schedule your scans again" </b></i>this is when I turn into a fading flower.<br /><br />I was this vibrant, I can conquer the world,<b> F cancer</b> type of person, then it all goes downhill as each day and moment gets closer to scan day. I literally wait 4 days before I can even muster up the courage to schedule the scans. <br /><br />Scan-xiety (scan anxiety) is a term those with cancer is familiar with. When you have cancer no matter the stage, you have to get some sort of scan of your body to make sure there isn't any cancer progression rather it be a MRI(brain, breast, back etc.), bone scan, ultrasound, CT,&/or PET scan. <br /><br /><b><i>Why do we freak out??!!?</i> </b>Welp, it's simple. I don't like the fact a machine is looking for something or finding anything else in my body that even blinks cancer. When you have stage IV metastatic breast cancer the goal is to keep it contained in the current locations. You want it to "stop freeze" remain where you are and be silent or shrink in that same location. Don't you MOVE, not even one inch. <br /><br />This scan process occurs typically every 3 months. The time from making the scans appointment until the day of reckoning (results) with your provider, is <b>scary as hell</b>!!!Why? Why get all worked up about it?? It's just a diagnostic study...<br /><br />Let me paint an image of how stressful this process actually is. The week before the scan you get pre-scan syndrome. Nerves going haywire, every ache and pain you feel, you think its progression which leads to you paying closer attention to it. Is this new? Have I felt this before? Did the pain heighten? Irritability, frustrations and freak out mode sets and it don't go away until you receive the results. <br /><br />The night before the scans there is no sleep, insomnia is your friend. I start to ponder on my previous scans and try to remember the image so IF I even get a glimpse of my scan image I can try to identify if there is a "new" spot. <br /><br />The day of the scans is an <b>ALL </b>day process. In addition to the anxiety, you are restricted from eating, you have to drink contrast, your cold, you have to fill out paperwork with repetitive questions, and you may have to deal with people who have an attitude when they check you in while your silently cursing them out in your brain, "look, dang it...I have cancer and I'm scared as crap your making it worse”. Being outside the oncology department can be a daunting process because the sensitivity level decreases drastically. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I usually have 2 scans scheduled that day, sometimes 3 if it's my year for a MRI of the brain scan. After getting an IV, I get injected at the nuclear medicine department with this substance that I call “Hulk juice” it’s the same gamma rays used to turn hulk into the angry green man. This radioactive dye is attracted to all the cancer spots in my body new and old. I then have to wait 3 hours and drink tons of fluids so I can get a full body scan from head to toe which is similar to getting a 45 minutes long x-ray. You have to lay completely motionless in this freezing cold room. If there are cancer present in the bones, the spots will become brighter on the images. This is an image of one of my actual bone scans.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />After the “<b><i>hulk</i></b>” injection I am now radioactive for 3 days meaning I could set off the metal detectors. Once I am done with the injection I go over to the CT department and obtain my “lemonade” flavored contrast drink. It’s about a liter of fluid that I must complete within 2 hours. During this time I am still starving from hunger. Once I return after 2 hours to CT, I am then lying in this noisy machine that has me hold my breath multiple times and injected with IV contrast that makes me feel like a hot fire pit and as if I peed myself. This is a 10 minute process but a lot is going on at once. <br /><br /> All my scans are now completed for the day, I am very loopy because I needed anti-anxiety medications to keep me calm and lying still. This day takes me 6 hours and leaves me hungry and exhausted. I return home and is now nauseated from the contrast and I occasionally vomit. Then we WAIT…wait…and wait… until results are received and this could take potentially 2 weeks. So you worry for 2 more weeks. The results will be the cancer is stable with no progression or we have new cancer spots which proves we have progressed and will now need a new treatment regimen with a whole new set of side effects. <b>YAY</b>!!</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>It’s hard to overcome this emotion but you do</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> your best, this procedure has to be done. Find ways that will ease you. Bring a friend, watch some Netflix while you wait to keep your mind off things, ask for warm blankets (that always make me feel warm on the inside), get a prescription for anti-anxiety medications so you can just sleep through it, or ask to listen to some music in the room.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br />This is why we fear the scans and how it gives those with metastatic breast cancer Scan-xiety. We must endure this for the rest of our lives, until there is a cure for cancer. We will bloom again!!</b></span><br />
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-16434802870690102992016-10-24T13:52:00.000-07:002016-10-24T13:54:24.974-07:00MyLifeLine.org<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjskZdCtmGTBBjGJXq6kLDLhkIf6uUWJuMt1lMMckMvONPevHUlx74KSA7BbvB8PeupmkpQAx6VX1KjgvkTLuaSwONDvaLyzJqBjfvjtehsOGqt9hLm4JEGWZSTMOf3SeSct-8qdeRacU/s1600/Pete+Sheehan+%25283%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjskZdCtmGTBBjGJXq6kLDLhkIf6uUWJuMt1lMMckMvONPevHUlx74KSA7BbvB8PeupmkpQAx6VX1KjgvkTLuaSwONDvaLyzJqBjfvjtehsOGqt9hLm4JEGWZSTMOf3SeSct-8qdeRacU/s640/Pete+Sheehan+%25283%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A cancer diagnosis can overwhelm entire families in addition to the physical and emotional toll it takes on patients. Many questions are raised that often go unanswered, at least initially. The sheer volume of communication needed to provide updates to family members and friends can also be overwhelming. MyLifeLine.org, a Denver-based non-profit focused on social and emotional support services for cancer patients, was created to help solve this problem.