Friday, February 28, 2014
Been busy
I have been busy lately trying to do my part in raising awareness of blood cancers. I recently attended the 9th Annual Blood Cancer Conference give by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Dallas, TX. I received a lot of great information and took some free pamphlets as well. I am also proud to say that my friend that went in support of me signed up for the bone marrow registry! Not only did I attend the conference I sat on the panel for the age group 19-39. I also signed up to be an advocate with LLS in hopes that they contact me. Lastly, I finally emailed and submitted a story to Good Morning America, Robin Roberts. I have been in touch with the Sr. Director of the International Myeloma Foundation and with the information she provided in collaboration with my story, I hope and pray that GMA picks up this story in order to spread more awareness of all blood cancers.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Let the awareness begin
September is a busy month for cancer awareness, 8 cancers are recognized. Out of those 3 of them are blood cancers (red ribbon): lymphoma (lime green ribbon), leukemia (orange ribbon), and myeloma (burgundy ribbon). I believe that all cancers deserve the same recognition and that is what I am setting out to do. Most people know that October is breast cancer awareness month. You will not be able to turn on the television, surf the internet, go to an NFL game, or even shop at a store without seeing pink ribbons or buying products that will contribute the proceeds to breast cancer research. Blood cancer awareness activities do not measure up. So, it is up to us that suffer from this disease and up to others that have friends or loved one that suffer from a blood cancer to push for more awareness and to raise money for research! The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the organization over all blood cancers and International Myeloma Foundation is over only myeloma.
The American Cancer Society, estimated that 229,000 cases of breast cancer would be diagnosed in America in 2012 and 39,920 will die from breast cancer in 2012. As of 2008, there were 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. By comparison, there are approximately 1 million blood cancers in the U.S. In 2012, it was estimated that 148,000 people were diagnosed with blood cancer (79, 192 lymphoma, 44,150 leukemia, and 21.700 myeloma), and 54.381 will die from blood cancer in the U.S.
As you see more people die from blood cancer annually. Blood cancer is grossly underpublicized and far too little money is spent on blood cancer research. The National Cancer Institute funded $635 million in research on breast cancer in 2011 but only $421.5 million in combined blood cancer research ($227 million for leukemia, $13.3 million for Hodgkin lymphoma, $126.3 million for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and $54.9 million for myeloma).
Awareness is critically important to saving lives and to invoking the people and assets needed for better treatments and the cure. Awareness and education about symptoms helps save lives. Awareness is also to elicit people, companies, and resources into action to fund education and research. For almost every type of cancer there are organizations led by volunteers impacted by cancer. At the margin, your time, leadership, and fundraising contributions are likely to have more impact and be more appreciated.
You do not have to form an organization. You do not have to give away all your money to find a cure. But at some point make a small contribution or whatever you can to help others battling cancer. Whether it is assisting in the advancement of public awareness or knowledge, funding the search for better treatments, or talking to or mentoring people suffering from cancer. Do not do it just because it is the noble thing to do, but also do it if your own cancer returns or someone you love get diagnosed down the road there will be more effective or less toxic treatments available or even a cure. Do it because it is a way to be empowered and to lose the feeling of being victimized by cancer. Do it because you will be so many wonderful people and you will be given so many meaningful gifts that money cannot buy.
Cancer survivors in general and blood cancer survivors are too stoic and quiet. We need to make more noise and have our voices heard. Step out your comfort zone, call organizations to see what you can do to help it to increase awareness, start a blog, write a book, contact the media, whatever you want to do! Lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma are underpublicized diseases. This must change and WE must change it!
I know what I am going to do to try to put the word out, what about you?
This post was an edited/paraphrased version of Scott Seaman's article on www.examiner.com
The American Cancer Society, estimated that 229,000 cases of breast cancer would be diagnosed in America in 2012 and 39,920 will die from breast cancer in 2012. As of 2008, there were 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. By comparison, there are approximately 1 million blood cancers in the U.S. In 2012, it was estimated that 148,000 people were diagnosed with blood cancer (79, 192 lymphoma, 44,150 leukemia, and 21.700 myeloma), and 54.381 will die from blood cancer in the U.S.
As you see more people die from blood cancer annually. Blood cancer is grossly underpublicized and far too little money is spent on blood cancer research. The National Cancer Institute funded $635 million in research on breast cancer in 2011 but only $421.5 million in combined blood cancer research ($227 million for leukemia, $13.3 million for Hodgkin lymphoma, $126.3 million for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and $54.9 million for myeloma).
Awareness is critically important to saving lives and to invoking the people and assets needed for better treatments and the cure. Awareness and education about symptoms helps save lives. Awareness is also to elicit people, companies, and resources into action to fund education and research. For almost every type of cancer there are organizations led by volunteers impacted by cancer. At the margin, your time, leadership, and fundraising contributions are likely to have more impact and be more appreciated.
You do not have to form an organization. You do not have to give away all your money to find a cure. But at some point make a small contribution or whatever you can to help others battling cancer. Whether it is assisting in the advancement of public awareness or knowledge, funding the search for better treatments, or talking to or mentoring people suffering from cancer. Do not do it just because it is the noble thing to do, but also do it if your own cancer returns or someone you love get diagnosed down the road there will be more effective or less toxic treatments available or even a cure. Do it because it is a way to be empowered and to lose the feeling of being victimized by cancer. Do it because you will be so many wonderful people and you will be given so many meaningful gifts that money cannot buy.
Cancer survivors in general and blood cancer survivors are too stoic and quiet. We need to make more noise and have our voices heard. Step out your comfort zone, call organizations to see what you can do to help it to increase awareness, start a blog, write a book, contact the media, whatever you want to do! Lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma are underpublicized diseases. This must change and WE must change it!
I know what I am going to do to try to put the word out, what about you?
This post was an edited/paraphrased version of Scott Seaman's article on www.examiner.com
Thank you and acknowledgments
I would like to thank Minister Michelle Goodwine, from my church (Abundant Life Church-ALC) for helping me set up my blog and I would also like to thank my friend Tiffancy Barnes for coming up with the name "Blood Line" for the blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)