November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month!!!

Lung cancer is, by far, the most common killer from cancer. I mean, think about it, how many people do you know that currently have lung cancer, or have had lung cancer? How many have died from it?

Most cases are diagnosed very late in life, this is due to the fact that the majority of lung cancers develop very slowly, over a long length of time. While cigerette smoke is the leading cause of development, secondhand smoke, asbestos, radon, and other environmental factors. For the most part, men are affected more, but women are quickly making themselves equals.

There are many different types and few symptoms until late in development.

For more information, please click here to learn about Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.
For more information, please click here to learn about Small Cell Lung Cancer.

My grandmother died two years ago this coming March. She had Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and was diagnosed merely months before she passed. I miss her everyday. A word of advice, don't wait until it's too late!



I love you Grandma! <3





October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Alright everyone, so we all know that it's Breast Cancer awareness month! Who of you out there have had, or currently have, Breast Cancer? Or maybe you know someone who did or does. Tell me about it. I need content for my cancer stories page. If you need information on Breast Cancer, please see my list of cancers. I will link it for you: Breast Cancer Info. Please scroll down to find what you're looking for.

So my Great-grandmother, Essie O'neal, had Breast Cancer and survived. This one's for you Grandma! <3



How to Help Kids Cope With School and Cancer!

Being a school aged child with cancer is difficult sometimes and requires work from everyone, including the child with cancer. While many children are now getting ready to go back to school, children with cancer are getting ready for both school and treatment. The school that your child attends needs to be willing to work with the family where a leave of absence for treatment is concerned. Don't worry too much about your child getting his/her education. If the school is willing to work and the child's assignments can be sent to you or a tutor can be provided, then by all means take that opportunity. Your child will get their schooling. Also, going back to school will help you and your child return to some normalcy. In doing so, educate the teachers. Tell them what will be required of them while the child is in class. Being out of the classroom while learning is not the concern, obviously the main concern is for your child's well-being and health!

Now, another fear is that your child may be picked on when he/she goes back to school inbetween treatments. Let me just say that getting sick and losing your hair comes with chemotherapy territory and that we all know that kids can be cruel. If your child comes home upset one day because someone made fun of them due to their condition, comfort them and tell them that it won't last forever. Knowing what to say will come to you in time, don't get frustrated if you don't immediately know what to say. Not knowing what to say is not your fault, after all, most parents haven't been through cancer as a child, therefore they don't know what it feels like. Whether your child's condition is terminal or not, it won't last forever!

Let me share my experiences with you, just to give you an idea of what I went through. First off, I did spend a lot of time in the hospital during the school year, but I still was promoted to the third grade the next year. I was diagnosed and started chemo in second grade. I was often sick while taking chemo. One time, I came down with the flu and was in the hospital for a week, aside from chemo. My mom tells me that I got so sick during that particular week that I projectile vomited. I don't remember this as there are some things that I don't remember, but she assures me it happened. This is just an example of how sick you can get, even when it doesn't come from the chemo. I also had to wear a mask, so that I would lower my chances of getting sick, even though it still happened.

Also, as far as bullying goes, there was one kid who made fun of my not having hair. He continually taunted me for a long time, even after my hair started coming back. When I was in fifth grade, one day, out of the blue, he came up to me and apologized for all the bad things that he'd ever told to me or said about me. I was in awe! Like I said, things like this don't last forever.

This is me, my Grandpa Varnadore, and my little cousin at my graduation party...10 years after being diagnosed!

Jersey Mike's For The Cure!

Last night, I went out to eat with my family. We decided to go to Jersey Mike's Subs. Sitting in the truck, I could clearly see the window to the restaruant, which was nearly completely covered with pink donation slips for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I thought it was absolutely wonderful that they were doing this. I've seen other stores, restaruants, and businesses doing this too, for different causes as well. I would have bought a donation slip, had I had any money. However, if any of you wonderful people out there would like to donate, please simply go to my donations page and find the link for the cause that you wish to donate to. Also, please don't think that your money is wasted or is unuseful, breakthroughs in research are made everyday, they simply may not be seen as important enough to cause a stir about it.

