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I loved this book!!! Read it in less than 24 hours because it was so interesting. It is the story of a teenager dealing with bone cancer, and is written by many people in Alex’s life and therefore has various perspectives on her diagnosis and treatment. I left a complete review of the book on Barnes & Noble, “Wonderful Parents”.

Although Alex does not ultimately beat her cancer, it is not a sad story. It shows how well she coped with each hurdle, how wonderfully her family supported her, all the lives she touched, and all the things that continue to happen due to Alex. For instance, a very large group ride bikes in a Make a Wish fundraiser each year–Alex’s Team. Her wheelchair ended up in Ghana with a man that had polio as a child and now helps find used wheelchairs and walkers for others.

Alex was granted a wish by the Make a Wish Foundation, and it was to make a public service announcement about kids with cancer. She and several other kids with cancer are in it.  You can go to the website www.alexswish.com to see the public service announcement and learn much more about the book and Alex. The proceeds from the sale of this book support The Make a Wish Foundation.

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Saturday I will participate in the second Free to Breathe fundraiser for lung cancer. Actually I will be working behind the scenes, but in spirit I will be walking/running. I am dedicating this effort to my dear friend Libby Traylor, who lost her battle with lung cancer several years ago. She was the kind of person the world needed more of and longer of it. She did not have a mean bone in her body. If anything, she was too kind.

Lung cancer has to be stopped. The only way I know is to increase funding for medical research. While the federal government has not increased funding, two states have increased cancer funding–NC and Texas.  NC has pledged 50M per year and Texas 3Billion over five years.  I would like to challenge the other 48 states to step up and be counted. If it is to be, it’s up to me!

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Friday was our quarterly Cancer Control meeting. This is a group appointed by the legislature in NC to advise on cancer issues. Our main presentation was on lung cancer. Surprisingly, about 25-30% of lung cancer is in non-smokers. One of our speakers was a 22-year old lung cancer survivor that had never smoked a single cigarette! She was a lovely young girl and hopefully she will be one of the lucky ones.The speakers talked about how often we ignore fund raising for lung cancer–even though it is the #1 cancer killer of men and women–because we feel they brought it on themselves by smoking.

I once read an article by Ray Charles, the wonderfully talented blind musician. He talked about being addicted to many things during his life. Heroine, alcohol, and cigarettes. Hands down, he said, cigarettes was the hardest to kick and the pull lasted the longest time. He spoke of going years without smoking, just to be “compelled” to smoke just one, years later. We all know where that leads…

Personally I have a problem with chocolate. If it is in my house, it is in my mouth. The stores are full and it is always waiting to ensnare you when you are waiting in line. You never have to search for chocolate. If you have half a yearning, it will be in your buggy before you leave the store. Cigarettes are similarly placed to play into our weak moments.

For me, cigarettes and other tobacco products being for sale in drug stores is just plain wrong. How can they call themselves a health care facility and sell the most deadly item in our society? If we made it just a bit more difficult for cigarette “addicts” to find their fix, would it save lives?

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Sandy,

I am soooo sorry to hear of this tragic turn of events. Of course I will be praying.

I suggest we all work very hard to insist on increased funding for cancer research from our government and also to all raise money. Money/research is the only way we can stop this mass slaughter of our population. 1500 people die every day from cancer, just in the US. Worldwide? But we have to do it now so that there won’t be any more Kristis.

Many hugs,
Suzan

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