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">MyLifeLine.org exists to reduce the stress and anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis. We connect cancer patients and caregivers to their community of family and friends for social and emotional support. We provide free personalized web sites, communication services, cancer resources and tools that allow patients and caregivers to share their journey and focus on healing.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">I became involved with MyLifeLine.org due to my own experiences and the promising role technology plays to help patients and caregivers. I live in Denver with my wife and two young children while the rest of my extended family resides on the East Coast. When a family member experiences a health issue it can be difficult to travel to see them and provide support in person. Today’s technology, however, ensures that every patient can stay connected to their entire support community, and each member of the support community has the ability to stay involved and provide strength and inspiration to the patient. Research has shown that a thriving support community is beneficial to patients’ healing process.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">• A recent study of 735,0000 cancer patients included in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program found that improving social support for our patients may be equally as important as providing effective therapy, and it is less costly to develop and implement.1</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">• The provision of practical support increases the likelihood of adherence to evidence-based medicine 3.6 times.” 2</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Patients aren’t the only ones who can benefit from a strong support community. Caregivers, the people taking care of the patients and coordinating communication and care, need to be supported just as much as the patient. It can be equally overwhelming to be the primary person supporting the patient and managing care, appointments, medications, meals and transportation on top of lives that are already busy.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><br />WHAT PATIENTS & THE ONCOLOGY COMMUNITY ARE SAYING<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">I encourage anyone facing cancer, or anyone who knows someone with cancer, to consider setting up a free site with MyLifeLine.org. We’ve heard from a countless number of people how it positively changed their experience with cancer. A family living across the country was able to know when their loved one had a chemo appointment. A small town rallied around a hardworking individual to raise thousands of dollars for their medical costs. A single woman was able to schedule meals delivered to her from her eager to help group of friends. We heard from one patient who loved MyLifeLine.org because he was able to have a sense of normalcy with his friends; since they were up to date on his condition, they could spend time together without asking about his cancer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">MyLifeLine.org goes beyond the personal websites to connect patients and caregivers to their support community, and allow them to gain control, be empowered and become their own advocate. The service is offered for free to all people impacted by cancer.</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">1. Aizer AA, Chen M-H, McCarthy EP, et al: Marital status and survival in patients with cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology 31:3869-3876, 2013<br />2. DiMatteo MR: Social support and patient adherence to medical treatment: A meta-analysis. Health Psychology 23:207-218, 2004<br />---<br />About MyLifeLine.org: About MyLifeLine.org: MyLifeLine.org Cancer Foundation connects cancer patients and caregivers to their community of family and friends for social and emotional support. We provide unique communication and stress reducing tools that allow patients and caregivers to share their journey and focus on healing. To learn more, visit MyLifeLine.org and check out the MyLifeLine.org blog.</span></i></span></h2>
Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-1887165747394811282016-10-06T07:22:00.001-07:002017-02-09T09:21:28.705-08:00Live Life Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtx3uizXCYX3SGot4paABTn9p8FyYFUbjdJoz0cl5MEVGOaF37o21qdbAmsUN58YV9kq_aI2ttc6gd6qFbi_SU6AFOr_WbAOC8R2SJ9tkOJRP4Xzec-bapgaB2M6oCSnedN1oDA0MYp8ZF/s1600/20160709_201409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtx3uizXCYX3SGot4paABTn9p8FyYFUbjdJoz0cl5MEVGOaF37o21qdbAmsUN58YV9kq_aI2ttc6gd6qFbi_SU6AFOr_WbAOC8R2SJ9tkOJRP4Xzec-bapgaB2M6oCSnedN1oDA0MYp8ZF/s200/20160709_201409.jpg" width="150" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpp3rI4_eZs2i3u45SqGjK5CeZHuA1_uoOfceLmV-Cv3FrvB0nGaTPk3-pVdsPKVZlDcyfonRT9aDsfNKReQfXsyyum6JPjWXYxKUkr54WG0CZyCo9316xcd9Tai2P9YPyTtTOQWZNqJF/s1600/untitled+%252815%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpp3rI4_eZs2i3u45SqGjK5CeZHuA1_uoOfceLmV-Cv3FrvB0nGaTPk3-pVdsPKVZlDcyfonRT9aDsfNKReQfXsyyum6JPjWXYxKUkr54WG0CZyCo9316xcd9Tai2P9YPyTtTOQWZNqJF/s200/untitled+%252815%2529.png" width="120" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguq3PPpS3HVI8-Us7vibW7I7cybLt9HcUbcuG5NDXA8sceaamzHhNoBWNUzWASHcp7LSFC8VlmzLwEmECsH6bBx54MCzNwMIVsBPbwZIGECPW-7EC5SP_7axmxrG7OBw1aQudlTKlmh1nF/s1600/20160704_111255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="background-color: white;">I am a 45 year old who
is taking breast cancer on a ride of its life. I am battling this disease for
the 3rd time and am now living with stage IV Metastatic breast cancer. My
cancer began as a non-invasive form in 2003. As a result I had a mastectomy,
reconstruction and took medicine for 5 years and went on with her life. In 2010
I noticed a small bump on my skin, on my left breast. It didn't hurt so I
ignored it. A few months later during a routine checkup I mentioned it to my
surgeon. My surgeon immediately started taking pictures, and said that she
would like to remove it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The pathology report
later deemed it was in fact cancerous. In 2012 from a visit to urgent care for
a cold, and a weird feeling in my breast bone area, after x-rays, and a return
call to follow up, it was found that the cancer had returned and spread to my
