(She’s cute, huh? She wears pink like a BOSS!  But if she has that ink… it’s for a real good reason.  It’s personal. She’s got the fire in her! It’s in her eyes.  She’s ready to move mountains.  I feel ya girl, I feel ya)

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In a sea of pink ribbons, Go Pink ads, morning show interviews of survivor celebs, & magazine articles (I even wrote one myself in Sophisticated Woman’s October 2015 Issue, page 10-12. BTW, HUGE shout out to the ladies of the SW Mag and their outstanding work, and my buddies at MugShots and GloryBound AGAIN on their oh so cool tribute and TOTAL SURPRISE on page 9! TEARS!!!)… anyway, even in the midst of all of this excitement and beauty of all of the pink-a-locity of OCTOBER as Breast Cancer Awareness month all around me,  I find my self thrown back in a whirlwind of memories.  My head is spinning.  So many emotions come over me with each story, some I can read, some commercials I can watch in awe and pride that we are in that survivor number, and some I just turn the t.v. right off. Deep breaths.  It’s overwhelming.  Why?  It’s all about cancer awareness.  That’s a good thing, a very good thing.  No doubt.  In our home, we are very aware and can use the terminology like any other household words.  We should be used to it by now, I guess.   But there are those days that you want nothing to do with a pink ribbon, & others that you wear it with pride. But do others get it? 

Sometimes, I just hope that AWARENESS also  sets a little fire under people to get out and DO SOMETHING MORE! Even if it just means making a meal for, buying some flowers or Chemobeanie for, or giving a hug to a Cancer patient… it’s all positive.

(Stay with me. Please read… Please WATCH until the end)

As I was getting my kiddos dressed in all pink this a.m. for school and sending them with cash to make donations to MARY BIRD PERKINS CANCER CENTER of ST. TAMMANY PARISH HOSPITAL, we found this “Flashback Friday” (not a real term, I’m just coining that one.  No copyright on it.  Go ahead and steal it …or leave me hangin on my own, whatever!😉) from last year:

“Geaux PINK” month of OCTOBER 2014:

Last night I spoke with a couple about the difference between AWARENESS and DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT as it pertains to cancer,  at a patron party for YouNight (that whole runway shindig that I talked about in my Rock the Runway post. It’s October 22nd, you can still get your general admissions tickets. Just click the above “YouNight” link before they all run out!!! Shameless plug, I know, but I don’t want anyone to miss it!!! Especially someone who’s been or is currently going through this kinda fight! … So encouraging. Sigh.).  Not everyone can make huge donations, but some can run races.  Some can do lemonade stands.  Some can donate a dollar, 5 dollars, or much more.  But when you do, please donate to places that either are actually taking care of patients or are researching how to cure more patients!!!

I was diagnosed with TRIPLE POSITIVE INVASIVE DUCTAL CARCINOMA STAGE 3 (BORDERLINE STAGE 4) if it wasn’t for the targeted chemo, Herceptin,  according to my particular levels, tumor size, and case… I would not be here today. I say that because a very dear friend of mine and mentor had the very same diagnosis (It is actually very rare for a doctor to tell you have the EXACT SAME DIAGNOSIS, levels, ph, everything… BUT OURS DID) during the beginning stages of HERCEPTIN’S usage.  She was diagnosed over 12 years ago before it was available to her and wasn’t aware of Herceptin yet.  She was dying.  She was kissing her little ones goodbye.  I distinctly remember holding my baby on my hip and praying over her with my brother in the back of church with a few of our other daily mass goers.  She was my idol, and it broke my heart to see her always twinkling eyes now so dark.  Because of one doctor that never gave up on the research for Herceptin when everyone told him it wouldn’t work, my friend’s entire case turned around and she received his drug … and she lived.

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**DR.DENNIS SLAMON, I HAVE NEVER MET YOU, BUT I THANK YOU FOR MY LIFE, MY FRIEND’S LIFE, AND THE MANY MANY MANY WOMEN YOU’VE ALREADY SAVED AND WILL CONTINUE TO SAVE

(Link below to movie starring Harry Connick, Jr. as Dr.Slamon’s Herceptin discovery after so many doors closing in his face)

“LIVING PROOF MOVIE TRAILER”

(Or Purchase DVD here: Living Proof Movie on Amazon)

 

Because of Dr.Slamon, and the same oncologist that got a hold of HERCEPTIN and never gave up on my dear friend, I also began my chemotherapy with HERCEPTIN from the beginning because he knew what my status was.

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My friend?  The gorgeous Angelle Albright, now the founder of the lovely ChemoBeanies. My mentor, my friend.

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That oncologist who saved her and now me, too, whom you all know by now, is at the Mary Bird Cancer Center:

Dr.Jay Saux, aka

“Captain Jack… THE PIRATE DOCTOR”

He’s never ever ever ever ever ever ….EVER given up on me or on anyone, and I know he never will.  He’s a humble warrior. He is my doctor.  He is my relentless detective (on a skateboard and in a costume!)

He is … my friend.

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The many technicians, nurses, volunteers, social workers, receptionists, staff, ….. the list goes on and on…. are ALL HUMBLE, HUMBLE,  and oh so caring warriors.  THEY NEED your love and prayers.

THEY need your support.

Any time that we can give our PRAYERS FOR SURVIVORS AND THOSE THAT CARE FOR THEM, as well as DONATIONS no matter how BIG or how SMALL,  that’s what we need to do.

If you can… you SHOULD.

WHY?  Because, if they’re still working there, that means it ain’t over.

Cancer’s still on the run.

Not everyone has a Herceptin … yet.  Researchers need funding to find another “Herceptin-like” targeted drug to combat breast cancer patients that are TRIPLE NEGATIVE.  As well as so many many other cancers. That’s what we need to be aware of.

Pay attention to where your donations go to.  How do they spend their money?  Are they going to go to do research to go save some lives and help save our friends and family members who keep sending me more and more emails through my blog and TeamBuna facebook page that I’m sooo wanting to help; yet heartbroken that they have to be in such a position to share this “club” with me.

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Nothing’s impossible.

With the team that I had this year over at MBP, I felt like I was with family… a family that would take care of me always.  My pirate doctor over there took me on board and wasn’t afraid to fight any thing that came (or continues to come our way in what I currently call “THE AFTERMATH“- More on that another day).  Helped a whole lot that the Big Guy upstairs was steerin’ the ship! 🙂

I know many patients, nurses, and staff would agree.

Click on the pic below as we humbly took part in a special IMPACT  video right here in our home for the MBP Cancer Center. You’ll see why this place is so special and why I believe MBP is one I stand strongly behind when GOING PINK!

MARY BIRD PERKINS “IMPACT” VIDEO

What more can I say?  Thank you for letting all of those pink clothes this month set a fire under us to get out there, get checked if you need to get checked, and help others in any way that YOU can or you can help the OTHERS that you know can help those who need it.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL.