Entries Tagged 'Raising Awareness' ↓

I remember sitting in a room during a break out session about sexual abuse in college and watching the majority of women in the room raise their hands and admit to having been assaulted, abused or raped at one time in their lives.

I remember my friend telling me she had been raped on two entirely different occasions.

I remember a few friend’s telling me they had been raped. Or, as they put it, having sex even though they said no. But maybe he didn’t hear them. Maybe it was their fault for being so drunk. Maybe they shouldn’t have gone to that party anyway.

I remember my friends not telling me what had happened to them but still unraveling and struggling internally and working through what they could at weekly therapy sessions.

I remember my college friends setting up an “underground railroad” of sorts for a fellow classmate trying to escape her abusive husband.

I remember slipping what money I could to another friend who was trying to leave her abusive partner with children in tow, unsure of where to go or how to start over.

I remember assuming that abuse and violence just kind of eventually happens to everyone. And I wondered when it would be my turn.

Maggie Dammit, a fantastic writer and blogger, started a site a year ago today called Violence Unsilenced. And I am just one of many bloggers giving her and her site a shout out today.

Violence Unsilenced gives women (and men) a place to go and tell their story. It teaches, shares, connects and empowers each of its writers and readers. If you want to tell your story, read about those with stories similar to yours or support those who have experienced some level of violence in their lives, please visit and continue to support Violence Unsilenced.

Please watch this amazing video created by Maggie in honor of this site’s one year anniversary.

As the month of October comes to an end, I am sharing my mother’s story as one last reminder about breast cancer awareness. Please read, consider, educate yourself and share.

My mother did not die from breast cancer. In fact, she was diagnosed many years ago. We found out she had a malignant lump in her breast days before her 50th birthday in 1993. The lump was small and hidden close to her armpit – she could not feel it no matter how hard she tried. But it was detected and it had begun to metastasize.

We have a long history of breast cancer in our family. My grandmother, my aunt and my grandfather’s sister are all survivors. They were all diagnosed after menopause and they all survived. And knowing her history, my mother marched in for annual screenings. Did she feel that it was only a matter of time? I think so. And so do I.

But here’s the kicker to her story. She only found it because she had two mammograms. You’d think one mammogram would be enough, right? The first screening saw “something” but they had determined it was only a cyst. Not to worry. Yeah, not my mom. So she went and got a second opinion. She sought out the best of the best. And they confirmed what she feared.

It was not a cyst.

After a lumpectomy and further testing, her malignancy lead to six months of chemotherapy and radiation. And hair loss, and sickness, and depression, and a nice schnazzy wig to top it off (that she often muttered “never looks quite right”).

But here’s my point. My mother went on to survive another sixteen years after her diagnosis. She went on to have an amazing career working with food aid, traveling the globe and trudging through rice paddies in Asia. She went on to watch both of her children graduate and marry and have three grandchildren. She went on family trips and work trips – trumping my father’s record number of countries visited. She lived those next sixteen years fully. Sixteen years she may not have had if she were not aware of her breast cancer risks. Sixteen years she may not have had if she never followed up with a second opinion and mammogram. Sixteen years she might not have had if she didn’t get amazing care and thorough treatment (that she could luckily afford).

My mother may have passed this summer but she was a breast cancer survivor for sixteen years. And for those sixteen years, her entire family is extraordinarily grateful.

Find out your family’s history. Do monthly checks. Have annual mammograms if it is recommended at your age. Talk to your doctor. Consider all of your options. Don’t ignore anything. Be your own best advocate.

To contribute to my my mother’s Susan G. Komen memorial fund, please click on her icon at the top of this post. Thank you.

I had no idea. But I guess I shouldn’t blame myself for being so naive. It seems that many parents don’t have any idea either. We generally assume that the drugs we need to worry about our children abusing are such party favorites as alcohol, ecstasy, pot, cocaine or even heroin. I never thought a popular drug of choice these days was dextromethorphan – a key component in cough medicine.

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a firm representing the CHPA (Consumer Healthcare Products Association) and asked to attend a two day event in Washington DC covering the Five Moms. (Three of the Five Moms are pictured to the right.)

This Monday, I arrived at the lovely, historic Hotel Lombardy curious about what the next two days would bring me. While I settled down in my room over-looking Pennsylvania Avenue, I reviewed the materials that were left for me.

The Problem

A study from the Partnership for a Drug Free America has shown that about one in ten teens (roughly 2.4 million kids) ages 12-17  have reported to have intentionally abused over the counter cough medicine. And about 28% of teens know someone who has abused it. But only 4% of parents believe their children would actually abuse cough medicine. The Partnership for Drug Free America also reports that “41 percent of teens mistakenly believe that abuse of medicines is less dangerous than abuse of illegal street drugs.” And when teens do abuse dextromethorphan, it has been found that they take 20 – 50 times the recommended dosage which equates to consuming multiple bottles of cough medicine at one time.

The Five Moms

On behalf of StopMedicineAbuse.org, five dynamic mothers have currently become the faces of cough medicine abuse. And this week they arrived in Washington DC with the CHPA to meet with Congress people on Capitol Hill to lobby for their support. They had three goals:

1. Urge the importance of parental education about cough medicine abuse by promoting the StopMedicineAbuse.org site. The Five Moms believe education about the abuse of this common place medication will do more to curb it’s use rather than simply restricting purchase since these medications are found in every home. As one of the Five Moms noted during our meetings on Capitol Hill, “You can’t protect your family from something you don’t know about.”
2. Gain support for the dextromethorphan Abuse Prevention Act of 2009 (s. 1383) which would amend the Controlled Substances Act and prevent the sale of cough medicine (or any products with dextromethorphan) to those under 18 years of age.
3. Gain support for the dextromethorphan Distribution Act of 2009 (H.R. 1259) which if enacted would limit who may purchase bulk amounts of raw dextromethorphan. There are no current limits at this time.

During our time in DC, I got to know four of these mothers (the fifth wasn’t able to come due to an illness in the family) and was truly touched by their stories. Misty Fetko shares a powerful and upsetting story about her son Carl who passed away due to a lethal mix and overdose of drugs including dextromethorphan.  Blaise Brooks, a strong mother, speaker and mentor, educates her community about over the counter medication abuse. Hilda Morales-Roybal took on this cause after becoming informed about the abuse of over the counter medication in her own community. And finally Cristy Crandell currently has a son serving a 13 year prison sentence for crimes he committed while under the influence of dextromethorphan. Each amazing, each examples, each changing lives in their communities and now each delivering their message to Capitol Hill.

Dr. Drew

And so now you’re probably wondering how Dr. Drew fit in to all of this. Well, the night before we all went to Capitol Hill, we sat down to a lovely dinner with the Five Moms, the CHPA, the PR firm who organized all of our comings and goings, and we bloggers: Jenn, Janice and myself. While chatting with the mothers and considering our menus, an announcement was made that we would have another guest. Dr. Drew Pinsky was able to come to DC also to support this entire initiative and he would be joining us for dinner in a few minutes as well as coming to Capitol Hill with us the following day. After a few blogger (ahem) gasps (to put it subtly), Dr. Drew arrived soon there after and ate a delicious meal with us.

(And in case you’ve been living under a rock, here is where you might find Dr. Drew.)

Let me add a quick sidebar here to share something about Dr. Drew. He sat down at our table and graciously, patiently, wonderfully took question after question about addiction, abuse and even discussed our own personal stories. He didn’t have to do that. But he did. He truly cares about the work he is doing and obviously goes above and beyond to help others on a daily basis. I would like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to Dr. Drew for a fascinating dinner discussion.

CHPA

I have mentioned the CHPA before but should do so again now. Who are they? The Consumer Healthcare Products Association is a non for profit group representing the makers of over the counter medications. And yes, they brought me to this event because they wanted their message heard here. But during my brief time with the CHPA folks, I was impressed by and truly connected with this very committed group of people. And then we were lucky enough to have Alan, a CHPA representative and our valiant leader on the Hill, as part of our group too. With two children of his own and a clear dedication to this message, he fearlessly guided us through our day with humor and tact.