Underdog Becomes A Hero!!

ABC's world news reporter, Maggy Patrick, wrote an amazing article about a three-year-old goldendoodle named Dozer. He was the underdog as a puppy, the last to be picked out of his litter. Thankfully, Rosana Dorsett's family made him a permanent member of their household in 2008. Three years later he ran past the invisible fencing of his yard. After catching up with the other runners around the five-mile mark, he made his way to the front. When he finished the race, the muddy-pawwed-pup turned tail and started to run the eight miles back to his house. When he arrived home he was awarded a finishers medal by the University of Maryland's Cancer Center. He raised over $17,000 for cancer research and in honor of his awesomeness and enthusiasm, a facebook page has been put together to raise more money for cancer research and he now has 2,500 friends! Way to go Dozer! We love you! <3

To see Dozer's Marathon and A Half page and/or to donate, please click here: http://www.ummsfoundation.org/dozer

To see Dozer's Facebook page, please click here:
http://www.facebook.com/dozerthedogfanpage?sk=wall

Who Do You Relay For?

Many of you that are involved with Relay for Life have probably heard this phrase before. So, before I ask you, I'll tell you who I relay for.

Besides relaying for myself, several family members and friends of mine have been affected. One of my grandmothers had ovarian cancer. As it turned out, it was somewhat of a good thing that the doctors did find the cancer. By finding it, they could remove it. After they removed it, they reported to us that it was the size of a soccer ball. It was affecting her breathing and mobility for a very long time and no one knew it. The only reason she even found out that she had ovarian cancer was because the tumor ruptured and landed her in the hospital. It was a good thing that she felt that something was wrong enough to go to the hospital after it ruptured, because most women don't realize that anything has happened. Women...get checked, don't wait until it's too late! This ribbon is for her! <3

One of my grandfathers had bladder cancer. He found it by seeing certain symptoms indicating bladder cancer. Men...you need screenings too, not just the women. Some men seem to think that they are somehow invincible and that they can't get cancer. This ribbon is for him! <3

My other grandfather has skin cancer. When he was my age, he spent quite a bit of time in cotton fields and such. As a result of spending so much time in the sun he now has large patches of skin removed and/or grafted almost monthly. Everyone...protect your skin, it's the largest and one of the most important organs. It protects you, it's your turn to protect it! This ribbon is for him! <3



My other grandmother passed away a little over a year ago from lung cancer. Lung cancer is one of the biggest cancer killers. She had always been a heavy smoker in her younger years and then started chewing tobacco after she finally stopped smoking. She found it by going to the doctor to have a CT Scan. Soon after that she started taking chemo and then not long after that we spent our last Christmas with her. Lung Cancer doesn't just result from smoking, many carcinogenics cause lung cancer. This ribbon is for her! <3

For those of you who don't know, I had cancer when I was seven. I had Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Here's a ribbon for me! <3



So, who do you relay for?

July is Sarcoma Awareness Month!!!

Many people don't know what Sarcoma is. Even I had to do a little research. Here are the facts; Sarcoma is also know as Adult Soft Tissue Cancer. There are two types of Sarcoma, Bone Sarcomas and Soft Tissue Sarcomas.

Soft Tissue Sarcomas come from soft tissues like fat, muscle, nerves, fibrous tissues, blood vessels, and deep skin tissues. They can be found in any part of the body. Not all Sarcomas are cancerous, in fact, many Sarcomas are not cancerous. For example, a lipoma is nothing more than a benign fat tumor.

Unfortunately, there are about fifty different types of Sarcoma and many of them are cancerous. :(

The risk factors for Sarcoma are being exposed to radiation, genetic syndromes, a damaged lymph system, being exposed to certain chemicals, and injury to certain areas of the body.

The only known way to prevent Sarcomas is to avoid exposure to the risk factors above. However, many Sarcomas develop without being provoked.



Keep Fighting!!!! :D

P.S. The American Cancer Society's records show that Colorectal Cancer awareness has helped to dramatically decrease the amount of this cancers cases! Yay! =D