Archive for ‘Doing some good’

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May 4, 2010

Running The Relay race #EatBlogRun style

The Eat.Blog.Run Team crossing the finish line in Davenport (Image courtesy of Tonya Staab http://www.tonyastaab.com/)

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of running The Relay race – a 199 mile race from Calistoga (in the Napa Valley wine region of California) to Davenport (on the coast of California a little north of Santa Cruz). I have run this race before, twice, about 10 years ago in 1999 and 2000. It is always a special race, because it is a team thing. You spend about 36 hours (or more if you dine together the night before the race and again after the race) with these people and really have to work together to get it all done.

I have A LOT more to write about this race….it was life changing/affirming in many ways. I LOVED this team – every single person is amazing and funny and smart.

Eat.Blog.Run Team socks (coordinated with TeamSparkle.com skirts) (Image courtesy of Tonya Staab http://www.tonyastaab.com/)

For now, check out our team blog, Eat. Blog. Run. – photos and stories will be going up there. You can also check out the (very funny!) twitter stream from the race at #eatblogrun.

Posted in Around town, Challenges, Doing some good, Events, Friends, Getaway, Getting Fit, It's all about ME, Let's Party, The Great Outdoors, Travel | 4 Comments »

January 29, 2010

A Jar for “Old Man”…and Haiti

-1

Discussions in the car lately….

Lily: "Oh my gosh! What is that old man doing standing in the middle of the street?!" 

Me: "Actually, he's sitting."

Ben: "He's going to be smashed like a bug!"

Me: "Actually, he's on the divider in between where the cars drive. So he's safe."

Ava: "He's holding a paper."

Ben: "It says (sounding out words)…P-L-E-A-S-E….H-E-L-P… Me. I know that word: Me. It says Please Help Me."

Me: "He doesn't have any money and sometimes when people don't have any money they stand on the street and ask for help from people who do have money." 

(Driving past….he was not on our side of the street)

Lily: "Let's go give him all our money. Turn, Mommy, turn around. I want to give him my Whole Piggy Bank!"

Me: "Do you remember that Nana and Papa help cook dinner sometimes at the shelter? Do you know what a shelter is?"

All: "No…"

Me: "Well, it is a place where people who don't have any money or food can go. And they can get help. And have a place to sleep. And get something to eat. And, hopefully, get a job so they can make money to buy food and pay for a place to live."

Lily: "He doesn't have a place to LIVE?! He has NO HOUSE?!"

Me: "He might not. I don't know. But that is a way for us to help. To give money or to help at the shelter. How about if we start a jar that any of us can put money into and then we can take it to the shelter."

Lil: "YES!"

(Walking in the house….)

I got a jar that we used to use for the marble economy (that we didn't keep up….I am so not good at reward programs, I just can't keep track, sticker charts, marble collections, not for me it turns out. Call it laziness or disorganization. Call it avoiding the praise game. Anyway, not for me.).

Lily got her piggy bank, pried it open and poured the contents in. She got a permanent marker and asked me how to spell "Old Man." An "I (heart) you, Lily" was added at the bottom. Ava grabbed my wallet and put my change in the jar too. An hour later, Ben sidled up to the jar, looked from right to left, and dropped a quarter in from his pocket. I didn't see it. No, not I.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Enoch Choi Foundation

I am part of an local Silicon Valley effort to send 10 doctors and nurses and medical staff to Haiti with a clinic in a container (The Container Clinics). It is an amazing effort, one that Gemini Crickets also participated in, to raise almost $7,000 along with PAMP at a bake sale last weekend. Yes, $7,000 at a bake sale. In one day. These people can mobilize! 

Enoch Choi, a local ER physicial, is heading this up, along with many local community leaders.

Visit the Enoch Choi Foundation Facebook fan page and become a fan to receive updates.

Mission of the Enoch Choi Foundation: Silicon Valley physicians and nurses fly to Haiti to provide short-term
outpatient week-long opportunities to serve while demonstrating local
health IT and green tech solutions to improve disaster medical aid.
100% of donations will go to Haitians.

The effort was featured in SFGate yesterday. Amazing people, amazing contributions.  

The kids helped me bake brownies for the bake sale and have been asking about earthquakes. Yes, we have had earthquakes here lately too, so I want to assure them they are safe. There are earthquake drills at school and coin collections for Haiti in their classrooms. There is something everyone can do to help the people of Haiti.

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Posted in Doing some good | 1 Comment »

January 7, 2010

Take the Pearl Pledge – Pearls of Wisdom Cervical Cancer Awareness

Web Pledge Button Partners 150x275 Last month, I had the opportunity to be a part of a conversation with other SV Moms Group bloggers, Michelle Whitlock, and ABC News Medical Contributor Dr. Marie Savard ("Dr. Marie"). It was a frank and open call…and I learned a lot.

