"The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention." ~ Oscar Wilde

Please accept my heartfelt thanks for each and every donation received. Your personal commitment was incredibly gracious and allowed us to reach our goal. Your assistance means so much to me but even more to every single person affected by cancer. Thank you just doesn't seem to be enough. 

Who knew?

When I started this blog; this fundraising idea, it was on a whim. I hadn't thought about it, in fact, it wasn't even my idea. The Walworth County Cloggers (who my daughter dances with) had a Relay For Life team and the goal was to raise money for the American Cancer Society. I posted a status update on my Facebook that said if every one of my Facebook friends would donate just 99 cents I would have over $500 to donate to the Relay For Life.

A friend responded with I'm in!

Then another one said I'll donate, too!

And then another asked where's the donation button? I want to donate.

An idea was born. It seemed obvious.

Instead of a couple people donating a lot, maybe a lot of people could donate a little and it would add up. The saying goes if you save your pennies, soon you will have dollars. And dollars we got!

Because of you - yes, YOU - your generous heart, your giving spirit and your willingness to make a change - this little blog raised a total of $727.31 which was presented to the Walworth County Cloggers this past Friday at the Relay For Life.

From left: Walworth County Cloggers Director Shannon Wefelmann;
Amazing Cancer Fighter Heidi Schulz; Heidi's beautiful daughter, Katelyn; and me.

The cloggers had a team goal of raising $5,000... I have to admit thinking this was somewhat of a lofty goal for them. But they proved me wrong by raising over $5,000 and also winning the Team Spirit award. (Let me tell you, this group definitely has spirit!)

In 2006, one of their dancers was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. Michelle was determined to continue dancing for as long as she could and was a true example of spirit and determination. Today she is in remission, continues to dance and is also an instructor for the group. A better role model could not be found.



The Survivor Lap
Heidi & Michelle can be seen proudly sporting the purple survivor shirts!

Recently, a Clogging Mom of another dancer was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Heidi just happened to also be the Team Captain for Relay For Life. The event took an almost painfully poignant turn for her and her young daughter, Katelyn.

Heidi led the team with true grit and determination and a lot of laughter. She is an awesome example of never giving up, never giving in and blowing expectations out of the water. (You should have seen the campsite! It was beyond awesome!)


The fight isn't over and I pray the cure is within reaching distance. I truly believe that we're almost there. As long as we keep taking steps - no matter how small they may seem - towards finding a cure, we'll get there.

With your continued help and support, we will get there.

I would thank you from the bottom of my heart,

but for you my heart has no bottom. 

Author Unknown

Donating for Dan

Last night, I denied a donation.


I received a message from my friend Dan who said he wanted to donate something. And I said no.


Dan is a single, good looking, hard working, quiet guy. The type of guy who puts everyone else first and always leaves himself for last.

These last couple of years he has been devoted to taking care of his father, who, due to some very serious health issues, was at a hospital (long term) over an hour away from where Dan lives.

Dan worked full time, went to see his father at the hospital and made it his mission to see that his dad got better enough to come home. Dedicated is an understatement.

Dan spent hours and hours fixing up his Dad's house. Installing handicap accessible bathrooms and ramps and railings - making the home safe for his father to come home and live in.

Dan also had his own house that was a fixer-upper, so he was busy spending time between dwellings. Needless to say, it was a lot of work.

In addition to dealing with his father's finances and mounting medical bills, Dan has mounting medical bills of his own.

See, Dan has had his run in with cancer. A few years ago he was diagnosed with leukemia.

When you don't have really great insurance and are diagnosed with cancer those medical bills can quickly get the best of you.

When you're single and have cancer you feel very much isolated and alone. You don't have a partner to pick up the slack, so to speak. There is no one there to do the dishes, make you a smoothie, or sit with you because for some reason you can't explain being in a room by yourself right now feels like it would kill you.

Dan recently was told he's in remission and we all rejoiced!

And then he was diagnosed with Lupus. He is 33 years old.

It's like the guy can't catch a break.

He believes in what the American Cancer Society is and does because he's experienced it first hand. So he called me and told me he wanted to donate.

But I couldn't do it. Because, like I told him, we do this FOR YOU, Dan. We walk FOR YOU and for every other person out there like you.