chest walls, spine and head as stage IV metastatic breast cancer. This disease,
which has graced its presence in my life in 2003, as "non-invasive,” has
again and again invaded my life. <span id="yiv8290838925yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474985903245_5921"> </span>Although
this disease has changed my life I refuse to let IT own or define my journey in
life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While I am living with
this terminal disease, I realize that others with this disease may not be
living or coping as well as they could be. I decided to make lemonade with my
lemons and founded a 501(c)3 organization entitled Angel in Disguise Inc.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguq3PPpS3HVI8-Us7vibW7I7cybLt9HcUbcuG5NDXA8sceaamzHhNoBWNUzWASHcp7LSFC8VlmzLwEmECsH6bBx54MCzNwMIVsBPbwZIGECPW-7EC5SP_7axmxrG7OBw1aQudlTKlmh1nF/s1600/20160704_111255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguq3PPpS3HVI8-Us7vibW7I7cybLt9HcUbcuG5NDXA8sceaamzHhNoBWNUzWASHcp7LSFC8VlmzLwEmECsH6bBx54MCzNwMIVsBPbwZIGECPW-7EC5SP_7axmxrG7OBw1aQudlTKlmh1nF/s200/20160704_111255.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b id="yiv8290838925yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474985903245_5929">Our
Mission:</b> To help people including the general public
with task that they are unable or incapable of completing alone. To focus on
breast cancer survivors and their families; aiding with lifestyle changes and
hope by helping them to “live life now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We provide transportation
needs to doctor appointments, to get medicine or to run light errands to breast
cancer patients. As well as offering peer support. Angel in Disguise Inc. also
assists single parents with transportation needs to and from school for school
aged children as well as volunteer emergence teaching children how to give back
and serve in the community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have also been blessed
with the opportunities to speak publicly to motivate and inspire others. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Everyday my goal is
to" Live Life Now!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Recently I participated in
My 2nd Act Raleigh, a national stage performance that will be shown in 142
countries via internet TV. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Y</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">outube channel is </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj52rB6a5hrqzd_OWawulow" id="yiv8290838925yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1474986529992_3760" shape="rect" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj52rB6a5hrqzd_OWawulow</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">my website is
angelindisguiseinc.org</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Angela Baker, MSOD<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Aiding You to Make the Impossible, Possible"</span></div>
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-88475489073868208592016-09-19T18:59:00.004-07:002016-10-04T09:37:41.426-07:00Die-In for Metastatic Breast Cancer in Madison, Wisconsin <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Dear Friends,</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Tigerlily is proud to partner with One Woman Many Lakes on October 13th at 11:45 for a Die-In for Metastatic Breast Cancer in Madison, Wisconsin on the State Capitol steps by State Street. Last year was an extremely successful event with over 120 people attending as well as coverage from the local news stations. This year we hope to surpass that and have our voices heard from Wisconsin all the way to Washington. Help us educate legislators and the public that stage IV needs more. </i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHg3vvQkr_7xAnPZXbXcLDOg_3sq8zBg41x_Kg3b6A26-V7QFcqF5kE7s8q5ISd_JLOCoxVv5bTurnDzoWs-53ymXy1u8JnywmyUdImuP_tAd-W2TRRolRrlTEIbw60D5DXUWBsyEqxHp/s1600/diein3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHg3vvQkr_7xAnPZXbXcLDOg_3sq8zBg41x_Kg3b6A26-V7QFcqF5kE7s8q5ISd_JLOCoxVv5bTurnDzoWs-53ymXy1u8JnywmyUdImuP_tAd-W2TRRolRrlTEIbw60D5DXUWBsyEqxHp/s200/diein3.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Information about Metastatic Breast Cancer and ways to help advocate for more research funding for this disease will be available. Contact me at <a href="mailto:info@onewomanmanylakes.org">info@onewomanmanylakes.org</a> if you plan to attend or would like more information. The ceremony will go from Noon to approximately 12:20.<br /><br />The other two women who spoke so eloquently have died this past year from Metastatic Breast Cancer. It is a powerful visual and statement to why we must continue to fight for more funding.<br /><br /> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><br />-Mary Gooze</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Founder of One Woman Many Lakes</b></i></span></div>
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-65236128541346732542016-09-16T20:00:00.001-07:002016-09-17T12:15:32.835-07:00Live in hope not fear, fear will ruin your life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From the various emotions we experience, fear is my least favorite. Fear is not the solution. It is more like a key without teeth which cannot open any doors. It is a key which is of no use and no benefit. Then why be in fear? It's okay to feel scared, but it is more harmful mentally and physically to let fear take over. The goal is not to let it control you and take over, especially when dealing with cancer. When anyone hears the word “cancer," it is natural to be fearful at first. Rather than allow fear to dominate, open the door to hope. Once the door to hope is open, there will be no room left for fear.<br />
