Pay It Forward. Childhood Cancer. By Small Things We Can Do Great Things.

There's been a bit of talk about cancer on this blog.  It seems that cancer is so prevalent in so many forms...

As you know I've been struggling with getting the test done for the brca gene (breast cancer gene), not because I'm afraid of breast cancer, but because this gene also causes ovarian cancer.  Ovarian cancer which, as my doctor told me, once it's found, means it's too far advanced to do anything about it.  (here and here).

A recap: My mom had breast cancer when she was 38.  The fact that she had it at a young age was a red flag to my doctor as an indication of this gene.  My mom was adopted and we have no medical history past here so there was no way for me to see if there was a pattern of red flags in other generations.

My doctor filled out the paperwork and  hoped that my insurance would help cover the $3,000 test.  The first time they didn't.  Time passed, I got a new job which meant new insurance, so we tried it again.  I mailed my spit (here) and hoped for better luck.  And we got it.  My insurance called and said they would help cover it.

I waited for two weeks for a call from my doctor with the results.  It's amazing how heavy something like this will sit in the back of your mind.  I'm not going to lie, I was preparing myself mentally for surgery and having to deal with the downsides of a full hysterectomy (no saving ovaries for hormones on something like this).  I didn't tell too many people about it, just a few family members.  And even then I never talked about how heavy it felt to me, except once or twice to The Man.  My last C-section had taken an hour and a half and had been difficult for my doctor.  I have a lot of scar tissue inside of me from having C-sections (apparently I have babies who didn't get the memo that they needed to turn upside down.  Breech babies equals C-sections) and it made my last delivery hard.  My doctor ended with a heavy exhale of breath, "I think it's a really good idea if you don't have anymore babies."

In my mind, I foresaw all of that to be a possible complication in a hysterectomy so as I waited for news of the test results all of this sat in my chest.

Turns out the test was negative and I, in fact, do not have the brca gene.

The relief was almost tangible.

Not only are thoughts about myself dealing with it gone, but thoughts of my girls having to deal with it are also gone.

Life will continue on with only normal chances of getting cancer, as opposed to a 90% chance of getting it.

I'll take the normal odds over that any day.

So speaking of cancer, sometimes around here we also talk about childhood cancer.

Why?

I don't know.

Except for the fact that that issue really tugs at my heart stings.

If childhood cancer tugs at your heart strings too, I have a couple of really easy ways for you to reach out to some children who are bearing bigger burdens than we, as adults, ever have.



I can't even express how very much I hope you will all pay attention to these things.

P.S. I adore you is a site that sells cute items from vendors at a sale price, and also donates money from those sales to research for fighting childhood cancer.

And they spotlight children who are fighting a good fight.  Or a hard battle.

Both.

This month they've introduced us to Brielle. (All pictures take from P.S. I Adore You).

Who is 10 years old and has found out that her cancer has returned for the third time, and at this point there is no further treatment for her.

And I thought what I felt for the past couple of weeks was heavy...

I can't even begin to imagine her burden.  Her parents burden.  Her sisters' burden.

Read Brielle's story here.

There's a couple of things that we can do for Brielle and her family.

It's being asked that we fill her mailbox with letters.

P.S. I adore you is also selling beautiful prints on their site here, for only $5.  The money will go to Brielle's family to help with finances because at this time, finances should not be something they should have to worry about it.  So go buy one.  Or two.  Or all of them.  What have you.

My favorite one is this one:

One more thing, this ends today, but go buy this pencil skirt.  ALL of the proceeds from this skirt will go to childhood cancer.

I got good news this time.

But what if the next time I don't?

I'll do all I can, even if it's small, because who knows when it will be me who may need the help and support.  If it were my child and my family...

So I can send a bunch of bright letters, and buys some prints and skirts.

Today.