Moms Storm Capitol Hill

On Tuesday morning, the Five Moms, the bloggers, the CHPA folks, and PR peeps piled into cabs and found ourselves on Capitol Hill. Where was was Dr. Drew? He and Misty had already been up taping 39 segments for local television that morning to support this cause and we would meet up with them later. Check one of the segments out here:

However for the rest of us, our first stop that morning was the Rayburn building, home to Representative offices located directly across from the Capitol building. As we filed out of the cab, we stared up at this building’s grandeur considering what our day had in store for us. But we only took a moment and then continued up the steps. There was work to be done.

We met a lot of people that day. A lot. We criss-crossed Capitol Hill, tromped up and down the steps into and out of both the Rayburn Building and the Hart Building (where most Senator offices are located). While our fancy shoes silently tortured us with every step we hardly noticed because we were lucky enough to have appointments with:

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX)
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO)
Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

We didn’t meet every congress person. In fact, my group usually met with Legislative Assistants. But Dr. Drew and Misty, along with the President and CEO of the Partnership for a Drug Free America, arrived in time for our face to face meetings with both Rep. Fred Upton and Sen. Chuck Grassley.

Every office was welcoming and wholeheartedly interested in the Five Mom’s message. They listened, they gave us time, and they promised further consideration. And as Hilda Morales-Roybal so correctly put forward to each member of her audience: “we are simply asking for you to support common sense”.

Common sense. Yep, that is exactly it. So it would seem these bills are obvious shoe-ins, something every member of congress could get behind – wouldn’t you think? Not so fast. I came to realize that while open to the Five Moms’ message, even the most straight forward, bi-partisan issues won’t be immediately resolved without some behind the scenes work. Call it horse-trading, call it prioritizing, call it plain old politics but these bills have run into a couple brick walls in the Senate. I know, I don’t get it either, but they have.

What Can You Do?

First of all, every parent should educate themselves. Go to StopMedicineAbuse.org to learn more about the risks, the facts, how dextromethorphan is abused and what signs to look for.

Secondly (and probably MOST importantly) you need to discuss this drug and its risks with your teens. Don’t find yourself assuming your sweet innocent child would never do this. Don’t find yourself dealing with a future overdose just like Misty Fetko did.

Thirdly, read medicine labels, look for the educational icon (see at right) and keep careful tabs on what you have in your medicine cabinets. If you see this icon on a medicine label, you should be aware that it has the potential to be abused and may contain dextromethorphan.

Finally, email or write your Representatives and Senators about this issue. Because you know what? They asked me to tell you that. In fact, Senator Grassley had statistics right at his fingertips about how many letters or emails his office receives and how many they respond to. And then after our meeting, his assistant came up to the bloggers and urged us to tell our readers the same. WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS. Because they are listening and they will support what you feel strongly about. No really, they will.

My Afterglow

And so, readers of mine, I will wrap up this lengthy post to say that I was officially blown away by my Capitol Hill experience. You see, I got to experience first hand the influence that moms have on their communities and country at large. And it has left me awed and inspired. Because I often flashback a few years to when my children were very young, when I thought I had no affect on very much any longer apart from raising my boys. I was simply a mom not doing too much of consequence apart from wiping bums, washing bottles and watching Ellen from time to time. No no. Actually, we have a voice. An important one. One that is heard on Capitol Hill – whether it be in face to face meetings or via letters and blog posts. We can make an important difference if we get busy, get talking, get writing and get organizing. Don’t forget what we have the potential to accomplish. Thanks to my time with the Five Moms, I know I never will.

Disclosure note: While my trip and hotel expenses were covered by the CHPA, the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. This is an extremely important initiative and I was proud to be there to offer my support.

I am writing this quick post from my hotel room over looking Pennsylvania Avenue. I’m here in Washington DC to cover the Five Moms and their efforts to promote awareness about over the counter (OTC) cough medicine abuse. We met these women last night, they are amazing, their stories are inspiring and they are moms just like you and me who never thought their child could abuse something so everyday as cough medicine.

Did you know 10% of young people between ages 12 and 17 report to have intentionally abused cough medicine?