<br />There is a lot of uncertainty in the cancer world which is worrisome at times. In general that is a hard concept to deal with. We all want answers and we want them now. We like to have a plan for everything and how it is going to happen and what the outcome will be. You can’t do that with cancer. Yes, you can have a plan of action in place. Yes, the doctors will try their hardest to answer your questions to the best of their ability. You have to remember that doctors do not have complete knowledge of what the outcome may be or what the future holds. What I realized is that they work hard and have hope in the outcome. Hope is the key with teeth which can open doors for continuous research, medical advancements and clinical trials. Most importantly, it is the key which opens the door to physical, emotional and spiritual healing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We all have choices to make and each choice we make will have an impact on our lives and the lives of our loved ones. I choose to live in hope and not fear. I will not allow fear to disable me and disable the ones I love. It is a choice that you make. You control your emotions and your outlook. I noticed that whenever I became fearful about cancer I wasn’t living. My fear leads my cancer to take over my life. I have decided cancer will not dictate the way and manner I live my life. My goal is really simple – I just want to live and enjoy this beautiful gift called life. Fear will make you forget the blessing of life. It takes you away from your loved ones and from making loving memories. Your body will feel it. The stress will hurt in different areas and make pain intolerable. Simply choosing to live in a state of hope rather than fear, you have already beat cancer. You lose to cancer once you let fear take over. Always keep in mind and heart ,hope over fear. </span></div>
Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-14021228376551584192016-09-05T10:39:00.003-07:002016-09-12T05:57:47.990-07:00Laughter<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVujBJmeaLVBouWqJOGU5glnMpW9Fhyphenhyphen8EmC9xLv14_bKFWE4QpmhsG3KW143Zlkmp7GA562aCLSiisDPvChNIkyIwn6hbD-4Gk90C_W47FSa-ANfMaBwHb9sgAHGzNM9_QSgdjNYM2CJR/s1600/the+best.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVujBJmeaLVBouWqJOGU5glnMpW9Fhyphenhyphen8EmC9xLv14_bKFWE4QpmhsG3KW143Zlkmp7GA562aCLSiisDPvChNIkyIwn6hbD-4Gk90C_W47FSa-ANfMaBwHb9sgAHGzNM9_QSgdjNYM2CJR/s640/the+best.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My name is Annie Bond. I was born in Wimberley, TX. I went to college in Austin, TX, and spent most of my childhood and young adult years making people laugh. I love theatre, competitive speech, dancing weird, and most of all, doing improv and stand up comedy and filming sketches with my friends. I have dreamed of moving to Hollywood to become a famous actress since I can remember, and I moved to Los Angeles 3 years ago to do just that. I even found a really great boyfriend who loves me, and also saved my life by finding a lump a breast one day. I turned 26 shortly after that, lost my health insurance, and spent months trying to find a plan that worked for me and ACTUALLY covered any type of mammogram or ultrasound for a 26 year old woman. I’ll tell you know, most of them don’t, but it’s worth the expense. I had no family history of breast cancer, and my sister had had a benign lump removed just a few years before mine showed up. I had no reason to worry...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On August 5th, 2015, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and it had already spread to my </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lymph nodes. I immediately spent a month in the hospital, and had pretty much every MRI you can have, along with PET scans, CTs, a liver biopsy and a bone biopsy. All of these tests showed that the cancer had spread to a singular metastasis in my liver. I was 26 years old, feeling as healthy as can be, but my body had been invaded by ER/PR positive, HER2 negative, Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer. Or an alien probe. I still think it might just be an alien probe. I immediately saw a fertility specialist, and froze 13 eggs with the help of a GoFundMe that my parents and friends set up. Insurance also doesn’t cover loss of fertility at 26, but its again well worth the money if you can swing it. I saw multiple surgeons and doctors, but finally found my cancer fighting soul mate in Dr. Waisman at City of Hope Hospital. He started me on a big shot in the butt of Lupron, and I took Tamoxifen for 3 months. My tumors were shrinking, but not fast enough, so we changed the cocktail. I have been on Lupron, Ibrance, and Letrozole since then, with a weekly punch of Vitamin D. Goodbye grapefruit, hello hot flashes and night sweats! The tumors became more responsive to treatment, and I made dietary changes, since as cutting back on sugar and alcohol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have not stopped pursuing my dream since my diagnosis, and have in fact been working towards it harder than ever. Cancer made want to run away from my dreams, made me feel hopeless, but comedy makes me feel strong and capable. I know I will be fighting this stupid disease until science can cure it or my body rids itself of it, and I would much rather fight through laughter than tears. I recently had a robot assisted laparoscopic resection of my liver tumor, followed by a lumpectomy with some lymph node removal. The good news is that they got all the tumors out, and I will start six and a half weeks of radiation soon. I expect to be celebrating with no cancer in my body shortly after that. If you ever need a laugh, go watch my YouTube videos, or do some awkward dancing by yourself!</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://theanniebond.weebly.com/">http://theanniebond.weebly.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>My Reel</u></b> - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OubJhF1GTNE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OubJhF1GTNE</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Transformers Parody Trailer (I'm Mark Whalberg)</u>
- </b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diBojTMBMEo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diBojTMBMEo</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>How To Know If Your Trees Are Dead!</u> - </b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKAOZ_VnFaw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKAOZ_VnFaw</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>BONUS VIDEO!! Parody Music Video my coworkers made for