And I know that the rule is to accept every donation with a smile... but I can't do that with Dan.

He donated when he was handed this diagnosis.

He donated his time, his hope, and his sense of security.

He donated his body to be looked at, poked at, explored and documented so that doctors could learn from him in order to help someone else.

I can't take a donation from Dan.... but I CAN and will take each and every donation made in his name.

This one's FOR you, Dan!

Also, if you want to go one a date with Dan I can totally hook you up.

Because this guy's a keeper.

To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Just 99 Cents Heads Towards $500

"I just donated. Once for every time I started to or thought about getting on your blog. Had I not had an excuse every time (wallet is in car, don't have time, do it tomorrow....) this would be close to the amount had I donated just 99 cents that day."
~ Emily K

Just 99 cents for every prayer please, God, don't let it be cancer.

Just 99 cents for each minute in the doctor's office.

Just 99 cents for each pill that is taken.

Just 99 cents for each taste bud that stops working.

Just 99 cents for every muscle that aches.

Just 99 cents for every mark drawn on the skin to guide the red light.

Just 99 cents for each and every chemo treatment.

Just 99 cents for every hair that falls to the floor.

Just 99 cents for every nurse who injects a needle.

Just 99 cents for every x-ray read.

Just 99 cents for every person pacing the halls while fighting back tears.

Just 99 cents for every remission.

Just 99 cents for every praise God!

Just 99 cents for every heart that stops beating.

Just 99 cents for every good bye.

Just 99 cents for every time someone thought about donating.

Just 99 cents for every excuse.

We are so very, very close to reaching our goal of raising $500 just 99 cents at a time. With your help, I know we can make it.



To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

For Katelyn: A Mother's Walk

Cancer seems to be everywhere around us. Rarely do you find a person who has known not one single soul affected by this bullying disease. Too often when you ask someone if they've ever known someone who has been affected by cancer they begin to list name after precious name. Too many names...

The names of those who have lost, those who have survived and those continuing to fight are on the hearts and minds of every single person who walks during the American Cancer Society Relay For Life.

But I think that there are far too many of us walkers that wouldn't be there at all if it weren't for the heart and drive of the Team Captain.

Each team has a captain. A leader. A guide. Someone who feels the importance of this event with every fiber of their being. Someone who won't - and can't - let this opportunity pass without giving it everything they've got.

They gather people for their team. They attend every meeting. Pass out information. Cheerlead, encourage, and promote like no other.

Our Team Captain for the Walworth County Cloggers is Heidi Schulz.

Heidi, in a most understated, quiet way, is nothing short of amazing. She is a single mom of one of the cutest, sweetest, most respectful kids I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She's the clogging mom that quietly volunteers for pretty much everything yet never seeks recognition. She's dependable. She takes on way too much and never complains when she's up until the wee hours of the morning finishing something. She takes a lot of pride in what she does. She always wants us, as a clogging team, to put our best foot forward, and she quietly sees that it's done.

Heidi also has cancer.

So, why does a woman during the year she has undergone surgery, chemo and now radiation for breast cancer stay on as the Team Captain?

I asked her. And this is Heidi's answer, in her own words:

"It’s not too often that I go back on my promises, no matter how many things I may have going on in my life...but Cancer??? I wasn’t expecting that one to be added to my stress list for 2011.

Single mom, full-time job, running my own business besides my full-time job, the first summer of Katelyn not having her dad around and juggling that schedule on my own, among all the other regular ups and downs of everyday life, well, throw some cancer in there, too.

I guess I took it on for a selfish reason, to prove to myself that I still could handle everything that I might have handled before this dreaded cancer so terribly changed my life.

I can’t lie, I’ve had LOTS of help with Relay this year, but I will stress up until the minute it begins to make sure everything gets done just right...that’s just me!

And why Relay For Life? To be honest, throughout this Cancer journey I can say that the American Cancer Society was the only national organization that offered me any real assistance, so my loyalty will remain with them and doing what little I can to give back.

Seriously though, I wanted my daughter to be proud of me. She’s seen me fight; she’s witnessed the sadness of losing a parent and watching the other fight cancer all in one year.