As a cancer survivor, I am hyper-interested in learning anything about how any cancer can be PREVENTED. And the amazing news is, cervical cancer is a cancer that can be prevented. Some statistics: Cervical cancer used to be the #1 cause of death and it still remains the #2 cause of cancer (2nd only to breast cancer). There is no other cancer we know so much about and we even have a vaccine which can prevent up to 70%! We could reduce the cases to 0 if we used the science we know about.

There are many similarities between my story and Michelle's Michelle was 26 when she was diagnosed. I was 28. We were both newly married. We both wanted to have kids. We both searched for ways to keep our fertility. I ended up with three kids, after searching for a chemo treatment that would have less impact on my fertility. Michelle and her husband just had a baby girl born via surrogate (yay!).

Today, no one has to die from cervical cancer. That is why I am taking part in this effort to educate about early detection. Dr. Marie worries that If women don't go into their annual visit to talk about their health, we will lose a lot of women. Here is what you can do…

Here is what every woman should know about cervical cancer prevention:

* Girls and young women:
Ask your healthcare provider about the HPV vaccine, which protects
against the two types of HPV that cause the majority of cervical
cancers. The vaccines are recommended for girls 11 and 12 years old,
and are approved for girls and young women up to age 26. Even women
who’ve been vaccinated will still need to be screened.

* Women age 21 or older: Get the Pap test, which detects abnormal cells that can lead to cervical cancer.

* Women age 30 or older:
Get the Pap test and the HPV test together as part of routine cervical
cancer screening. The HPV test detects the virus that causes cervical
cancer, identifying those women at increased risk who will need to be
monitored more closely.

Cervical cancer is nearly 100% preventable when we take action for our
women's health. The HPV test and HPV vaccine are the tools. This is the
first time in history that we have a test for, we have the tools to
prevent and we have a vaccine. Truly amazing!

Join me and take the Pearl Pledge today – the pledge is commit to schedule your annual exam, tell 5 friends about the pledge and to ask them to take the pledge too. Wear whatever pearls you have or buy a Pearls of Wisdom pin (all profits go to US fund for CC prevention activity).

Additional information:

Read other posts about the Pearl Pledge on Chicago Moms Blog.

Posted in Cancer sucks, Doing some good, SV Moms | 1 Comment »

November 21, 2009

This could be me or you – support “For Heidi Family Run” on Sat Dec 12th at Hogue Park

Heide and family Last week, new guidelines were releases regarding the frequency and timing of mammograms.

My friend Susan from Toddler Planet and founder of Mothers With Cancer, writes in defense of mammograms: "Earlier today, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued new recommendations on regular mammograms for women in their 40’s.  In short, they’re against them." Read the rest of the post here. 

As I read Susan's twitter feed on Tuesday morning, she was counting down the minutes until TV crew arrived at her house to interview her on the subject; I was headed to my yearly OB/GYN appointment, my main objective being to leave with an order for a mammogram and breast MRI. I am 36, but an MRI is recommended for women younger than 40 with risk factors – my risk factors? Chemotherapy and radiation to the chest 8 years ago when I battled Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Other risk factors can include, for instance, having a sister or mother who had breast cancer. I was fairly sure I would leave with the order – cancer in your health history can do that for you!

I left the office with my order, but immediately thought of a fellow Farnham Elementary School mom, Heide, whose girls my girls adore. We both have girls named Ava and those two girls have played together at the park close to our school. "Hi Ava, want to come play in the sand, Ava?" "Ok, Ava." They are SO cute! My little Ava loves her little Ava. And Lily loves to play with Ava's older sister, Genevieve. Genevieve is in 1st grade, but had Lily's kindergarten teacher last year. They run around in the grass together, giggling about I don't know what. 

Heide always seems to have a smile on her face and she is always fashionably dressed – you know, one of those moms you are always thinking "she really has it together!" She is the kind of person you can see enjoying a mani and pedi with and just laughing about what your girls get up to together. And then having a deep conversation about the meaning of life right after that. I don't know Heide well, but I feel like I do.

Heide has been battling cancer for 18 months. It started out as breast cancer, she went into remission, then it returned…and now is in all of her major organs, including her brain and bones. She has come to the end of all FDA approved treatments and has been given little hope. Her grace and strength through all of this has impressed everyone around her. It breaks my heart thinking of little Ava and Genevieve growing up without their wonderful mother. Heide also has a twin sister, like I do. It is so hard to imagine life without your twin…

Heide's many friends from our school are coming together to hold a benefit run, the "For Heide Family Fun Run" on Saturday, December 12th from 10am – 1pm. The purpose is to raise money for the Medina Family Fund. It is just $25 for an entire family to run (or walk) and easy course at Houge Park (our neighborhood park) in San Jose, CA that day. There will be a bake sale, face painting, a silent auction and a gift card drive. 

Really, this could be me. This could be you. This could be ANY ONE OF US. Please help me support and rally around Heide, her husband Ric, and their lovely girls Ava and Genevieve. Come join me at the run. Save the date and RSVP via the evite here: http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?inviteId=QEIBXEZDEHDJVRADKKAK.

If you can't be there in person, you can donate to the Medina Family Fund on Heide's website.