me! Its amazing</u></b><u> </u>- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5HVVhgnC7I">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5HVVhgnC7I</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-12703040668415219622016-08-06T17:32:00.002-07:002016-08-06T17:38:20.017-07:00Metastatic Breast Cancer Collateral Damage Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.drsusanloveresearch.org/how-study/my-overview" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwdTdSUDwrQdiuQ5sQ7SM85IEt8OpS6L6ueCIQsyPiUps2nLqJR-PTr0mGmR2zK-AQIor1KFAigksOF993O8x1fr7f2yWDmliUEe3eQ315ceZ0B-Yu1Nr59bQaVeVKYcaiIYVMyaeethl/s640/MBC_Email+Header_External_FINAL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Dear Friends,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Tigerlily Foundation is pleased to partner with Dr. Susan
Love Research Foundation on an important project: the <b>Metastatic Breast Cancer Collateral Damage Project</b>. If you have
metastatic breast cancer, please consider participating by completing an
important questionnaire that is part of the Health of Women (HOW) Study™. You
do not need to participate if you do not have metastatic disease.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The goal of the <a href="https://www.drsusanloveresearch.org/welcome-mbc-cd-project">project</a>
is to capture and quantify all the life-altering impacts that metastatic breast
cancer and its treatment have on people living with the disease and to offer
specific recommendations to improve their quality of life. Your answers to the
questionnaire will help document every aspect of the collateral damage that
metastatic breast cancer patients face. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For the project to be successful, a diverse group of thousands
of women and men with metastatic breast cancer need to provide their real-life
experiences. Complete the questionnaire today to help metastatic breast cancer
patients. It should take between 30 and 45 minutes, and you do not need to do
it all in one sitting (just be sure to save your work before you take a break).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Current HOW Study participants will need to log in to the HOW <a href="https://www.drsusanloveresearch.org/how-study/my-overview">website</a>
and find the Metastatic Breast Cancer Collateral Damage Project questionnaire
in the list of available questionnaires. If you are not already a participant,
you will need to create a HOW account first at <a href="https://www.drsusanloveresearch.org/how-study/my-overview">https://www.drsusanloveresearch.org/how-study/my-overview</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thank you for participating in this critical research to benefit
metastatic breast cancer patients. If you have any questions before you begin
or while you are completing the questionnaire, please contact Dr. Susan Love
Research Foundation at <a href="mailto:how@drsusanloveresearch.org">how@drsusanloveresearch.org</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With appreciation,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tigerlily Foundation</span></div>
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-11558003672173189362016-07-18T10:44:00.000-07:002016-07-19T12:45:58.146-07:00Family Planning After Cancer: Where We Begin<div align="center" class="BodyA" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, regardless of stage, the focus is on the best course of treatment to increase the odds of survival. I was initially diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer; the tumor so big that chemotherapy had to be administered prior to surgery. On December 22, 2011 while I was visiting my family on the east coast for Christmas, just three days after my diagnosis, I was receiving my first chemo treatment. Just a couple decisions that would have to be made before starting </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">chemo: Did I want to use Cold Caps to preserve my hair? </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">(I declined.)</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Could I preserve my fertility? </span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">(I explored.)</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The three days between diagnosis and that chemo treatment were a blur. I was fortunate that my mother helped spearhead the doctors appointments. When my doctor informed me that the chemotherapy could impact my fertility, he suggested I consult a fertility specialist. My Aunt had used a fertility specialist to bring my two beautiful cousins into the world, and my mother had the fertility specialist’s cell phone number, which came in handy since many were out of town for the holidays.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dr. Cekleniak, a fertility specialist at IRMS St. Barnabas in NJ met us after hours since time was of the essence and she wanted to discuss my options. She and my oncologist had spoken prior and she looked at me with her big beautiful eyes and delivered a blow, perhaps equal to </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRf09z_sA30-DnESGITHnoRG3fderoWGWFalBSd_hGANVuxfYcUMQK_SOO0xoocfT7E92pNuEYFaP93E3yvOKNTNuEKwQMDIZDXnuKJDL00sP7eW38ruPwZPLdvmf6xNWP-5T3xzBESd9A/s1600/Happy+Teachers+Month%2521+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRf09z_sA30-DnESGITHnoRG3fderoWGWFalBSd_hGANVuxfYcUMQK_SOO0xoocfT7E92pNuEYFaP93E3yvOKNTNuEKwQMDIZDXnuKJDL00sP7eW38ruPwZPLdvmf6xNWP-5T3xzBESd9A/s200/Happy+Teachers+Month%2521+%25282%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the one I’d received a couple days prior, when my general practitioner called while I was packing my suitcase for the east coast, to tell me I had cancer. I was numb from the news of the cancer and was having trouble processing the fertility implications. I remember fragments, “Your cancer is aggressive…There is no time to wait…You need treatment right away. It could take months for you to be ready for a retrieval. If it were me (because my mother had asked her what she would do in this situation) I’d deal with the cancer and then reevaluate my options. I’m sorry.” Despite the numbness, I cried. I cried because that day I felt like my dream of being a mother was slipping from my hands. I had spent all this time focusing on building a career so that I could be an example of a strong working woman for our future child and in one fell swoop, six months after my 30th birthday, I had cancer and may never have that future child. At least not now, not until we get this cancer out of my body.