She hates cancer, too, now, and I just wanted to have something we could do together to fight back and try to have some smiles and hope for those better days to come...without cancer.

Katelyn is so excited for Relay it makes me smile just to think about it!!!"

Tomorrow, we will walk.

We will walk for all the daughters whose Mom's have cancer. We will walk for all the fears and bad dreams and throats with lumps and tummy's that hurt and anger and rage and sobs into a Mother's loving arms.

Tomorrow, Katelyn, we will walk with you.



To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

One Hundred Sit-ups in a Day

I had managed to make my way through the first few days of Army Boot Camp without too much trouble. It was a whirlwind of activity and learning and testing that flew by in the blink of an eye.

And then I found trouble in the form of Drill Sergeant Wills.

It didn't matter how well I behaved, how straight and still I stood, how neat my bunk was made: he'd "drop" me. But instead of push ups, I was ordered to do sit-ups. It seemed like no sooner had I completed my required 10 sit-ups that I was ordered to do them again.

Standing in line outside the dining hall he'd walk up to me and bark, "Drop and give me ten!"

Waiting for the barracks to be inspected he'd march up to me and yell, "Drop and give me ten!"

For days this went on.

Weeks.

I didn't understand it. I felt I was being picked on. Discriminated against, but for what I didn't know. I felt broken down. Nothing I did was right, obviously. And no one else seemed to be picked on as much as me.

One night I just had it. I had enough. And I broke down. With each sit-up I cried harder. Tears streaming down my face. I couldn't control the sobs. And I was embarrassed.

The Drill Sergeant ordered me to stand up, go wash my face and meet him in his office in five minutes.

The last thing I wanted to do was be alone with this bully. But I had no choice.

I walked into his office and waited my fate. He surprised me by pleasantly asking me to sit down. Then he pulled out a piece of paper and pointed to it.

"See this?" he explained. "This is your physical fitness test results. You are one of the best runners I've seen in a long time. You came in third overall - and that included the men." He moved his finger down. "And this? This is the results of your push-ups. It's nothing short of amazing. Rarely do we see females with this kind of upper arm strength. But this - " His finger moved to the next line. "This is pathetic. This is your sit-ups. You can barely do one! If you don't get this under control you could fail the entire physical fitness test. That means no matter how well you do in other areas it just doesn't count. You fail."

I stared at the paper. He was right. I hated doing sit-ups. I wasn't good at them. I didn't like anything about them.

He continued, "I drop you because there is no way I can get you to do a hundred push-ups at once. But if I spread it out over the course of the day, a little here, a little there - then you can do it. You completed fifty sit-ups before lunch. If I told you to give me fifty right now could you do it?"

I slowly shook my head no.

"Each time you do a little bit you're taking a step to reach your goal and that's all that matters. Remember that, Private."

I tell you this because every small donation you make to the American Cancer Society makes a difference.

Every single dollar collected adds up.... and brings us one step closer to our goal.

Would you please consider donating just 99 cents today?


To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Four More Days...

In four days... on Friday, July 22, 2011... people will walk.

They will walk for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life.

They will walk in the hopes of finding a cure.

They will walk to keep the treasured memory of a loved one lost alive.

They will walk because it is them.

They will walk because it could be them.

They will walk and laugh.

They will walk and shed tears.

Some will talk and giggle and talk some more while they walk.

Others will walk with steps full of courage yet heavy with fear because they don't know what their tomorrow brings.

Some will hold hands.

Others will walk alone.

Some will walk amongst the heightened excitement; when music and laughter and the enticement of food dance along.

Some will walk in the dark, quiet hours... where dreams of the future and whispers of the past mingle together.

Others will walk as the sun also rises, accepting her smile as a reminder that there is hope in every second of every day.

They walk because they believe we are so close to finding a cure.

They walk because they refuse to let this disease take control.

They walk to raise funds for research, advocacy and patient support programs.

They walk because how could they not?



To date, we have collected over $260 just 99 cents at a time.

But can you do more?

Look around your office... collect just 99 cents from each of your co-workers.

Go through your Christmas Card recipient list... collect just 99 cents from each family.

Have your friends over for game night... ask each person to bring just 99 cents.

Walk up and down the street you live on... ask each family to donate just 99 cents.

