Sunday, March 15, 2009
Call Me Crazy, But....
My sister did Relay For Life for the first time in 2005. She wore this hat. I didn't make it to Relay that year. I remember her saying to me, "Next year, we will do Relay For Life together!" The next month, cancer took her from us, and our Relay For Life walk was not to be. However, I think that in a way, she was there with me the next year. Our local American Cancer Society dedicated the next Relay For Life to my sister. That year, I was pumped up and ready to go. That year, and every year after, I wore my sister's pink hat and I walked in Relay For Life. That first year, my dad handed me that purple "Cancer Sucks" button, and not wanting to poke the hat, I strung the pin through the hat's tag where it has stayed ever since.
The following two Relays was also good for me. I asked some bloggers if they would mind if I walked in memory of their lost loved ones, and they agreed. I always think of the people who I have met that have been affected by cancer. But last year, I just didn't have my heart into it. While in the past, I asked the online community to help me with donations, I think I did one post. And one person who has always been anonymous has always donated. (Thank you, anonymous person! I do know who you are!) It seemed harder and harder to ask for donations. I still wore the pink hat, I still thought of the people. Even though I haven't forgotten what cancer took for me, I felt sure that others were tired of me talking about my sister and her cancer. But every year, I wear the pink hat and I do my laps around the track.
But last weekend, it hit me. People are still dying of cancer. People of all ages. Mothers and fathers. Sisters and brothers. Friends. Aunts. Uncles. Cousins. All three of my mom's sisters are battling cancer right now. One of my aunts signed up for Relay For Life within minutes when my mom sent out the email a few weeks ago. And I procrastinated. But I've signed up now.
And as I was walking the other day, I realized I wanted to try and get more donations than ever. And I wanted to try to do something to motivate me to raise some money this year.
My sister was 25 when she died of lung cancer. Ironically, this year is also Relay For Life's 25th anniversary. So, my plan this year is to try and raise at least $2500 in donations. And if I raise this much, I intend to walk 25 miles. Part of me doesn't think it can be done. Part of me says there is no way I am going to get enough donations to have to walk 25 miles, so hey, I can just do things I always have done. But, I'm going to train for it, none the less. Because maybe the community out there will prove me wrong. If you are interested in proving me wrong, the link to my page is: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lyndas_page
Are you willing to help spread the word and prove me wrong? Labels: awareness, cancer sucks, Laurianne, Laurianne's hope, organizations, Relay For Life, support
Posted by Lynda ::
4:17 PM ::
---------------------------------------
Monday, October 27, 2008
Graphic Cigarette Warnings
A few months ago, I came across some graphic cigarette warnings out of Canada. It really made me think for a moment. Why don't we have something like this?
If you are a smoker, or know a smoker, and you live in the United States, you have seen the plain jane warning on cigarette packages. It's something like this:
When I came across the graphic ads from Canada, I wondered if other countries did this as well. I found that there are 12 countries that have graphic cigarette warnings, including the UK, Brazil, New Zealand, and most recently Egypt. These ads show the various disadvantages to smoking. One warning, aimed at men, shows that cigarettes can cause impotence. Another shows young women that cigarettes will affect there unborn children. A third will tell you that that smoking can increase your chance of lung cancer by 80%.
Having watched someone I love go through lung cancer, even though it wasn't caused by cigarettes, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. The pain of not being able to breathe, the insidiousness of the cancer as it spreads through your body. Smoking increases your risk factor in getting lung cancer. Quitting smoking is such a preventable way lowering your risk in getting this disease. When you quit smoking, the benefits to you happen almost immediately. When you quit, your body will start to cleanse itself of the toxins. I have heard quitters say food starts to taste better after just a few days.
The American Cancer Society says this about quitting:
Immediate rewards of quitting
Kicking the tobacco habit offers some benefits that you'll notice right away and some that will develop over time. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life a great deal.
- your breath smells better
- stained teeth get whiter
- bad smelling clothes and hair go away
- your yellow fingers and fingernails disappear
- food tastes better
- your sense of smell returns to normal
- everyday activities no longer leave you out of breath (such as climbing stairs or light housework)
Quitting benefits not only the smoker, but the people around them who smoke. If we had graphic packaging in the United States, I wonder how many people would stop and think about what they are doing to there bodies. As I sit in the coffee shop, writing this article, I wonder if the two men sitting outside, smoking their cigarettes near the No Smoking by ordinance of the City of Santa Rosa sign would consider if smoking was worth the impotence risk, if the woman who bummed a cigarette from them would consider that smoking could increase the risk of SIDS to her future children, if the guy waiting smoking and waiting for the light to change would stop would lower his chance of having his family watch him suffer through some smoking disease or cancer.
Because right now, that little inconsipicious text box is pretty easy to ignore.
*This post is dedicated to my friend. Good luck on your journey! You will only be better for it.*
Labels: lung cancer, multiple myeloma, organizations, second-hand smoke, share a story, support
Posted by Lynda ::
3:50 PM ::
---------------------------------------
Friday, May 11, 2007
The Glamour of Smoking
I saw a report on TMZ.com that said smoking is going to be factored into a movie rating. It it is glamorized, then a movie could earn an "R" rating.
