Relay for Life

Last night I gave the closing "why I Relay" speech at an American Cancer Society Relay for Life kick-off event. One of the things that I said was,

Another side effect (of witnessing cancer, care giving, and having cancer) has been the sharing of information about cancer, and about lung cancer. I have been blogging about it since December 2005-the original intent was to keep family and friends up to date on what was happening. It has also let me, I hope, show what cancer looks like, sounds like… make cancer visible. We need to be shouting it from the rooftops.

I hope that this blog has done that-put a face to it. I also hope that it has given you information, hope, and some understanding about cancer.

Our Wyoming Libraries Relay for Life team has a fundraiser underway. Our team and Mountain Avenue http://www.mountainave.net/index.html have teamed up just in time for the holidays. Make a jewelry purchase through their website, and 25% of the total sale will be given to our team/ACS as a donation. All you need to do is select our team from the "charity of your choice" for the donation at the time of checkout. This sale is only good for 30 days, November 28 - December 28, 2007.

Thanks for all your support-for me, our team, for cancer research.
hugs,
chris

p.s. In the photo I am actually standing behind a podium that has a t-shirt hanging from it. I am not wearing a giant purple dress! BTW the shirt says, "I am Living Proof."

Blessings to you

Take time to count your blessings and to enjoy the feast.

I know I will...
hugs,
chris

the real reason...

that my chemo was moved to last Friday, was not a scheduling issue, but a surprise party! The reps from Lilly/Alimta had a beautiful cake, cookies, and lunch for me! Thank you Dr. Kanard, Lisa, Tricia, all my wonderful chemo nurses, and Kim and Kimberly from Lilly. You all rock!

pictures at the Cancer Center.

Lisa, Dr. Anne Kanard, Tricia and me-Cancer Center of the Rockies. Go Team!

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

I struggle with whether or not to do an event to raise money and awareness for lung cancer. I truly believe that we need to be raising funds and awareness for ALL cancers. It's toll is huge-on the person with the cancer and for all those who care for them and about them.
However, I am going to talk a bit about lung cancer...because it needs some funding dollars and education and awareness are key to funding and survival.
According to National Lung Cancer Partnership, lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of women and men in the US, taking more lives than breast, prostate, and colon cancers combined. Yet, federal research funding for lung cancer lags behind many other common cancers and common diseases, such that treatments for lung cancer patients - although slowly improving - are insufficient to meet the challenges of this deadly disease.
According to the Lung Cancer Alliance:
National Cancer Institute: In 1971 President Nixon and Congress declared a War on Cancer. At that time, lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer death-it still is today. Funding for NCI grew from $400 million per year in 1971 to $4.78 billion in 2005. Most major cancers have benefitted with increasingly high five-year survival rates. The underfunding of lung cancer research has kept its survival rate almost as low as it was in 1971.
Department of Defense: In 1992 Congress started funding cancer research programs at DOD. From 1992 to 2004, DOD funding for breast cancer research totaled $1.66 billion. An additional $150 million has been appropriated for 2005. Prostate cancer research totaled $565 million from 1997-2004. Another $85 million has been appropriated for 2005. Lung cancer research received only $33 million from 1999-2004, with just $2.1 million appropriated for 2005.
Centers for Disease Control: Congress also earmarks funding within CDC for specific cancers. The 2005 budget includes $204 million for breast and cervical cancer research, $14 million for prostate cancer research, and $14.6 million for colon cancer research. The 2005 budget includes $0 for lung cancer research.
The total research spending dollars per death in 2005: $23,474/breast cancer, $14,369/prostate cancer, $5,216/colon cancer and $1,829 for lung cancer.

I think these numbers speak for themselves and I will step off my soapbox.

hugs,
c