The cure is out there... it's just waiting for us to find it.



To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

I Have a Dollar!

Last night I attended a get together with a couple friends. The best part of the night? Not when we all realized our hair tends to get twisted up in necklaces (that happens to you, too?), not the unbelievably delectable almond bars that were served for dessert (is it not proper etiquette to eat six in one sitting?), and not laughing ourselves to tears over one of the ladies admission that she purposely slow-jogged with the baby stroller in front of a friend's house in the hopes the friend would offer to take the kids so she could run solo (remind me to keep my curtains drawn so I can't see you).

No, the best part of the evening was when Sarah jumped up - yes, jumped (even though she's pregnant with her fifth child) and announced, "I have a dollar for you!"

That was music to my ears! Thank you, Sarah, for your donation, which now puts us officially over $250 collected... just 99 cents at a time....


To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Getting Noticed!

The Walworth County Today mentioned us in a news article! Go 99 Cents!! Maybe we'll even see an increase in donations... (hint! hint!)


I'm tired, you guys. I have been feeling rundown and sick lately. A summer cold perhaps; maybe just bad allergies. I'm sneezing, my eyes are red, my throat is itching and I just don't seem to have the energy to handle all the things I normally would: work, house cleaning, laundry, chasing a toddler, cooking dinner. Even my favorite activities I have no energy for. I can't imagine dragging myself out of the house to meet my girlfriends for coffee or to take a walk to the park with my family.

But I know this will pass. I'll take some over the counter cold and sinus medication. Drink some more orange juice. Get a couple hours of extra sleep and in three or four days I'll be as good as new!

But what happens when you don't get as good as new after three or four days? What happens when weeks of sickness turns into months?

As I was sitting in my living room, cuddled under a blanket even though it was warm out I thought you have no right to feel sorry for yourself. You're not worried about your life... you're only annoyed that you have a stuffy head. That is not the same as fighting for your life.

And then I thought of my friend, Michelle. Another one. Another diagnosis. A new diagnosis which so far she has got quite the snarky attitude about! I imagine she's going to laugh her way through this battle.

But I also know she's a Mom. And mom's would do anything for their babies. They fight hard and they mean business. Her heart is going to ache and I don't want it to. Her fears are going to surface and I don't think she should ever have to feel afraid.

And, knowing her. she will be strong for her family, especially for those boys of hers - as she attempts to navigate her way through doctors and appointments and diagnosis and second opinions and medications and side effects and confusing language and insurance headaches --- all the while trying to maintain a level of normal. But she sees it as she doesn't have a choice - because she is a mom and this is what she needs to do right now.

There are about 565 households in the community Michelle lives in... can you imagine if every single one of those households donated just 99 cents? $559.35 could then be used to fight a disease that threatens to tear households apart...

Fight hard, Michelle. I know you will.


To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

We Are Survivors!

Donations from Steph, Steph's Mom, Sue and Jessie.

I think every mother who has ever had a child has though the same thing: "I live in fear that one day my children might suffer." Perhaps just a quiet voice that's always hanging in the background. Years might go by - but then it's heard again. Pain that doesn't make sense. An ailment that doesn't have a diagnosis... and the mother wonders... too many mothers fear.

This says it all!

There are those who have fought long and hard against cancer and won. And there are those who fought, but ultimately lost. And it's important to know the family and friends they left behind are also survivors. They pick up the pieces and do the best they can to create something beautiful with them. They carry legacies and memories. They whisper words of comfort to children left behind. They learn to overcome tragedy and survive in a world where their loved one has been physically taken away from them.


To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

21 Days

In 21 days we've alreadt raised over $230... just 99 cents at a time.

And it's all because of YOU! Yes, YOU. And YOU, too. And YOU over there.

So thank you.

Surrounded by Greatness

I know you see them.

Young women eating lunch with their girlfriends, a brightly colored scarf tied around their heads, taking the place of missing locks. Men, skinny and gaunt, barely able to stand, being pushed around the fair in a standard sized wheelchair that still seems to dwarf their appearance. The numb expressions. The bruises on their arms.

And I know what you think: Thank God it's not me. Thank God my children are healthy. But what if...

And then you turn your head. Avoid eye contact. Act aloof when really your heart has started to beat faster than you want it to because, please no - but what if....