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I went through all the rounds of chemo, the radiation, and single mastectomy. I was trying to find a “new normal” and put the idea of having a family into the future. My mother met women who had estrogen sensitive breast cancer and went on to have children after their breast cancer diagnosis. Some of them had preserved their eggs or embryos in advance of treatment, others opted for two years on Tamoxifen instead of the standard five years. Since that time, studies suggest that being on Tamoxifen for ten years is more effective than the five years. It felt like my timeline was getting pushed further and further back.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I began contemplating the risks versus the rewards of getting off Tamoxifen after two years to try to retrieve eggs. The risks: I’d cut my treatment short. Would my cancer be more likely to return? If I were lucky enough to get pregnant, how would I manage anything cancer related during the nine months of pregnancy- scans, a recurrence, and so forth? The reward: Eggs or embryos so that my husband and I could bring our future child into the world. I have to confess, we were not contemplating adoption at this point. We were still very hopeful that we’d find a way for me to have our child. I’ve later learned that adoption agencies consider early stage vs. late stage survivors differently.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A couple months after completing my final breast reconstruction, all of these conversations were tabled for something much more time sensitive. Excruciating headaches had led to a brain MRI that had led to a diagnosis of brain mets. My stage 2b was now stage 4 breast cancer. I had brain surgery and focused on healing. We had the brain tumor tested, it was even more estrogen sensitive than the breast tumor so my protocol stayed the same: Tamoxifen every day and Lupron shots every 3 months forcing me into early menopause. My mother brought me to a number of doctors for second and third opinions. She wanted to make sure she was doing everything to keep her 31-year-old baby alive. After they confirmed that we were doing everything in our power, I always asked: “Do you think I’d be able to have a baby one day?” I could see the doctor’s searching for the right words and for the most part it was, “It would not be recommended that you harvest or carry.” But were there other options? They didn’t seem to know much about what those other options were. Even one doctor, and she was a female, so even in retrospect I’m shocked by this response said, in reaction to my tears, “At least I’m not telling you that you have to have your ovaries removed.” Was that supposed to make me feel better?!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2013 is the year that I recovered from brain surgery, the year that I tried to pick up the pieces of my life, the year that I traveled because I didn’t know how long I’d have left and there was so much of the world that I wanted to see. It was the year that I needed to distract myself from the relentless feeling that something had been stolen from me: my future. Both my life, and the life that we had always hoped to bring into the world. When I wasn’t traveling around the world, I found myself in and out of a deep depression. For anyone that knows me, that is shocking. I’m typically a Tigger, not an Eeyore.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 2014, I finally found my way to a psychologist at Sloan Kettering who specialized in young women with cancer. Our conversations always came back to desire for a family. My psychologist introduced me to a nurse practitioner that specialized in helping women with </span><br />
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their family building options post-cancer. She led me through my options. All varied in risk, but for the same reward, our future child. I was told that adoption would be difficult until I was five years out from my initial diagnosis and even then could prove a challenge as a stage 4 survivor. At the time, that would have meant waiting three years. None of the options available enabled me to carry our child though, something that was not recommended. Regardless if it was my egg or a donor’s, we knew that our child would have to be carried by a gestational carrier, someone with no genetic tie to our child but a temporary home for our child to grow.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I never thought this was how we’d be having a child but it didn’t matter. It gave me a lot of peace and a clarity of focus to know that there were potential options. It was the beginning of our surrogacy adventure, though it wouldn’t be until 2015 that we found our gestational carrier, aka surrogate, aka “Aunt” (she is actually no relation to us) Meghan. Aunt Meghan, our surrogate, with the help of our fertility specialist Dr. Cekleniak, is now 20 weeks pregnant. It has been 2.5 years since that meeting where we learned our options. It has been over a year since we met Meghan for the first time. It has been 4.5 years since I was first diagnosed with breast cancer. It has been 3.5 years since it metastasized to my brain. It has been a long road and we have learned much along the way. All the while, we’ve been filming a documentary to raise awareness for metastatic breast cancer and infertility. I hope that others find some solace in this resource eventually, and in the meantime, I hope this blog can serve as a resource. Even in this first post, there are many details to unpack in subsequent entries. Just the topics mentioned here to be addressed: fertility preservation, IVF post-treatment, adoption post cancer diagnosis, financial and emotional resources for cancer survivors as they consider building a family, impact on your relationship with your partner, egg donors, surrogates, and third party reproduction….and I’m sure other topics will come up along the way.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXY04CqZRJFgw94SkOBHYgouQ216McTEYqcu51DDOeZ3HyQG1LPpnhSWpm3Bup9iMc0MEOSuU7B3DESp8M28Cq3B_eABSCmf_mKpzvTfnoKZlgP-G5pSHfdS-i3yyyf4o7e8cWs0X0G2c/s1600/Happy+Teachers+Month%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXY04CqZRJFgw94SkOBHYgouQ216McTEYqcu51DDOeZ3HyQG1LPpnhSWpm3Bup9iMc0MEOSuU7B3DESp8M28Cq3B_eABSCmf_mKpzvTfnoKZlgP-G5pSHfdS-i3yyyf4o7e8cWs0X0G2c/s320/Happy+Teachers+Month%2521.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A recent study led by researcher, Catherine Benedict of Sloan Kettering focused on 346 women who were around 30 years of age and had finished cancer treatment about 5 years earlier. Almost two-thirds said they were concerned they may not be able to have children in the future. At the same time, only 13 percent of these women believed they were informed about their fertility preservation options. Regardless of whether you are currently contemplating your options, we need to spread the word so that women feel like they have the tools they need to make informed decisions. Yes, we’re potentially in panic mode trying to figure out how to handle our cancer diagnosis but it potentially goes hand-in-hand with an infertility diagnosis. We don’t know the answers. We don’t know whether the cancer will recur. We don’t know whether it will render us infertile, but just the feeling that we thought about it, knew our options, and made the decision for ourselves, makes a difference. </span><br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/166666475#at=136" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Cyan Gray Documentary</span></a><br />