And only 4% of parents believe their children may have abused cough medicine?

And do you know who else is here to support the Five Moms?

Dr. Drew.

We spent our evening last night talking to him about abuse, addiction and generally soaking up his brilliance. The man is amazing and him being here will truly impact the momentum of this initiative.

Anyway, in a minute, the bloggers, the Five Moms and Dr. Drew are heading to Capitol Hill to  support the resolution to designate October as “National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month.”

I will write a much more informative post once I am home. Until then, read more about this initiative and how you can educate yourself on the topic at StopMedicineAbuse.org.

Last night, I had the fascinating opportunity to be part of a conference call with Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mike Taylor of the US FDA, Safe Tables and a variety of fabulous bloggers to discuss the new FDA food safety reform bill. As our country has experienced more and more disturbing food recalls, increased cases of E coli and a whole slew of food borne illnesses resulting in many unexpected deaths – its time we take control of our own food safety.

Safe Tables – or S.T.O.P. (Safe tables Our Priority) – provides consumers with excellent resources about current food safety initiatives. They are a “national, nonprofit, public health organization dedicated to preventing illness and death from food borne pathogens”. I would encourage everyone to sign up for their E-Alerts which will be sent to your email address of choice if there are any sudden food recalls or outbreaks that you should know about.

Also, in case you weren’t aware, the new Food Safety reform bill is hoping to accomplish the following:

• Require all facilities to have in place preventive plans to address identified hazards and prevent adulteration, and give FDA access to these plans and relevant documentation;
• Expand FDA access to records;
• Allow FDA to recognize laboratory accreditation bodies to help ensure U.S. food testing labs meet high quality standards and require results from food testing performed by these labs to be reported to FDA;
• Require importers to verify the safety of foreign suppliers and imported food, provide that FDA require certification for high-risk foods, and deny entry to a food that lacks certification or that is from a foreign facility that has refused U.S. inspectors;
• Increase FDA inspections at all food facilities, providing for annual inspections of high-risk facilities and inspections of other facilities at least once every four years;
• Enhance food-borne illness surveillance systems to improve the collection, analysis, reporting and usefulness of data on food-borne illnesses;
• Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a pilot project to test and evaluate new methods for rapidly and effectively tracking/tracing fruits and vegetables in the event of a food-borne illness outbreak;.
• Give FDA the authority to mandate recall of a food product if a company fails to voluntarily recall product upon FDA’s request;
• Empower FDA to suspend a food facility’s registration if there is a reasonable probability that food from the facility will cause serious adverse health consequences or death;
• Direct FDA to help food companies protect their products from intentional contamination; and
• Increase funding for FDA’s food safety activities through increased appropriations and targeted fees for domestic and foreign facilities.

This information was found at MeatAmi.com.

So what did I learn on this phone call? First of all, it is going to take some time. All of these farms and food processing centers need to be brought up to speed. The Senator was clear to explain that small farms will not be targeted, however processors will be and the FDA would ideally have the authority to enforce new FDA regulations on the spot with further and increased inspections.

The Senator also explained that state and local government would need to work much more closely and have better integration in order to enforce these regulations.

And then there are imported foods. They would need to be equally processed and held up to the same standard as domestic foods. Did you know that we currently inspect less than 1% of imported foods? Yeah. Wow.

I have to admit. This is an ambitious plan. I’m not sure how long it will take or how the consistency will be enforced or how much it will cost. The Senator did mention that there is enough bi-partisan support for this bill to give it the momentum it needs. But, I dunno. We have a long way to go, baby. But at least the work has begun and food safety has become a priority (amongst many others).

Finally, it left me wondering what WE can do. You and me, consumers, wheeling our carts through the grocery store with wrestling kids in tow. How can we put pressure on the large farms and corporations to move more quickly with these new regulations? How can we hold the folks who make and handle our food accountable? Because you and I both know that corporations get a certain “giddy-up” if they feel any pressure from their consumers. So, while I brainstorm, consider your food and its safety and do what you can to support the new FDA food reform bill.