Ask anyone battling cancer and they'll tell you the same thing. I just wish people saw me; not the cancer.

It's as if they're forced to wear an obvious costume out in public and they would do anything to be able to tear that costume off and yell can you see me now? I am still here! It's me!

They would give anything to blend in with the crowd. To be normal once again. To feel secure in normal...


The other day I received a note with a donation as I do with so many of the donations that have been trickling in.

The gentleman told me this money was being donated in the name of his mother and mother-in-law who he had lost to cancer (unfortunately I'm finding these types of donations to be far too common)... but then he said something I wasn't ready for. He said he was a cancer survivor.

This man, who I consider to be a friend - who is witty and funny and quiet and calm and intelligent and quirky and has this devilish smile his eyes - is a cancer survivor. And I had no idea.

I know that he has children who he talks about with pride and love.

I know that he likes to cook and doesn't drink and documents the deer that eat and play in his yard.

I know he catches fish and that he drove the ambulance I was in when I was being rushed to the hospital at 7 months pregnant. But I didn't know he was a cancer survivor.

And I'm thinking if anyone needs a superhero cape to wear out in public it would be a cancer survivor. I'm thinking every person who survives cancer deserves a trophy and a high-five and a big HOORAH! And I can only imagine how beautiful the world would be if every cancer survivor wore their cape proudly out in public on the same day.

I believe the feeling of strength, and faith, and hope would permeate across the crowds and I, myself, would smile, being surrounded by such courage.

We need more superhero capes to hand out. We need to find a way for more survivors.


To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Fight the good fight with all thy might.

"If I were to list people who have died from cancer or the treatments in the
circle of persons I know I'm sure I could list one for every penny of this
dollar and still over look someone."

There have been times when I have shed tears, sobbed and cursed because of cancer; when I have asked the same questions I believe so many have asked time and time again:

Why?

When will it end?

Why can't we get a handle on this?

We can send a man to the moon, but we can't figure out cancer.

Even when we are able to 'catch it' early on, some treatments can be described as nothing short of horrible. Sometimes the side effects from treatment may leave a patient technically in remission and boasting Cancer Free! yet reeling in pain day after day. The after-effects may leave a patient and their family silently wondering if living like this is better than the alternative.

Cancer is ugly and horrible and mean.

And it tends to bring out the worse in so many... drug companies lobby to get their drugs prescribed the most, which in turn puts money in their pockets. Project managers at some of the finest drug companies who are hoping to make a difference find themselves battling the bureaucracy of procedures and policies from within, unable to get a drug tested or put into market. Family members, already straining under the stress of watching a loved one fight for their life, now stand in line at the pharmacy wondering and worrying how they're ever going to be able to afford the incredibly expensive lifesaving prescriptions.

I can only hope and pray that the American Cancer Society indeed uses the donations they receive wisely. Because every single penny of every single dollar collected stands for someone valued, loved and cherished.

And for each of them, we continue to fight with all our might.


To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Change is the only constant.

There are painful times in our lives that move in slow motion that we fear will never, ever end.

Then there are those times so full of pain, yet we grasp and hang on with all our might, fearing the second we let go we'll lose someone precious forever.

Losing someone you love is never easy. Watching them slowly slip away is unbelievably heart wrenching.

And yet we know that this too, shall pass.

We know the storms of rains will come, yet the sun will also shine again. And with it comes a warmth that perhaps we forgot how good it feels, and slowly the puddles dry and the mud clears, and the grass soon grows and flowers begin to bloom...

I want more sunshine and less storms.

I want more flowers to bloom.

I want more moms and daughters to walk arm in arm around their gardens pointing out the crocus and the purple coneflowers and even the bleeding hearts, whose very name makes my own heart ache because it reminds me of so many, many hearts that are broken or wounded, waiting for the sun in their lives to start shining again.



To each and every one of you, I want to express my appreciation for your generosity in support of the just 99 cents donation drive.  Your assistance means so much to me but even more to every person affected by cancer. 

To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

How many must be lost?

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

~ Robert Frost

The donation arrived quietly with but one sentence accompanying it:

In memory of my father who passed away from cancer in 1998.