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-12294457249275003812016-06-23T19:09:00.002-07:002016-06-23T19:12:41.157-07:00Until Our Friends Stop Dying<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I’d like to say last week was an unprecedented week of losses in
the metastatic breast cancer community, but I’d be lying. We have been rolled
by these waves before. And god knows we will continue to see our friends die
until science catches up with cancer, that wily beast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Science is not there yet. Cancer is not yet a chronic condition
like diabetes or heart disease or even HIV. Friends whose disease looked just
like mine <i>on paper</i> didn’t respond at
all to the same drugs that seem to be keeping cancer at bay for me. When I
asked one researcher why that is, she said, “We’re still trying to figure that
out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am one of the lucky few, for now. I am an outlier. I have had
no evidence of cancer for more than 2.5 years, since six months after I started
a targeted antibody-drug conjugate that goes after cancer but leaves the rest
of me relatively unscathed. I am so grateful to science for that. I still don’t
have any eyebrows or energy most days, and my chemobrain lingers years after
Taxotere and Carboplatin. But I am not dying of cancer<i> at this moment</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have been to friends’ funerals, taken lasagna to a grieving
widower and his preschool-aged children, had what I’ve known will be the last
conversation with a friend (but held it together until we hung up and <i>then </i>cried my eyes out), and I’ve hugged
a powerful force of a woman only to have her be gone the next season. I know
firsthand how short life can be. There are dozens of holes in my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I fill these holes by throwing myself into life with my little
family, by writing, by advocating and participating in the greater metastatic
community, by adopting a puppy when what I really want (but can’t have and
don’t have the energy for because of cancer treatments) is another baby. Then I
get short-circuited because of exhaustion and grief, and snap at the dog for
not getting back inside fast enough after I’ve let her out to pee. It is 90
degrees out at 7pm, the mosquitos are active, and I’m tired of standing at the
door, waiting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have more anxiety than I know what to do with. I am angry. It
is not the dog’s fault.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I feel guilty for being alive, for making it. Have I made it? I
will know when I die of something else. I try to channel this strange mix of
guilt and gratitude into action. Can one voice make a difference? Can mine?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I try to live in the present and not take for granted that I <i>get </i>to parent a frequently cranky
almost-kindergartner. I <i>get</i> to plan
meals and subscribe to magazines without too much fear that I won’t be around
for the entire twelve month period. I get to think about summer vacations and
attend my 20-year high school reunion this year. (I still cannot find it in me
to appreciate getting to do laundry.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is an odd place to be, having been diagnosed with a disease
that typically kills in less than three years and then faring remarkably well.
I am always waiting for the other shoe to drop, not sure when my luck might run
out. At the same time, I wake up in awe of the fact that I am still alive
nearly five years after my diagnosis. As Mary Elizabeth Williams put it in her
memoir on surviving metastatic melanoma, <i>A
Series of Catastrophes & Miracles</i>, “This is the cruel reality of
successful cancer treatment. You want so much for everybody to get what you
got, and for it to work like it did on you, but that’s not how it happens.
Instead, getting better often feels as random as getting sick was.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGuXUXB32uxMIQjr1n1lshpqGXuZ3sWF-TvmVR_XrY29taBR08TwqSZ8lFY7nMSmIccV7dfsc2CypLVOg8Q7AR6ifNK0Mb6ch5uwDXXKVeBXWbC4SkHaNz09W3zlfPDRMPjZo0TZS1Za1/s1600/10156143_10203700485290943_1631999849673506015_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGuXUXB32uxMIQjr1n1lshpqGXuZ3sWF-TvmVR_XrY29taBR08TwqSZ8lFY7nMSmIccV7dfsc2CypLVOg8Q7AR6ifNK0Mb6ch5uwDXXKVeBXWbC4SkHaNz09W3zlfPDRMPjZo0TZS1Za1/s200/10156143_10203700485290943_1631999849673506015_n.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I want this “getting better” kind of outcome for everyone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Instead, my chest aches for the 41,000 men and women who will die
of breast cancer <i>this year </i>in the
U.S. alone. How do we begin to quantify this number in ways that will express
our urgency? 112 every day. Approximately <b>194,750</b> since my diagnosis.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am furious about my friends who’ve died too young. I am scared,
too, for all of us diagnosed with late-stage cancer. In the back of my mind
looms the shadow of this beast, and the burden we all carry because of it,
until the science catches up, until our friends stop dying.</span></div>