Since TMZ.com is a gossip rag, of course, I had to search out some articles from some other sources.
I actually was a little concerned a few weeks ago, when TMZ had on their sidebar, "Check out the smokin' celebs in our photo album, Whatcha Smokin'" or something like that. I clicked on it out of curiosity. Here is a sampling:
I don't think it looks all that glamorous. But that's just my opinion. Now sometimes seems rather glamorous in movies, so keep reading to find out about how smoking is going to affect movie ratings.
MPAA adds smoking as film-rating factor
DAVID GERMAIN
Associated Press
As reported by: Akron Beacon Journal
LOS ANGELES - Smoking will be a bigger factor in determining film ratings, the Motion Picture Association of America said Thursday, but critics said the move does not go far enough to discourage teens from taking up the habit.
MPAA Chairman Dan Glickman said his group's ratings board, which previously had considered underage smoking in assigning film ratings, now will take into account smoking by adults, as well.
That adds smoking to a list of such factors as sex, violence and language in determining the MPAA's G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17 ratings.
Film raters will consider the pervasiveness of tobacco use, whether it glamorizes smoking and the context in which smoking appears, as in movies set in the past when smoking was more common.
Some critics of Hollywood's depictions of tobacco in films have urged that movies that show smoking be assigned an R rating, which would restrict those younger than 17 from seeing them.
"I'm glad it's finally an issue they're taking up, but what they're proposing does not go far enough and is not going to make a difference," said Kori Titus, spokeswoman for Breathe California, which opposes film images of tobacco use that might encourage young people to start smoking.
Glickman said a mandatory R rating for smoking would not "further the specific goal of providing information to parents on this issue."
Smoking in movies with a G, PG or PG-13 rating has been on the decline, and the "percentage of films that included even a fleeting glimpse of smoking" declined from 60 percent to 52 percent between July 2004 and July 2006," Glickman said.
Of those films, three-fourths received an R rating for other reasons, he said.
"That means there's not a great amount of films in the unrestricted category as it stands," said Joan Graves, who heads the ratings board. "We're not saying we're ignoring the issue. We're trying the best way possible according to what we've learned from parents to give them information about what's in a film."
Titus said smoking in films had declined in recent years but remains more prevalent than MPAA figures indicate.
Descriptions on sex, violence and language that accompany movie ratings now will include such phrases as "glamorized smoking" or "pervasive smoking," Glickman said.
If rated today, a film such as 2005's "Good Night, and Good Luck," about chain-smoking newsman Edward R. Murrow, would have carried a "pervasive smoking" tag but probably would have retained its PG rating because of its historical context in the 1950s, Graves said.
Titus said film raters should be as tough on smoking as they are on bad language to minimize the effects of on-screen smoking on children, including her own 5-year-old daughter.
"I don't want her using that language, but last time I checked, she's probably not going to die from that," Titus said. "If she starts smoking from these images she sees in movies, chances are she's probably going to die early from that."
While Titus' group wants tougher ratings restrictions, the MPAA released statements of support for its plan from John Seffrin, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden and filmmaker Rob Reiner, among others.
"By placing smoking on a par with considerations of violence and sex, the rating board has acknowledged the public-health dangers to children associated with glamorized images of a toxic and lethal addiction to tobacco," Barry Bloom, dean of the Harvard School of Public Health, said in a statement.
[end article]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vote for Laurianne's Hope for Best Health Blog for the Blogger's Choice Awards 2006.Labels: awareness, organizations, second-hand smoke, smoking cessation
Posted by Lynda (Laurianne's Sister) ::
2:04 PM ::
---------------------------------------
Monday, April 16, 2007
Blogger's Choice Awards Update
We are still needing a lot of votes for Laurianne's Hope at the Blogger's Choice Awards. It looks like we are no longer in the Best Educational Blog category, but we are still in the running for Best Health Blog.
If you haven't voted, please consider doing so. I am proud of the work my dad and I have done on Laurianne's Hope. It would be nice to be recognized and possibly even bring in more traffic.
Of course, then I should probably post more. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vote for Laurianne's Hope for Best Health Blog for the Blogger's Choice Awards 2006.Labels: awareness, Laurianne, organizations
Posted by Lynda ::
12:07 PM ::
---------------------------------------
Monday, April 09, 2007
St. Baldricks - March 2007
Here are the pictures of St. Baldrick's for March 2007. These were taken in Santa Rosa, California, at Sweet River Grill & Bar. One of the young boys pictured below raised $1000 to have his head shaved and help find a cure for childhood cancer!
To find out more about a St. Baldrick's event in your community, visit www.stbaldricks.org
(On a side note, don't forget to vote for this blog in the two categories it has been nominated for - Best Educational Blog and Best Health Blog. See more details in the sidebar.)
