David Servan-Schreiber, doctor, neuroscientist, advocate and incredible inspiring author died at age 50 this week from a malignant brain tumor. David changed my life when his book Anticancer: A New Way of Life was recommended to me after being diagnosed with breast cancer. I have since lived by many of his beliefs of taking care of the body, mind and spirit as means of fighting cancer. He truly was one of my heroes. He was diagnosed with brain cancer 20 years ago and was only given 6 years max to live. After a recurrence, he made a drastic change in his lifestyle and went on a crusade to teach others. Last year in May, the brain cancer came back and had spread to other organs. As reported in the LA Times, at the time of this second recurrence he stated: "Death is part of life. It happens to everyone. Profit from now, do the important things. I am convinced that 'Anticancer' has played an important role in the fact that I survived cancer for 19 years when the first diagnosis gave me only six at the most."
As I sit here this morning with my berries and green tea, I am thinking about these last 3+ years of my life. A flash of a colorful collage goes through my mind of all the anticancer changes I have sought to implement. I owe many of these changes to David.
I will pray for his wife and his three children that they will celebrate their daddy all the days of their lives, knowing that he touched many in this world, promoting hope and life.
You can read more about David at http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/scimedemail/la-me-david-servan-schreiber-20110726,0,5480879.story
Be Well and Live,
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
BIG Money!
Hello Everyone,
July is a BIG month for Butterfly Kisses and Waltz Warrior ribbons. We have to raise BIG money (over $4,000) this month for the pinkribbonparade.org. We are starting to get notice of events that the ribbons will be touring. A press release will be at City Hall on September 13th with our ribbons- what an honor! There are many ways to help us support The Breast Health Collaborative of Texas and Pink Ribbons Project.
1. Make a donation on the Waltz Warrior website through PayPal http://www.goicd.com/waltzwarrior.htm
2. Purchase a raffle ticket for the quilt that Isabella and Hailey are sewing with Ms. Valerie. Tickets are $5 each, you may pay with cash or a check payable to The Rose. Drawing date is August 15, need not to be present to win!
We are thrilled to be a part of this event in Houston!
Be Well,
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Love Entails Suffering
Hi Everyone,
My friend Theresa was laid to rest on Monday. It was a beautiful and sorrowful celebration. The priest gave an excellent homily on suffering. He said that when we experience suffering we are filled with a sense of protest and rebellion, continuously asking “Why?” He reminded us that we were made of love and that in suffering love shows itself. Love entails suffering. I have been pondering this phrase- love entails suffering. For me, there is no doubt that in the cancer storm I have experienced, love prevails. In return I want to give acts of love to others. Funny how that happens, I guess it was in my plan.
Be Well,
Friday, July 1, 2011
Prayer of Release
Today I write with a heavy, angry and humbled heart. My friend Theresa lost her battle with breast cancer last night. I met Theresa at Pink Paint last year, a painting class at Pink Ribbons Project. She and I were diagnosed with breast cancer weeks apart in 2008. She was 28 at the time and had a son who was just a year and a half. We went through a similar regimen of treatment and were both cancer free until last year when her cancer metastasized to her liver. She was a vibrant young lady with a soft, loving and positive spirit, always with a smile.
I have really struggled with how quickly she went from well to 24 hour hospice care and then death. I have a tremendous amount of survivor guilt, lots of questions to God of why her and not me. Frankly, it has sent me in a tizzy and I have found myself thinking about my own funeral. And of course, I am looking for God’s message in all of this. Seek him, trust in him, his will is good. It is hard for me to wrap my head around good when a young mother has just left her husband, 4 year old and many loved ones.
To the world she is part of the cycle of life, to our country she is another cancer statistic, to her community she is a hero and to her family and friends she is wife, mommy, daughter, neighbor and on and on. Ultimately, she is God’s daughter and for whatever reason she has been called to him.
I heard Don Piper speak at our church years ago before I was diagnosed with cancer. He died in a car accident in 1989 and lay dead for 90 minutes. He was prayed over by a pastor and then returned to life. He travels the country speaking of his account of heaven and has written several books, including 90 Minutes in Heaven. I know this may all sound hokey, but his story is real and it was one I will never forget. I often think about his words and experience and how profound it was. Today I think about Theresa and the angels that must have greeted her last night, the sound of hymns, the light and the peace. She is at a better place, truly.
When I was going through treatment I had a prayer warrior who would send me beautiful prayers. She would write about whatever issue I was experiencing at that time. I went through them this morning and found this one that perfectly speaks to me today.
Prayer of Release
I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until the day of His return. 2 Timothy 1:12 NLT
Heavenly Father, I release to you the burdens that I have been carrying, burdens that You never intended for me to carry. I cast all my cares upon You-all my worries, all my fears.
Father, calm my restless spirit, quiet my anxious heart, still my troubling thoughts with the assurance that You are in control. I let go of my grip upon the things I have been hanging onto, with opened hands I come to You.
I thank You for Your promise to sustain me, preserve me, and guard all that I have entrusted to Your keeping. Protect my heart and mind with Your peace, the peace that passes all understanding. Father, may Your will be done in my life, in Your time, and in Your way.
Be Well,
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