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Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7168191023240500428.post-18508730796738893882016-05-25T19:48:00.000-07:002016-06-23T19:13:07.689-07:00One Woman Many Lakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgLGbvy-8PyDDyty87AngvEx2ld-bdtIZF40y-i9UWHWH0Vk3swJIwW1-YYnNG7puxlz81xl8OI0BpX550ya85cKu13yy81-leRCYfSDWk4ls7Rqga37VYa1d64NCS-nDsLq-xJPw3o0j/s1600/One+WoManMany+Lakes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgLGbvy-8PyDDyty87AngvEx2ld-bdtIZF40y-i9UWHWH0Vk3swJIwW1-YYnNG7puxlz81xl8OI0BpX550ya85cKu13yy81-leRCYfSDWk4ls7Rqga37VYa1d64NCS-nDsLq-xJPw3o0j/s640/One+WoManMany+Lakes.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerIiqUROVmO8NIOzfaiE_UAd1mrHU9UNnvjXOhhy1OTpoet4ZakY8nSpHXoSGP8o0ZIyr_HW8UdKuqNY6voX2Aw3fMEV4Z3gwDZLU8h1-rpxWGI4D40PAwu-YxVDMQdl0VfjR0G_eSK7G/s1600/MsucleTiff.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerIiqUROVmO8NIOzfaiE_UAd1mrHU9UNnvjXOhhy1OTpoet4ZakY8nSpHXoSGP8o0ZIyr_HW8UdKuqNY6voX2Aw3fMEV4Z3gwDZLU8h1-rpxWGI4D40PAwu-YxVDMQdl0VfjR0G_eSK7G/s200/MsucleTiff.tiff" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What to do when you receive the death sentence of a diagnosis? Metastatic breast cancer kills 113 of us every day. How was I going to wrap my head around this disease and get through the next day…and the day after that…and the day after that. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Swimming became my refuge and my salvation. I had been doing sprint triathlons for 24 years when this diagnosis stepped up to try to stop me in my tracks. It has been two years since receiving this gut wrenching diagnosis but I have discovered I could take control of my life by rising up and literally jumping in the water. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It all began while sitting in my oncologist’s office hearing the treatment options and what may lie ahead for me when I asked him if I could still do the 2 1/2 mile swim that I had been training for which was scheduled right after finishing radiation. His response was, “Of course”. Two months later I was in Seattle in the water of Lake Washington swimming as if my life depended on it. It was empowering to conquer this lake and as I came ashore I felt that combining swimming and spreading the word about this disease was now my mission in life.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKH54O_rFjkuyB4KRpueBDN6UCHMfJqGfJG28FaOV68dWZEsZNP5VWfOEUzbVnyA7hgh58cESjR3WDsnH2eJLVpBVTVO8OQZppf1t3igtN67RcVFVuboqddC-KpPNTsDPuBBZ09TAytzwV/s1600/owml.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKH54O_rFjkuyB4KRpueBDN6UCHMfJqGfJG28FaOV68dWZEsZNP5VWfOEUzbVnyA7hgh58cESjR3WDsnH2eJLVpBVTVO8OQZppf1t3igtN67RcVFVuboqddC-KpPNTsDPuBBZ09TAytzwV/s320/owml.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fast forward from that day to a beautiful sunny March afternoon in Arizona’s Lake Patagonia with a 56 degree water temperature when I plunged into the water while my husband and dog followed me in a rowboat. We had our homemade sign stating the need for more funding for MBC and how to help. It was a lonely swim with few people on shore but one man stopped me as I exited the water and asked what I was doing. I explained my mission and he said, “I’ll write a check”. That was the beginning of One Woman Many Lakes and the plan to raise funds and spread awareness through swimming became a reality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOU_2f32BL2rWJPwE9ECUA8gW63gRcPvOK5yHH_Vd9RjHF8EDnl-DdaF1YF2riuMB1OdhIiB8knEw86vIfIJlvYlkp7jbhvqyCBbiZs0QSyP1woDemOAjojj_xD84XGLgDJvvBUT3IhWka/s1600/%2523TRI4MBC.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since that first swim and nine months later, I have jumped into twenty-three bodies of water across the country and even took a plunge in Antarctica. People have responded with their pocketbooks and have helped spread the word on this disease but, of course, it is not enough. The young and old are still dying—I know I must continue swimming and advocating until a cure is found.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now a new year is here and it is time to get in the water again but this time with a twist. The idea began when I read about Lesley Glenn of Chino Hills, California, a hiker who hasn’t let her disease slow her down. She and I connected and began brainstorming about doing a triathlon to highlight the fact that even though MBC is part of our lives now, it will not deter us from doing what we love. We put the word out about someone joining us to do the third leg of the tri and Leslie Falduto from Texas responded that she was a runner and would love to join in. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOU_2f32BL2rWJPwE9ECUA8gW63gRcPvOK5yHH_Vd9RjHF8EDnl-DdaF1YF2riuMB1OdhIiB8knEw86vIfIJlvYlkp7jbhvqyCBbiZs0QSyP1woDemOAjojj_xD84XGLgDJvvBUT3IhWka/s1600/%2523TRI4MBC.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOU_2f32BL2rWJPwE9ECUA8gW63gRcPvOK5yHH_Vd9RjHF8EDnl-DdaF1YF2riuMB1OdhIiB8knEw86vIfIJlvYlkp7jbhvqyCBbiZs0QSyP1woDemOAjojj_xD84XGLgDJvvBUT3IhWka/s320/%2523TRI4MBC.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now we have a team, a date and a goal—go nationwide and get anyone who has breast cancer, anyone who knows someone with breast cancer or concerned people who want this disease eliminated forever to join in and blast the airways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On June 28th we want everyone across the country to get involved in doing something physical that day—anything from running to yoga to taking a walk—just get active. Let’s show the world that we are moving, thriving and want to stay this way but need research to keep us going.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Go to <a href="http://www.onewomanmanylakes.org/">www.onewomanmanylakes.org</a><a href="http://www.onewomanmanylakes.org/"> </a>and join our team to stay informed. Click on the advocate button that will provide you with an easy way to send an automated email to major cancer organizations requesting more funding. You will also find out how you and your friends and family can virtually join us on June 28th. Print out a bib, wear it as you do your activity and post it on social media using the hashtag #tri4mbc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Research is our best hope and if the world starts shouting with us we will have more time being active, loving life and being there for our loved ones—and after all, that’s what matters the most.</span><br />
<br />Tigerlily Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05407478281589876573noreply@blogger.com0