The holiday season is in full swing and, during this special time of the year, it is so important to embrace the full meaning of the holidays. While many get caught up in giving and receiving presents, others are treasuring the things that really matter in life like family and loved ones. These support systems become especially important for families with children who are battling pediatric cancer. Tackle Kids Cancer provides an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer. It is a way for a child to help another child, and families to help other families. Unfortunately, only 4% of government cancer funding directed towards pediatric cancer, and childhood cancer being the number one cause of death by disease in children – funding in all forms is crucial. Those of you who are long-time followers of this blog know that as a Leukemia Survivor, advancing cancer research is very important to me. As a mother, my heart bleeds for these families … [Read more...]
Help Children With Cancer This Holiday Season! #tacklekidscancer @tacklekidscancr #Ad
Support The Creative Cups™ Project To Raise Breast Cancer Awareness! @AdelphiU #Sponsored
*I wrote this post as part of my participation in a blog tour on behalf of TapInfluence and Adelphi University and received compensation to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, all opinions expressed are my own. As a Survivor, cancer awareness is a cause that is extremely personal to me and close to my heart. I'm a seven-year Leukemia Survivor and my family and loved ones have also been affected by other kinds of cancer. My great-grandmother died from Breast Cancer and I actually had my own mammogram scare last year when I was asked to return for further testing because they saw something on my images. One of the things that most people will tell you is that receiving a cancer diagnosis can be devastating and extremely lonely. At that moment, you feel like you don't have anyone to talk to or who understands what you are going through. I was very excited to find out that Adelphi University is home to the NYS Breast Cancer Hotline. They realized that … [Read more...]
Celebrate Mothers And Help Raise Money For Childhood Cancer! #MyHeroMom #MC @NM_News #Ad
*I participated in an Ambassador Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for the Northwestern Mutual Foundation. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating. Have you lost someone you love to cancer? Unfortunately, chances are that you have been negatively affected by this disease in one way or another. In 2007, when I was thirty years old, I was diagnosed as having Chronic Myeloid Leukemia or CML. There is no way for me to describe to all of you what a shock and horror it was to hear those words. When you are young you think you are invincible and you never expect to hear that you are afflicted with a life-threatning illness. Since I had a newborn baby and a toddler, I did not have the luxury of feeling sorry for myself and I decided to take my health into my own hands and to become proactive about my treatment. I am very blessed that advances in modern medicine have made my form of Leukemia treatable although I do still suffer from … [Read more...]
Support Kids Walk For Kids With Cancer! #KidsWalk #WalkWithUs @KidsWalkMSKCC
As many of you are aware, I am a six year Leukemia Survivor. Receiving a Cancer diagnosis is devastating at any age, however, it is especially horrific when a child is diagnosed with this disease. It's every parents' worst nightmare and, unfortunately, the reality is that Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children. Each day 46 children will be diagnosed with Cancer-this number is equivalent to the number of seats that it takes to fill a school bus. Pediatric Cancer research is severely underfunded which is why Kids Walk For Kids With Cancer is such an important event. In 2001, a group of 8th grade students in Brooklyn, NY decided to raise funds to help cure pediatric Cancer. One of the students had a little brother who was finishing treatment for stage IV neuroblastoma at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center so this cause was deeply personal to him. These 8th graders raised $35,000 through their walkathon and, since then, new teams continue to … [Read more...]
Spread Breast Cancer Awareness In Your Community! @PGEveryday #PGBestDefense #Giveaway
Disclosure: This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with SheSpeaks and P&G. However, all opinions expressed are my own. One in eight women will get breast cancer in her lifetime. This is certainly a very sobering thought. It could affect any one of us or the women who we know and love in our lives. Sadly, death rates are much higher among African American and Latina women. Every hour and a half, a Latina woman dies of breast cancer in the United States. Have I got your attention now? I'm sure that you have been inundated with breast cancer awareness messages this month but the one message that I want you to receive is that early detection saves lives! Due to medical advances that have been made in modern times, the five year survival rate for women who are diagnosed during the early stage is 98%. Without a doubt, early detection is the best defense against breast cancer. As you are all aware, fighting cancer is one of my main priorities … [Read more...]
My Birthday Confession
Today is my birthday and it is a special day for many reasons beyond the usual ones that one might think of. You see, while most people are lamenting over birthdays due to the loss of their youth, I am counting my blessings and thanking God for every year that I get to be here to see my sons grow up. While others keep their age a secret for fear of ridicule, I proudly wear my age as a testament of my strength and courage. Today is my 36th birthday and I am proud to say that I am a Survivor. Yes, I know you all feel like you are survivors in your own ways but, you see, I am the other kind of survivor. Yes, that kind. Five years ago, I was diagnosed with CML. Yes it's a Cancer, yes it's treatable, and no I am not dying. CML stands for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia and it is a blood malignancy. I've had this blog for over 2 years and I have struggled with writing this post for a long time. There are many reasons for it including the fact that I believe some things are … [Read more...]