Hope to see you on December 12th!

Posted in Around town, Ava, Cancer sucks, Doing some good, Events, Friends, Lily | 2 Comments »

October 11, 2009

Lighting the Night…and what to tell the kids about cancer?

Linsey LTN

[You can't read it, but the back of my shirt reads "SURVIVOR"]

I’m over at Silicon Valley Moms Blog today, recapping our first annual Light the Night walk with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Last night, my family and I participated, for the first time ever, in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night walk
event in Palo Alto. As an 8-year survivor of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, I am
thankful that organization such as LLS exists. LLS’s Team in Training
program was a great source of support for me during and after my
treatment (Go Team!). As a mom, though, I struggle a bit with events
like this. See, my kids don’t know that I am a cancer survivor.

Click here for the rest…

If you would like to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society,
there is still time to support this event, which I organized with Jill
Asher, co-founder of Silicon Valley Moms Group and daughter of a
leukemia survivor. We raised over $1,300 in about a week and would love
to raise more money for research and patient services. Click here
to donate. San Jose’s Light the Night event is on October 24th if you
want to join (or form) a team to experience it yourself. Also, we
REALLY, REALLY want to add to the National Marrow Donor Program’s
registry list. Go to www.marrow.org to register yourself (no blood sample needed, just a cheek swap – easy and you could save a life!).

Photo credit for the above photo to Carla Duharte/BabyJIDesign,
who was the official photographer for the Silicon Valley Moms Group
Light the Night team…and who registered herself as a potential bone
marrow donor on the night of the event. Thank you Carla! And thank you,
Maxine, who also walked with us, and THANK YOU to all who have supported our event!

More photos (taken by me, NOT a professional!):

IMG_2284 IMG_2285 IMG_2296 IMG_2282 IMG_2294 IMG_2306

Posted in Cancer sucks, Doing some good, SV Moms | Comments Off

September 28, 2009

Those sure are some NICE habits

D1ntbook

A couple of years ago, I participated in a "Pay It Forward" day. I
can't remember what the source of inspiration was, but it was an
organized thing. I read about how one person paid for the coffee for
the person behind them in the Starbucks line and then the next person
did the same thing and the next person…and so on, until something
like 300 (or more?) people paid for coffee for the person coming after
them. It was started by just one person and people got into the spirit
very quickly. I can't remember exactly what I did, but I think I did it
for longer than one day. Then…busy life took over with the kids and
what not and… well, I would like to think that I do nice things on a
regular basis, but with a deliberate intent? I believe that's a
different thing.

Today was Monday. Mondays mean something more now in our household, because Ben and Lily have started kindergarten
and it is the start of a week when we have to get out of the house
early, early, early and go, go, go. I have to say that I have had a
case of the "Mondays" for the last couple of weeks. I have to psych
myself up for this whole thing that feels like a race to nowhere
sometimes.

What to do to make it better? How about doing one nice thing?
Today I got a call from my babysitter's mother. My babysitter was
scheduled to come over tomorrow afternoon to watch the kids while I had
a lunch meeting. However, her husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 renal
cancer several months ago, has been in the hospital for a week or so
now and she just got a call to head back to the hospital because "he's
not doing well." She likely won't be making it to our house to babysit
tomorrow. This man is 42 years old. 42!!! Being a cancer survivor
myself, I know how tough it is to have cancer as a young adult (I was
28). And to have a spouse that is sick is almost harder, in some ways.
After all, caregivers get very little breaks from all the stress. There
is no time for themsleves. In a way, this babysitting afternoon was not
so much scheduled because I need it (I could have asked my mom), but
because SHE needs it. Being a caregiver is SO tough. I was looking
forward to Ava telling her beloved babysitter "I love you. Will you
swing me. Push me in the back, please. Push me super high!" Since I
can't give her that…what can I do for her?

I looked through the book Do One Nice Thing
by Debbie Tenzer today, searching for something to do for my
babysitter, my friend. I came across something that I have been meaning
to do FOREVER. I signed up to be an organ donor. I think I may have the
sticker on my drivers license, but I wanted to be sure that I made my
wishes clear and that I notified my family about it. So I headed over
to www.DonateLife.net and
got it done. I have no idea if my organs would even be "good" – I can't
be a blood donor, for instance, since I have had a blood cancer,
chemotherapy and the rest of it. But why not? Maybe it will benefit
someone, somewhere, sometime. 

I have been working on habits in
my household and in my life lately a lot. Laundry habits, paper clutter
habits, homework habits. Do one nice each week sounds like a nice habit
to get into. Ideas are plentiful when I just look around.

My
thoughts are with my babysitter tonight especially. We love you! Come
over and play ANYTIME you need a break and a few "I love you's."

This post was inspired by the book Do One Nice Thing by Debbie Tenzer and is part of Silicon Valley Moms Group's September book club for this book. You can read more posts for the book club here. 

Posted in A good read, Book Club, Cancer sucks, Doing some good, SV Moms | 3 Comments »

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