A quick side-bar…

BlogHer is hosting a conference call with Senator Jeff Merkley about the future of health care on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Interested in being a part of this call? You better get a move on. They are taking the first 20 bloggers who respond here. They hosted an amazing conference call with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi discussing health care reform earlier today.

Also, I am heading to Washington DC next week to be learn more about teen over the counter medicine abuse (StopMedicineAbuse.org) and the Five Moms who are working in conjunction with OTCsafety.org and CHPA. (Remember when I got interview their spokesperson Chandra Wilson awhile back?) These are great people and this is an important initiative. I’m very excited and will be posting more later. So stay tuned.

So should I state the obvious?

Yes. The concert was utterly amazing.

I was entirely overwhelmed by U2, their outstanding to the core talent, their mind-blowing state of the art stage, the energy of their fans and their incredible message. In fact, because I was so distracted by the music, this video is hardly a recap of the entire concert. No way. (And I’m not sure that’s legal anyway.) But it does give you a sense of it – and it does show you the entire earth to space conversation Bono and Guy Laliberte had that evening.

Too. Cool. Beyond. Words. I assure you.

But let me get back the message part of this entire experience. As you all know, I was there on behalf of the Poetic Social Mission from Space which was set up by the One Drop Organization. So while a U2 fan, I was extraordinarily excited to witness a concert experience performed by a band who clearly cares about its global community. And unless you live on the moon, you already know how much Bono has done to raise awareness about various causes such as the AIDS crisis in Africa, famine relief and now our global need for clean water.

And I wasn’t the only one busting at the seams over their commitment to so much more than just their music. The woman sitting next to me was a huge fan (keep an eye out for her and her husband in the video). While certainly a hard-core fan of their music (and Bono, swoooon), she has also been moved by all of the good that Bono and U2 have done worldwide. This is what seems to set U2 and their fans apart from the rest of the music industry – and it is perhaps a large part of what has ensured their longevity too.

I would also like to make it very clear just how honored I was to be there that evening. My husband and I happened to be celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary that week. So being able to see U2 and honor our day by being part of the Poetic Social Mission was more than we could have asked for. On behalf of the two of us, thank you to the One Drop Foundation, the Poetic Social Mission, Cirque Du Soleil and Flip Video.

Without further ado, here is my night with U2 and, most importantly, Bono’s earth to space meeting with Guy Laliberte – the first clown in space and founder of the One Drop Organization. Enjoy!

Oh and one quick P.S…

If you would like to watch the entire Poetic Social Mission Broadcast, click the One Drop website here.

And Tampa, if you want to learn how you can do more to conserve clean water here in Florida, please visit this website for some excellent tips, water use calculators and even an option to request free water conservation materials for you home.

Ok! Welcome to my first installment of my U2 concert coverage. As I posted before, the One Drop Organization asked me as a local Tampa blogger to cover the U2 concert this Friday. One Drop and U2 will be part of an exciting event that night where 14 cities will come together, along with Guy Laliberte (the founder of Cirque Du Soleil and current clown in space) to promote awareness about our most important resource: water.

So, do you wish you could be a part of this? You can be. You can watch all of it online here on Friday, October 9th. Check out this link and make a date with yourself. (What’s good on TV anyway on Friday nights?)

CLICK HERE AND WATCH ON OCTOBER 9th!

The entire event will also be shown on DirecTV’s The 101 Network. “The first event of it’s kind to be hosted from the International Space Station.”

Also, just to keep things really interesting, One Drop was also kind enough to send me a fabulous new Flip Video Camera to cover the event. So, without further ado, here is my cringe-worthy first try at the flip camera taken during my children’s bath time. I am at the end of my day, hardly freshened up, with kids in the tub. Don’t expect any miracles – or clean mirrors (ew!) – either.

So do you ever think about water? And I mean really think about it. You turn on your tap and clean, clear water flows right out. An endless supply. To do whatever with. It never doesn’t turn on. It’s just always there.

When I was 9 years old, I lived in Somalia. My father worked with the State Department and for two years we were stationed in Mogadishu. During a trip back to the U.S., I remember taking a bath and saying to my mother “You mean, I could DRINK the water coming out of the tap right now? Actually drink it and it won’t make me sick?? WOW!” It was a Richie Rich moment, but instead of swimming in coins I was lounging in real, clean, drinkable water.

