In the last month breast cancer has hit home. Statistically it makes sense. 5 in every 10 women will get breast cancer and I have been waiting for it to hit. It hit in spades in my family. Cancer has been something that has weighed on my heart for years and I fear it so. On my side, we have 6 adult women and my 2 daughters on my inlaw side we have 5 women, me and three little ladies. So statistically, over 5 of us should get breast cancer. I am angry and sickened by it all. I hate cancer and hate that it has infiltrated my family.
My grandma, Louanne Peyton was diagnosed in September 2014 and last week went through a double mascentomy to remove her breast cancer. Grammy Lou is the matriarch of my family and deserves the title in every way. She is loving, patient, non biased, fun, current and a lady in every sense of the term. I've never had a conversation with my grandma that hasn't stuck with me in some way. She is wise in a way that you only dream your grandma would be. She is lovely in a way that her outer beauty pales in comparison too. She is everything that empowers a woman to be well read, womanly and smart in a way that only a woman of 83 can be. She gets me and gets life. I can talk to her about my worst fears and my most frivolous moments and she is steadfast. She laughs at herself and finds joy in everything. We tease that she lives her life with rose colored glasses or in a romance novel and I'm okay with that philosophy. If I become a fraction of my grandma I would be lucky.
My aunt Becky is in every word categorized as a saint. She is the most gentle person I've ever met. I don't mean weak, my aunt is anything but weak. Her spirit is reserved and gentle and she sits on the sidelines. She on the other hand, can stand up for herself. She can be fierce and defend herself like nothing I've ever seen. She is brilliant and beyond sharp. She surprises me with her strength and brilliance. She is the steadfast rock of her family and is always serving others. Maybe to a fault. She loves my babies like her own. We have the sweetest memories of my girls playing with Beck singing and dancing to silly Sound of Music songs. I have the fondest memories of being in college and randomly visiting my cousin . Her home would always smell of home cooked meals and the second you walked in you felt her love. Her unwavering smile made you feel as if everything would be alright. That smile was my home away from home. Her beauty is simple as she likes it but nothing less than stunning.
Both of these special woman of mine have been diagnosed only two weeks apart with breast cancer. I'm helpless in knowing what to do and how to help. The best I can do is spread the awareness and love on my family. Some organizations close to me have begun their own campaigns for breast cancer. Please support their efforts and please support my effort in trying to do my part in battling breast cancer.
Plum Pretty Sugar is offering 15% of proceeds to Sugan G. Koman. Enter YOUAREPRETTY14 on all your "Pink Love Poppy" orders over $50 and you will receive an adorable tote bag as well as your donation.
One Hope has been at the forefront of their proceeds going to all different organizations but their breast cancer proceeds stand front and center this month. "The Gateway for Cancer Research is committed to funding innovative cancer research studies that can help today’s cancer patients feel better, live longer or be cured. Thanks to generous underwriting by Cancer Treatment Centers of America®, 99 cents of every dollar Gateway receives helps to fund phase I and phase II cancer clinical trials at leading research institutions all over the world. Since 1991 Gateway has supported more than 120 clinical trials and funded millions in leading-edge research, including blending the best of conventional and complementary/alternative therapies."
Breast Cancer has it's sights on every 5 in 10 women. That is 50%! Our odds are not in our favor. Let's ban together as women, providers, glue to our families, wives, mothers, friends confidants etc etc etc. and fight the good fight. Research and self checking is all we can do at this point. Please donate to the research here. Please donate on behalf of these two women in my life that have impacted me in more ways that can be discussed.