Labels: awareness, bald, cancer, childhood cancer, events, organizations
Posted by Lynda ::
9:38 PM ::
---------------------------------------
Thursday, March 22, 2007
This Saturday
Playing for a Cure
Middle & High School Invitational
Band & Classical Solo Competition
Saturday, March 24, 2007, 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Craigmont Middle School, Memphis, Tennessee
My husband and I will be there! Hope you can make it too!Labels: cancer, events, lung cancer, organizations
Posted by Lynda ::
4:32 AM ::
---------------------------------------
Friday, March 09, 2007
One Year Ago This Month
Tuesday, March 6 was the anniversary of Dana Reeve's death from lung cancer. I did not fail to notice and wanted to blog about it. I just didn't know what to say.
I am glad there is still some awareness out there because of this disease. She really put lung cancer in the media spotlight. It still makes me angry that people were trying to brush off her death to smoking, because she use to sing in smokey lounges. I admit that second hand smoke could be a factor, but in the long and short of it, anyone can get this disease. Laurianne never sang in smokey lounges.
Hopefully, people continue to be aware of lung cancer. I heard recently of a breath test that has been developed. It shows if you have lung cancer, no matter what stage you are at. It sounded very promising. For those of you in the medical profession, the results were published in the medical journal, Thorax. I still see it on my Google alerts as well, so some news agencies are still talking about it.
Every breakthrough is a step closer to awareness, detection and cure.
Labels: awareness, cancer, lung cancer, organizations
Posted by Lynda ::
7:45 AM ::
---------------------------------------
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Look Good, Feel Better
When Laurianne found out she had cancer in 2005, she went to the American Cancer Society to find out more about wigs. This is just one of the services the American Cancer Society offers as a service to cancer patients. Fortunately, Laurianne took some pictures of her wig choices, so she is my model for this post.
The American Cancer Society administers a program, in partnership with the National Cosmetology Association, called Look Good, Feel Better which provides wigs to women who have lost their hair to cancer. There is also a program for Men called Look Good, Feel Better for Men as well as a program for teens, and the 2BMe website.
If you know someone who doesn't have web access, you can call the program at 1-800-395-LOOK or contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345. You can also visit the American Cancer Society's Look Good, Feel Better web page.
By calling 1-800-395-LOOK (1-800-395-5665)you can also request self-help materials. And because you don't need to struggle with cancer alone, some areas offer group programs. Here is some information on the group programs, taken from the American Cancer Society's Look Good, Feel Better web page:
Volunteer beauty professionals lead small groups, usually consisting of 6 to 10 women, through practical, hands-on experience. Women learn about makeup techniques, skincare, nail care, and options related to hair loss such as wigs, turbans, and scarves. Each group program participant receives a free kit of cosmetics for use during and after the workshop.
Laurianne was lucky. She didn't actually end up losing her hair. But, most people do experience hair loss with chemo. With programs like this, someone going through cancer can feel less self-conscious and better about themselves. And sometimes that is half the battle.Labels: awareness, bald, cancer, chemotherapy, Laurianne, organizations
Posted by Lynda (Laurianne's Sister) ::
6:49 AM ::
---------------------------------------
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Hairless Heros
This picture, provided by my mom's friend B, is the Santa Rosa Fire Department St. Baldricks participants for 2006. I noticed there are no women. Maybe Britney Spears will join them next one?
The next St. Baldrick event in Santa Rosa is:
Sweet River Grill and Bar
Event Date: March 16, 2007
Address: 248 Coddingtown Mall, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Please visit www.stbaldricks.org for a location in your area, or information on how to start an event in your location.
Labels: bald, cancer, childhood cancer, organizations
Posted by Lynda (Laurianne's Sister) ::
1:59 PM ::
---------------------------------------
Monday, February 19, 2007
St. Baldrick's
I have always wondered what it would be like to be bald. I imagine a warm breeze over a bald head, or rolling down the windows of my car and not having to worry about getting rid of tangles later. Unlike Laurianne, who loved her hair, I have never been as attached to my hair as it is to me. I keep saying that one day I will definately try it.
Yesterday, my mom told me that some friends of hers read this website, and that they participate in an organization called St. Baldrick's Foundation. (Hi, friends of my mom!) This organization raises money for kids with cancer. In fact, their mission statement is:
The mission of the St. Baldrick's Foundation is to raise awareness and funds to cure kids' cancer by supporting cancer research and fellowships.
In Indianapolis, they are having an event for St. Baldrick's towards the middle of March. I am hoping to get out to one of these events and see what it is all about. I am not going to shave my head this year though. I still want to grow my hair out for Locks of Love. But, to help raise funds for cancer, I would be willing to shave my head.
Just in time for summer, too!
Labels: awareness, bald, cancer, chemotherapy, childhood cancer, Laurianne, organizations
Posted by Lynda (Laurianne's Sister) ::
7:20 AM ::
---------------------------------------
Support A Cause
In Memory of Laurianne
Lives Lost to Lung Cancer
Click to Enlarge