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Posts Tagged ‘The Jimmy Fund’

Crazy for a Cause

Posted in Boston, Cancer, chemotherapy, connections, Fundraising, recovery, work, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 29, 2013| Leave a Comment »

“I have to say you are the most active person I’ve ever met. You are exhausting just to follow on facebook.” Seeing that post from my cousin’s husband on my facebook wall when I woke up this morning completely cracked me up. “Ha ha ha – yes, I exhaust myself much of the time, too…” And this weekend was really a prime example of it:

  • Friday night’s fundraiser for One Fund Boston was AWESOME! We raised $3,175 for the One Fund – and Genzyme will add to that through our GIVE program. Not bad for just starting on Tuesday with Andrew IMing me saying “So do you think Friday’s too soon for a fundraiser?” So glad we did it! Thank you to everyone who helped, Nick for helping Andrew and me at the door, everyone who joined us, bought raffle tickets, donated raffle items – and Towne for donating the space and delicious appetizers. Such a wonderful venue! If you haven’t been, you need to check it out. Great people as well as fab food.

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  • Several of us went from Towne to Legal’s for a late dinner – and then I had a presentation to finish for work so there wasn’t much sleep before…
  • I had to be up early to attend Dana-Farber’s Second Annual Summit on Fundraising at the Copley Marriott. The initial panel with Dana-Farber doctors and staff was surprisingly difficult. Hearing the facts and statistics about cancer – even the positive ones on the progress being made – just really hit home. As Lisa Scherber, the Director of Patient and Family Programs, spoke about helping girls with cancer see that they are still beautiful, tears welled in my eyes. “Not sure I’m strong enough to be here,” I texted Tara. But I took some deep breaths, dabbed my eyes and tried to focus on WHY I was there – to get new fundraising ideas to help make a difference in people’s lives who really need it.  So I attended three other sessions: Fundraising 101; Social Media and Online Resources; and How to Secure a Sponsorship. I learned at least one new thing in each session, and they inspired other ideas that are now swirling around in my head. I texted Heather about our Jimmy Fund Marathon Walk Team and we are both so excited to kick it off – more info coming soon!!! (And please let me know if you want to join our team – Sept. 8, the Boston Marathon route, Hopkinton to Copley, although you can walk shorter 10, 5 or 3 mile routes.) One of the highlights of the day was running into a woman I met at the Young Adult Cancer Conference a few weeks ago. She lives nearby and we’re going to meet up soon. Of course the way we ran into each other – as we were evacuating Copley due to fire alarms – wasn’t fun, but at least they let us back in the building, told us it was a false alarm with the sprinklers, and were able to continue the seminar…
  • And then I had to run home and get ready for the Passport to Belonging event at the West End House Boys and Girls Club in Allston. Genzyme was a major sponsor of the event, so I was part of the event planning committee and have really been looking forward to the evening for months. I was joined at the dinner by several colleagues and friends, many for whom it was their first visit to the West End House. All were impressed with the facility, which is such an incredible place for kids of all ages in the community. I was relieved I got there in time to still purchase some of the things they made in the art studio and the kitchen, but next year I’m going earlier to make sure I get to see everything! At least we were there for the full program: Peter Gammons, the award-winning sportswriter, was there as he is the mentor of one of the students who was honored, and he interviewed both students on stage, really letting them tell their stories in such a great format; then there was a fun live ask and auction (I want to host an auction just so I can hire that auctioneer – she was a hoot!); and then we danced the night away to the Anthony Steele Band. No one could match Vanessa’s moves, but we all had fun trying! 528410_10201006189144049_738326541_n
  • Today it was hard to wake up – but I did, as I got to have lunch with Tina and my three beautiful Goddaughters. It’s only been a little while since I last saw them, yet somehow they grew so much!!! After lunch Allegra and I went shopping for her shoes and accessories for her upcoming Best Buddies prom. We had a great time, and now she’s all set! Can’t wait to see the pictures…

So yes, I may be crazy busy much of the time – and yes, I will try to get more sleep, Dad – but at least I’m crazy for a cause. Several of them, actually… so it’s more than worth it! Just wish there were a few more hours in each day, or another day in the week…

 