Of course, I was a privileged American child who was able to live in an actual house with running water in the first place. Who cares if it wasn’t drinkable, it came out of the tap so that we could bathe, and wash dishes and then boil it and strain it and treat it and then maybe, fingers crossed, drink it. (Of course, I still managed to catch a whopping bout of dysentery while I was there anyway. And I was lucky I only had it once.)

But the other Somali children who walked by my house everyday didn’t have such a privilege. And, of course, dysentery was far more common place – and deadly – in their families. I have vivid memories of visiting villages where women and children walked miles and miles with jugs and cartons to get their fill of family water at a well. I remember camels and goats and people gathered and surrounding those wells, pulling buckets upon buckets up and out of a muddy hole. If the water was at all clear, it was a good day. But who knew if it was at all potable. And women and children would balance those buckets and jugs on their heads and carry them back to their homes. Miles and miles. Everyday.

Water. It’s kind of a big deal.

So when I was asked by some social media folks who work for the One Drop Foundation if I would like to be a part of an enormous event this week which will help promote awareness about clean water, I jumped at the chance. Here’s whats happening.

The One Drop Foundation is actually an initiative lead by Cirque du Soleil and it’s founder Guy Laliberte. Now who is their founder exactly? You may have heard about him. He is currently orbiting our earth. He has been described as a “Space tourist and circus entrepreneur” – he’s the astronaut wearing the clown nose you’ve seen on TV. And while he is currently fulfilling a dream of his to venture into space, he is also there to raise awareness about the One Drop Foundation.

So how is he going to do that?

Guy describes this as his Poetic Social Mission in space. On October 9th, he will connect from space with 14 cities around the world and reach out to such celebrities and influencing personalities as Al Gore, Peter Gabriel, Matthew McConaughey, U2 and Shakira.

And on October 9th, U2 will be playing here in Tampa. Thanks to the folks at Cirque Du Soleil, my husband and I will be there to cover this incredible event at the U2 concert. We will have the opportunity not only to watch an amazing band who have influenced music and social awareness worldwide, but we will be able to witness the Poetic Social Mission from space for ourselves.

This whole thing, this whole global event, this connection to space and the dream and Poetic Social Mission of a circus founder turned astronaut is all about one single resource our entire planet can not live with out: Water. Because if there is any way to make water a more equitable resource, one that a Somali child has as much access to as an American child, we will finally have some chance at offering a healthy future for every member of our global community.

Stay posted for more information about local efforts to manage water conservation as well as further updates about this amazing event coming up on Friday.

(And for Twitter users, you can change your avatar to raise awareness about the One Drop campaign here.)

Sometimes I don’t feel like posting. Sometimes, I’m just having a bad day. In fact, if it gets quiet around here – that’s usually why.  Dragging out and rehashing those feelings here every time I have them just gets old. So instead, I’d rather focus my energy on things I want to support! Positivity! For everyone! Including PMSing mothers on the verge of tears because her child is tantruming but not really since it’s really because her mom died a month and a half ago. Yeah them too. Yay!

So stick with me here. I have some shout outs I’d like to give. Pay attention. Because if I do say so myself, they are truly worth your attention.

Never Too Late For College

A good blogging friend and I both have background in college administration. She is from the guidance side of things and I spent many years working in college admissions. So one day we got to talking and she had a fabulous idea of starting a site where she could post content supporting students who have decided to return college. People like us with families and jobs and busy lives who might also be looking to pursue a degree. And like us, these very same people are probably stressed about how they will squeak one more thing into their lives, how will they afford it, how long will it take. Her site is brand new but I do think she is on to something there. I hope to guest post soon and support her any way that I can. If you are thinking about going back to school and are concerned about how you will balance it all – go check out Never Too late For College. Give Mary a shout out – she has some amazing content on there right now.

Savvy Source in Tampa- Join!

