And so the Pink Season Begins!

Hi Everyone,

It's that time again, the season of breast cancer awareness.  In the beginning, when I was first diagnosed, this season was too raw for me.  Everywhere I turned I saw pink and frankly, It was too much.  I felt like I was surrounded by pink vomit.  I'll never forget the first Komen race we participated in.  I was in the middle of chemo, had no hair, was so tired and in a @#$%! fog.  I couldn't decide to go bald or wear a wig or a hat or nothing, ugh!  I dreaded the race, was intentionally late and sick to my stomach.  When I arrived to over 200 friends and family I was overwhelmed and thanked God for his team.  Waltz Warriors won largest community team that year.  We had fabulous pink camo shirts, a huge banner, and friends and family from all over the country.  Only now, looking back do I realize how good, how necessary that Komen race was for me, my children and Brett.  It was part of my healing and I didn't even realize it.

Fast forward to 2013.  I have grown to love breast cancer awareness season- the pink hues and witnessing men and women coming together to educate, empower and support those touched with breast cancer.  I am part of an amazing organization, Pink Ribbons Project and have connected with many pink angels through the years. 

The Waltz family kicks off the breast cancer awareness season by participating in Tour de Pink, an annual bike ride benefitting Pink Ribbons Project.  Julia will be a volunteer, the rest of us will ride 23 miles.  Of course, we have not trained and I don't have a bike in my possession yet.  We are late in our fundraising efforts as well.  But, good prevails and I know we will succeed in our fundraising mission and have a fabulous time riding! 

Here is the link to all of our pages, please consider giving a pink gift! 

http://www.tourdepink.org/site/TR/Events/General?team_id=8610&pg=team&fr_id=1120

Be Well and Ride On!

Have you had your mammogram?

Hi Everyone!

It’s the third week of our school year and I am still treading water.  I have concluded that the older my kids get, the busier I get, the more expensive they become and the more I yearn for peace.  Aaaahhhh how I love the quiet mornings after everyone has left for school.  Today as I enjoy my morning, I am catching up on cancer studies.  An analysis was published yesterday in the journal Cancer that recommends more yearly breast cancer screening for younger women ages 40-49.  This study, which looked at 7,301 patients, analyzed the prevalence of breast cancer and deaths from breast cancer.  What they found was that the majority of those who died from breast cancer never had a mammogram prior to diagnosis.  50 percent of the breast cancer deaths occurred in women under the age of 50, only 13 percent were 70 or older.  The study also reports that, even with new protocols for treating breast cancer, regular mammography screening is the best way to significantly reduce breast cancer deaths!

Ladies, this is mucho importanto!  Please get your yearly mammogram.  If you are in the Houston area and do not have health insurance, contact The Rose at www.the-rose.org.  They provide mammography services regardless of your ability to pay.  In my opinion, mammograms don’t hurt- but maybe it’s because my breast tissue used to be nil, none, nothing!  Damn you A cup breasts, you failed me :0. 

Be Well,