And I instantly felt ashamed. Embarrassed. Because I didn't know. I didn't know she had lost her father. I didn't know her family struggled and cried and begged and pleaded and mourned and lost. Oh, how that family must have lost.

I started thinking about her - younger than me, kinder than me, sweeter than me. Married with two beautiful children. Two children her father never got to meet. A son-in-law; did he ever get to meet the man his daughter would marry?

Cancer steals.

Cancer steals experiences and steals memories that ought to be made.

And I'm tired of it.

I'm sick and tired of cancer stealing dads away from daughters, and grandfathers away from grandsons.

I'm tired of cancer stealing children away from their parents and spouses away from their loved ones.

I'm tired of cancer stealing the sweet, peaceful slumber we're all meant to enjoy and forcing good people to lay awake scared, afraid, choking back sobs.

I'm tired of cancer stealing money that was meant for a brand new birthday bike that now has to be spent on chemotherapy treatments that make her beautiful hair fall out in clumps and makes her too sick to even celebrate her 6th year of life.

I'm tired of this thief who gets away with murder time and time again.

And then I look around and realize that cancer hasn't won. Because we haven't given up and given in. We've gathered in numbers and we've gathered in strength and together we're fighting like mad.

We fight in memory of our fathers.

We fight in honor of those we have lost and those we are afraid of losing.

And we won't ever back down.

The Fight Ain't Over Yet!

“I truly believe that we can overcome any hurdle that lies before us

and create the life we want to live.

I have seen it happen time and time again.”

~ Gillian Anderson

For some reason, and we will never understand why - some people will be handed a lot in life that seems way too much to bear.

They will be happy and seemingly healthy and they will have plans. Big plans. Plans to marry, to buy a house, to have kids. And they will have set about on that path they carved out in front of them.

And then something will hit them. Hard. Out of the blue. Without warning.

And it will be big. And scary. And there will be a flood of tears and a flood of prayers...

And, for some, those prayers will be answered.

And they will overcome.

And they will grow to help others and teach their children to help others because they will know how important it is for others to overcome, too. They will know how precious life hanging in the balance truly is. And they will know that every little bit helps.

And those are some incredibly special people. 

To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

All For One and One For All!

I am awed by the graciousness of others.

I started this kind of as a whim. See, there is this American Cancer Society Relay For Life and my daughter's clogging group had a team and as a mom I felt it was my responsibility to teach my daughter that we had to give back. That no matter how small the contribution, it is our duty to help. Plus, I was thankful. So incredibly thankful.

See, my daughter is healthy. But she wasn't always.

There was a time when she was sick. All. the. time. She would get fevers. Lots of them. Like a switch being flipped, she would be fine one minute and then passed out in a sweatting mess the next.

I took her to the doctor.

I took her back to the doctor.

I took her again. And again. And again.

And they did blood tests that scared the hell out of me. Test that came back with words like dangerously low white blood cell count and we need to understand why this is happening and possible indication of leukemia.

And I was scared. God, was I scared.

But somehow, mercifully, we dodged the bullet. Somehow we dodged cancer. I can't explain it - and to this day we still don't know why for two years she was so sick - but I'll take not knowing, you know? I'll take not knowing because my child did not have cancer.

And then something happens like Relay For Life and I know I'm in. I know I've got to at least try to make a difference. Because someone's child does have cancer.

And that mom is scared out of her flipping mind right now.
And so is that dad.
And so is that brother and that sister.
And that grandma and grandpa and aunt and uncle and cousin and best friend and teacher and everyone else that little, innocent life touches.



So, I cannot sit by doing nothing while I know someone else is hearing the words dangerously low white blood cell count, knowing that there is a real possibility they might not dodge cancer.

I cannot look at this loose change in the bottom of my purse, annoyed that it's adding all this weight to my bag, when I know that every single penny truly can make a difference in the fight against cancer.


I look at the people who come into my office, or who I pass on the street, or who are sitting next to me in the movie theater, or waiting in line at the grocery store and I can't help but count them.... and wish they would each give just 99 cents...