If you’ve done any background stalking on me (like checking out the buttons posted to the right), you’ll know I’ve been working for Savvy Source for the past year. I post about events, activities, and general fun things happening in Tampa for preschool aged kids. Recently, our site had a make-over and we are now introducing a very cool option for our readers. For those who join (which is FREE), members can personalize the site to their children’s interests. Also we (well not ME but the Savvy Source brains behind all of this) have added a new social networking feature. In fact we have a Tampa area group and I (clearing my throat, looking quite proud) am the moderator. What does that mean? Well, I’m in charge of the party and will be doing my damnedest to bounce any spammers or lame-os who disrespect any great conversations happening. If you’re a parent living in Tampa – JOIN! I need someone to talk to…

Cancer Sucks. Children with Cancer Sucks Even More.

Did you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? No? Well, its time you did. Click on over there and meet Peyton and her mom Anissa. Cancer happens all the time, and it happens all the time to babies and children who don’t get why they spend months in and out of hospitals, getting poked and feeling horrid. And then when they’re better, no one is ever sure it won’t come back. And have you ever thought of what kind of effects the drugs that put children into remission might have on a child’s development? And how does a mother cope wondering when the next shoe might drop. Remission. It sounds an awful lot like the word dormant. Quiet for now but who knows? Be aware, learn, share, donate.

My Mom

And while I’m having one of those “on the verge of tears days”, I may as well give a shout out to the Susan G. Komen Foundation where I’ve set up a memorial fund for my mom. She was in remission from cancer too – for 15 years. Sure, she didn’t die from breast cancer but she was extraordinarily changed by it. She knew it could come back at any moment. She knew we needed to stay proactive about cancer and do what we can to beat it. She participated in walks, she was a part of many research groups, she did her part. So, yeah, she didn’t die from cancer but she cared about it. So I care about it. And have set up this memorial in her name.

All right, my friends. Thanks for reading. I hope you’ve checked out these sites and learned a little something. Now back to what you were doing and I’ll get back to wallowing for as long as I can before someone who claims he’s potty trained decides – for today only – why bother?

In the process and weeks following my own loss, September 11th has arrived again for the 8th time. Stories and remembrances fill my heart and refresh the feelings, the comprehension, the entire concept of loss – and loss which occurred more than 3,000 times over one morning in September. Loss that we were not prepared for. Loss when we thought everything was ok. Loss when we assumed we were safe.

This past February, I had the opportunity to visit Ground Zero and walk through St. Paul’s Chapel located across from Ground Zero where so many firefighters, EMT workers and first responders went to re-coop during the days following this event.

At this time, it is the only real place in New York City one can visit to pay tribute to the lives lost on 9/11. And I was honored to be there.

What were my feelings?

I felt an enormous void. It was all much too quiet. The vast space where the towers stood was empty. And all of those voices who were buried in each collapse were silent. They were gone. Everything was simply gone. Certainly, there was an energy of enormity, the air felt still and thick with 3,000 lost, the ghosts of that day were real, they were there. But for so much lost so fast, it felt as if there was nothing left as collateral. Nothing there equitable to all that was taken. This flat, empty construction site was all there was. An enormous void.

I also felt a great deal of respect and appreciation for those who organized themselves and handed their lives over to Ground Zero and the horrors it revealed. I was astounded by the stories. So much more happened during those days between individuals deep in the heart of this tragedy than most of us even realize. This post couldn’t possibly do justice to how much was simply given in those days following 9/11. Or ultimately convey just how much the 343 first responders lost in this tragedy, the men and women who ran in while everyone else ran out, were willing to give up for their own community and country. They were there to save lives and then bring the dead back to their families. Their intentions and efforts should always be honored and carried through.

To truly understand the impact St. Paul’s and the surrounding churches, people and communities had on the recovery efforts of 9/11, please watch this video. And maybe, instead of reading my hiccuping attempts at stringing words together, you’ll actually “get it”. And “get” WHY our President is correct to name this day as a day of service.

These men and women are why we should be inspired. We should carry their strength and commitment with us in our own communities. Stop, do something, give back, carry on their legacy. It is the one flicker of hope that we can resurrect on this day, September 11th, the day our worlds were rocked by a loss we continue to steady ourselves from eight years later.