 

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My Christmas Wish List

Posted in Cancer, Dreams, Fundraising, radiation, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 10, 2012| 2 Comments »

My first radiation was fairly uneventful, which I consider a very good thing. I’m praying the next 24 will be just as anti-climactic. But what I observed while at Dana-Farber made me happy. I saw a woman who (apologies for judging a book by its cover) appeared to not be very well off be given a small tube of lotion that I paid $25 for without blinking. You could tell by watching and a bit of eavesdropping that she was incredibly thankful. I don’t know, maybe her insurance paid for it, maybe someone else, who knows – but what I do know is that Dana-Farber makes sure you have what you need, whether you can afford it or not.

So what do I want for Christmas? Well, to be honest, my first wish is for it to be last February, turning 38, with long brown hair, 25 pounds lighter, feeling like I’m on top of the world and ignorant of most things cancer. But since I don’t have a magic wand or fairy Godmother, that would be a waste of a wish. And I hate wasting something as special as a wish. This is what I want for Christmas:

I honestly don’t want anything more than this for Christmas. So if you insist on getting me something, please have it be a card saying you made a donation to support something like this – or wherever you want to help those who really need it. And if there isn’t something specific you want to contribute to, fundraising continues for the 2012 Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk until December 31, so even if you already sponsored me, you’re welcome to do so again (I promise this will be the last time I solicit support for the 2012 walk… 😉 ) or visit my brand new Jimmy Fund donation page here. Seriously, supporting the place that has made this horrid year a little bit easier is my only Christmas wish. I can’t help thinking the same thing I thought last year when I was making donations for presents in honor of Mirany (and you can donate in her honor here) – what could we possibly need more than our health?

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Thankful

Posted in Boston, Cancer, chemotherapy, connections, family, hair, Home, Planning, prayer, recovery, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 22, 2012| 4 Comments »

There are countless things to be thankful for every single day. And when bad things happen to you, it just gives more opportunity for the good things to shine through. While we should continually be saying ‘thank you,’ Thanksgiving provides us all the perfect platform. So here is just a very small sampling of the many, many things I am thankful for…

  • that I am here to be able to say thank you
  • early detection
  • my crazy, loving, unbelievable family here, in Florida (Tennessee), West Virginia, etc.
  • Nicholas George Tull Atwood – and that there is only one of him! 😉
  • friends – old and new, close and distant, who provide distractions (whether big like Nashville or small like WWF), make you laugh, let you cry, take you to Outback, join you at chemo or just wish they could
  • long walks and talks, planning sessions and Pinkberry
  • people who stick by your side, even when they are going through so much themselves and it’s not easy for them to do so
  • people who tell you what they think, even when they know it’s not what you want to hear
  • cards, e-mails, texts, facebook posts, calls just because
  • hand made cards and crafts by (and hugs from) children who love you and just want to help make you feel better – and do!
  • little boys who have pink birthday cakes
  • Dana-farber, the Jimmy Fund and Brigham and Women’s
  • doctors, nurses, researchers and all healthcare workers who not only treat you but care
  • organizations like the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, Bright Pink, Gloria Gemma and so many others that raise awareness and funds for research, and help people with cancer in countless ways including to feel better about themselves
  • that I live now, when cancer is not an automatic death sentence and treatments have come so far…
  • that side effects will fade, my hair will grow back and with a little effort when I get my energy back, I can lose the weight I’ve gained during treatment
  • Genzyme and the incredibly supportive people who work there
  • running friends who inspire and encourage me
  • music, movies and books you can escape into
  • Boston, the best city for practically everything – at least the best city for me, now – wouldn’t want to be anywhere else
  • Cape Cod, the ocean, the healing power of just being by the water
  • that I was born an optimist
  • that people love me even when I’m the Wicked Witch
  • that every day is a new opportunity to start over
  • all the people who have added me to their prayer lists around the world, and all the people who don’t know me but pray for me, send me positive vibes or simply wish me well

I could go on and on and on – I know I’m leaving so much out! – but we all have friends, family and turkey to get to, so I will leave it at that… Happy Thanksgiving, all, and thank YOU for caring about me and my family and reading this blog. What are you thankful for?

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