Six people in line with me at the checkout = $5.94
Eight people came in the office today = $7.92

Three people at the gas station, Fifteen co-workers, Twelve teachers = $29.70

Sixty Seven dancers, One Hundred Eighteen students, Three Hundred parishoners = $480.15

100,593 people in Walworth County according to the 2009 census = $99,587.07


So, do I think donating just 99 cents will help make a difference? You bet I do.

And you can help realize that difference by donating just 99 cents today.


To date, you amazing people have donated over $198 to be used in the fight against cancer. Together we can make a difference!


All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

An Example of Giving With Love and Tenderness

Meet Deanna.

Deanna lives over 1,100 miles away.

Deanna saw my just 99 cents blog and donation request

and thought it was pretty cool.

But she didn't stop there.

Instead of just thinking about what a good idea it would be to donate,

she donated.

And she sent her Mom to drop off her donation who, by the way,

is the sweetest woman I have ever met.

Along with the donation was this note:

I thought your idea of 99cents was brilliant but,

I thought I would do it a little different.

One of those dollars is in memory of my husband's grandfather,

who died of lung cancer.

$1 in memory of one of my mom's best friends, Gerry,

who died of breast cancer.

$1 for my sister-in-law,

who is a cancer survivor.

$1 for my aunt,

who is fighting leukemia every day.

$1 for one of the teachers at my kids’ elementary school,

who is a cancer survivor.

And the last $5 is in memory of my Gramma,

who died almost 20 years ago of lung cancer.

She was the best person that I have ever met

and I think about her every day.

Personally, I think Deanna's way was perfect. Don't you?

All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

You Were Born An Original.

I received another decorated dollar today.

You were born an original.

You were born an original. Treasure it. Love it. No matter what life brings --- that's you. No one else on the planet is like you. No one will ever be you. Only you are you....

Make your mark!

Don't hide who you are!

Be who you were meant to be!

I love these dollars. I love that someone took the time to donate. I love that someone knew what words they wanted to share. I love that these dollars will first help fund cancer research and then be circulated across the city, the state, the world, perhaps.... I know that each dollar will end up in the hand it was meant to.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your donation. Truly, I do.


All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Giving: What Goes Around Comes Around!




A hug  is like a boomerang - you get it back right away.

 

The first dollar! Thank you!
I can't wait to see how many more come in...

Do you know how cool that's going to be to donate all these dollars with such fun, inspirational sayings on them?

Want to add a dollar?
Contact me at bridget0625 [at] yahoo [dot] com and I'll give you the address to mail it to.


All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Ordinary People Are Anything But Ordinary!

Two days ago I posted a Facebook status that said something like if every single one of my Facebook Friends would give me just 99 cents I'd have a whopping $559.35 to donate to the American Cancer Society Relay For Life.

And to my surprise someone said, "I'll do it."

And then another person said, "I'm in."

And then another person said, "Where's your donate button?" which launched a three-hour crash course in navigating PayPal and java script and inserting widgets into a blog.

And now, less than two days later a total of $112.82 has been donated towards cancer research!

And that just blows my mind. Because I knew people were good. I knew people were giving. I just underestimated how good and how giving.

And then someone asked if they could mail me a dollar. And I said of course!

And then I thought wow I start a lot of sentences with prepositional phrases.

And after that I thought what if that dollar had something awesome on it to further raise cancer awareness...

And I thought what if it had an inspirational message on it and then as the dollar found its way into circulation one day someone affected by cancer would go to the pharmacy to pick up some medication and get their change back and there it was - a message that they needed to see that might just change their day.

Something like this:

And I thought I know! I can ask people to mail me a decorated dollar ... and they can write whatever they want on it: a quote, a message, a picture, a name, a cancer awareness ribbon - anything! And then I'll take a photo of it and post each decorated dollar in an online photo album!

And I thought that would be freaking cool.

Except then I remembered that writing on currency is probably considered defacing government property and although I've heard some federal prisons are pretty cushy and I could probably learn to crochet while doing my time, I probably shouldn't be encouraging others to deface government property.

But then I thought what if someone found a dollar bill that happened to already be decorated? And that someone then chose to mail it to me so I could donate it to the American Cancer Society?

I think then we'd have a lot of really cool dollar bills floating around that did double duty: being donated to be used towards cancer research, and then being used to brighten somebody's day.

