Do You Read "Conversations"?

Back in 2005 while I waited for my gyn -onc to give me the OK to have chemo, I picked up a newsletter. Conversations- the International Newsletter for those Fighting Ovarian Cancer was the first ovarian cancer publication I ever read. And I continue reading it to this day. ( Happy 17th Birthday Conversations!)

There are many helpful tips from other survivors, a calendar of events being held across the country and in June and December the issues are dedicated to long term survivor stories. I love those. But I think the best part of the newsletter is going to the inside page which lists survivors. Every July there is my name - Dee , NJ.

Thank you Don and family for continuing the publication Cindy started. You have touched the lives of many women.

For more info check out the Conversations website. Would you like a copy of the newsletter? Fill out the form on their website or contact Don at :

CONVERSATIONS!
P.O. Box 7948
Amarillo, TX 79114-7948
United States of America

Phone: (210) 401-1604
Fax: (210) 247-6169

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

We Survivors are "Companions on a Journey"

What a beautiful Sunday !
The closing hymn at mass this morning was by Carey Landry, Companions on the Journey.( Lyrics located online at Seasons of the Spirit. ) I listened closely to the words and on the way back to Theresa's house I thought about the connections I have to other women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

"We are companions on the journey,
breaking bread and sharing life;
and in the love we bear is the hope we share "
We survivors share a hope.

"We have been gifted with each other,"
I know it sounds corny but every one of the women I have met have been a gift in my life. I celebrate as friends get good news and cry with others when the news is not what they expect.

"We will seek and we shall find"
Online and in support groups we seek the help of other survivors and social workers and they are there for us.

"to walk side by side with hope in our hearts, "
We do walk side by side with each other.





Yesterday, when we were out ,we passed an electronic billboard on Rt 70 advertising the Vicki Welsh Fund 6th Annual Whisper Walk for Ovarian Cancer to be held September 26th in Kansas City, Missouri. It was great seeing awareness being raised all over the US. And here I was 1000 miles from home and yet I felt a connection to all the women in Missouri and Kansas who are companions on this cancer journey with me.


Dee
Every Day is a Blessing! And I "believe in the love of our God".

2nd annual Spokes of Hope: A Cancer Advocacy Ride

My friend , kidney cancer survivor Dr. Ken Youner is the founder of the Cecile and Ken Youner Fund for Cancer Research. The fund has raised $28,000 so far and has supported Dr. Amato Gracia a cancer researcher at Stanford University.

From Ken's e-mail-

"On Sunday, Oct 10, 2010 you have the opportunity to do three of your favorite things. Ride your bike, eat, and yes help support those of us fighting cancer and help directly fund cancer research (OK 4 things). Join the Spokes of Hope: A Cancer Advocacy ride (meet time 8:30AM in front of hospital) at Englewood Hospital-in Englewood NJ 07631. We will then ride to the John Theurer Cancer and the Tomorrow Childrens Fund at Hackensack University MC in Hackensack NJ of course. We then ride back to NYC via the GWB and enter Central Park for a loop to The new Tisch Cancer center at The Mt Sinai MC on Madison Ave and 96th St. The ride is in memory of my beloved wife Cecile who died in 2008 of acute leukemia while battling stage 4 breast cancer. "

If you are in the NJ/ NY/ Conn / PA area and a cyclist who wants to ride for a reason please join Ken. More information can be found here.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!And my life has been blessed by having survivors like Ken as friends.

Just 5 words

I belong to a number of online groups for ovarian cancer survivors. Over the past 5 years, I have grown as close to these women as I have the women in my support group.

A fellow ovarian cancer survivor on one of these lists asked us to use 5 words to describe our life as a OC survivor. Here were my suggestions:

More research dollars desperately NEEDED!

 Finding strength to keep fighting.

 Treatment + Doctors+ Faith+ Family = Survivor

 Teal sisters talking- Please listen.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing! - Well look at that ....5 words

A Zeal for Teal Brunch- Celebrating Ten Years of Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation

The Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation is celebrating ten years of passionate advocacy and raising funds for ovarian cancer research by hosting A Zeal for Teal Brunch on October 10,2010.The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, NJ.

The Foundation will present honor doctors dedicated to the care and the treatment of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. They are George Coukos, MD, PhD, Director, Ovarian Cancer Research Center, University of Pennylvania Abramson Cancer Center, Lorna Rodriguez, MD, PhD, Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Brian Slomovitz, MD, Gynecologist Oncologist, Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, Daniel H. Smith, MD, Gynecologist Oncologist, John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, Mario M. Leitao, Jr., MD, FACOG, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Darlene Gibbon, MD, Clinical Director of Gynecologic Oncology, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

The MC will be Jenny Allen . Jenny is an ovarian cancer survivor and writer/ performer of the show "I Got Sick Then I Got Better" . I wrote about the show after seeing it earlier this year.

The event will include the brunch, entertainment, a 50/50, and silent auction . Check the KOH website for information about attending and sponsorship opportunities. Cost to attend is $50. All proceeds from the event will be used to support the mission of KOH to support ovarian cancer research and to raise awareness of the disease.

I am proud to be a part of a NJ based organization that has done so much in its first ten years to raise awareness and funds for research.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

BEAT comes to the US

Back in February of this year I wrote about the BEAT Campaign in the UK which is the awareness campaign for OVACOME. ( Bloating, Eating , Abdominal , Talk)

I just knew it was a catchy way of remembering symptoms. OCNA, NOCC, GCF and OCRF launched a "Recognize the signs & BEAT Ovarian Cancer Campaign" ( Bloating, Eating, Abdominal , Trouble) for September , Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in the US. See the poster above.

I hope to hear that the BEAT campaign has made a difference in raising awareness of the symptoms of OC. Women need to know what symptoms to look for- and remember all women are at risk for OC - young, middle age and mature.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

"Get Back Up Again"

For the past few days I have been thinking about two friends of mine.

A and C learned in the last week that they have recurrences of their gynecological cancers. I met both of these women about three years ago at two different support groups for gynecological cancer survivors. In these group settings we have laughed together, shed some tears together and celebrated when we became disease free. We e-mail each other between group meetings with updates and jokes.

Their recurrences have gotten me thinking about how I felt when I recurred, the thoughts that went through my mind and my switch back in to cancer fighting mode from the new normal I found as someone in remission. Oh, and lets not forget how terrible I felt for having to put my family through yet more rounds of chemo. I remember my loss of freedom and control due to my surgery and chemo. I really hated having to postpone seeing people and not eating certain foods because of low counts.

So to my two strong friends and all women in chemo I offer these verses of the song "Get Back Up Again" by Toby Mac because you all know that your family and friends are here to help you get back up.

You turned away when I looked you in the eye,
And hesitated when I asked if you were alright,
Seems like you're fighting for your life,
But why? oh why?
Wide awake in the middle of your nightmare,
You saw it comin' but it hit you outta no where,
And theres always scars
When you fall that far

We lose our way,
We get back up again
It's never too late to get back up again,
One day you gonna shine again,
You may be knocked down,
But not out forever,
Lose our way,
We get back up again,
So get up, get up,
You gonna shine again,
Never too late to get back up again,
You may be knocked down,
But not out forever ...

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!