So, if you happen to find a decorated dollar and wish to mail it to me to be used towards the overall donations, please contact me at:

bridget0625 [at] yahoo [dot] com

In the meantime, please keep sharing this link! The more people who donate just 99 cents the bigger the difference we can make.

Just 99 Cents. What's THAT going to do?

The Walworth County Cloggers have a team for this year's American Cancer Society Relay For Life - which I think is awesome because it seems like every single person on this planet has been somehow effected by cancer. And cancer sucks.

So, of course, being a 'Clogging Mom' I feel compelled to do my part. Except I'm just me. And cancer is huge. Too huge, it seems.

It's all just so overwhelming. I mean, cancer is everywhere.

I recently reunited with an old elementary classmate on Facebook and was flipping through his pictures... photo after photo of his beautiful, tiny daughter fighting for her life because for whatever reason she was given this battle that no one should fight (least of all a child). I have family, friends, neighbors, teachers, co-workers -- all affected by cancer. Maybe they themselves have it. Or their wife just received the diagnosis. Or their neighbor just passed away from it.

What the hell can one person do?

Maybe not much.

But what can a bunch of people do?

Well, they can make a difference.


See, in the olden days, when a house caught on fire, every person from the community raced out to help. Because one person couldn't do it by themselves. Together they formed a line, standing side-by-side, passing buckets of water as fast as they could- being careful not to spill... determined to see this tragedy out until the bitter end.

And together they saved lives. They saved buildings. Memories. The rocking chair great grandpa made from his own two hands. The baby cradle passed down from generation to generation.

They did that together.

And if you asked any one of them who had been standing in that line they would have said, "Who? Me? What did I do but take a bucket and pass it to the next person? I did nothing special..."

But to the family who stood watching their lives crumble before their eyes they saw heroes. Everyday heroes who stood together and fought the good fight.


And so... I'm determined to fight the fight against cancer one little bit at a time. Imagine if a bucket was being passed from person to person all around the world and all you had to do was put in just 99 cents. That's all. Just 99 cents. And then you passed it to the next person who put in their 99 cents... and on and on and on...

Oh, what an overflowing bucket we'd have at the end!


So, I give because it's important to me.

And I give because it's important to you.

I give because when it's my turn to fight the beast, or my daughter's, or my son's, I want modern medicine to have made leaps and bounds in how they detect cancers, how they treat cancers, and how they prevent cancers.

I give because I know that every little bit makes a big difference.


If you feel compelled to donate just 99 cents, please use the donate button on the right hand side of this blog. All donated amounts will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' American Cancer Society Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Please also share this with your friends. Post it on your Facebook. Or in your Twitter feed. Or any where else you think people should see it.

Together we CAN make a difference... just 99 cents at a time....

How do you begin to tackle something so huge? One step at a time.

My grandfather, Henry Sterken.

My uncle, David McCarthy.

My aunt, Barb Sterken.

One of my best friends in 6th & 7th grade, Veronica Orta.

My math teacher, Mr. Kahl.

My friend, Dan.

A young dancer, Michelle.

The most amazing woman I've ever met, Heidi.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. They have all had to deal with cancer. Some have won. Others have lost. And some are currently fighting the biggest fight of their lives... for their lives.

So what does someone so insignificant like me do to something so mammoth and huge like cancer?  Just 99 cents at a time.

The Walworth County Cloggers (which is the clogging group that my 9-year old dances with) has a team for this year's Relay for Life. (Michelle, mentioned above, is one of their dancers, and will be honored during the Survivor Lap. One of the Mom's, Heidi, is currently battling breast cancer and is our Team Captain.)

I remembered how in high school I would be hungry after school before track practice, but I wouldn't have any money to purchase anything from the school canteen. I would ask people for a quarter. Or a dime. And it seemed people were more willing to toss out some change rather than a whole dollar bill. That change would add up and pretty soon I'd be feasting on a Snickers Bar and a Welch's Grape Soda. (Obviously I didn't have the healthiest of eating habits.)

I figured maybe it's still the same way. In today's struggling times a $20 donation can mean a dinner for the entire family... but what if it was only 99 cents?

What if every friend I had on Facebook would donate just 99 cents? I have 565 friends -- together we could raise $559.35! Now, that would be something.