Red Cross for a Cause: Give Blood and Save a Life

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

People all across the country have donated blood this year, but the American Red Cross still needs more. With blood products going out the door almost as fast as donations are coming in, the amount of blood available for patients is still below what it should be.

While most people are aware that blood is needed to treat accident victims or patients having surgery, they don't realize that there are many other reasons why a patient may need blood. Burn victims, patients with blood disorders, cancer patients and many others may need blood during their treatment. 

Giving blood is a very simple process with a life-saving reward. You can make an appointment to give blood or platelets by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by visiting www.redcrossblood.org. To be eligible, you must be 17 years of age or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health. 

Save a life, donate blood. Visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/ for more information.

Bike for a Cause: The Young Survival Coalition's Tour de Pink Raises Funds and Awareness for Young Women in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Written by Marketing Intern Roslynn Fitch

As a young woman, I understand and appreciate the importance of strong bonds with your girlfriends. It is these girls that you can talk to about anything. The girls that you can laugh with for hours on end. They are those people in your life that cry with you during hard times and laugh with you during the good. The Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is an organization that is dedicated to being that hopeful support system for young women diagnosed with breast cancer. 

The Tour de Pink is one way that the YSC ensures women diagnosed with breast cancer won't face their journey alone. The Tour de Pink not only gives you a chance to raise funds for young breast cancer patients, but it also provides a fun way to burn those extra calories! This year’s Tour de Pink has four locations all across the nation. If you aren’t a biker or can’t find a race near you, Tour de Pink also gives you the chance to do the virtual ride. This gives you the opportunity raise funds for the YSC by riding whenever or wherever, even in your local gym’s cycle class.

To learn more about the YSC or to make a donation, visit their webpage. 

To support breast cancer awareness by shopping, visit Uptown Liz.

Film Set for a Cause: Leonardo DiCAprio Encourages Warner Brothers to Switch to Solar Generators

Written by Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

A typical day on a movie set means that an immeasurable amount of energy is used. A-List actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, has decided to make a change and look to alternative sources of energy. During the filming of one of this summer’s biggest blockbusters, Inception, the actor encouraged the head of Warner Brothers to switch to solar generators. 

The switch to solar generators from the standard ones only cost about one percent more, but the switch kept 40 carcinogens from being released into the environment and over a ton of carbon dioxide out of the air. Warner Brothers will now be using these solar generators on other upcoming movies.

 

To find out how you can make a difference in your own homes by switching to environmentally friendly practices, visit http://www.seql.org/100ways.cfm

Website for a Cause: This We Know is Providing Valuable Information to Empower Citizens to Act

Written by Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

Have you ever wondered what the pollution is really like in your home town?  Now with just a click of a finger you can find out!  This We Know is a new website that is seeking to provide citizens with information to empower them to act.  All you have to do is type in your zip code and you can find out just how many pounds of dangerous pollutants were released in your city.  The website even provides a full detailed list of all the pollutants found.

 

This We Know presents information the U.S. government collects about every community and publishes it in an easy to understand manner.  The website even publishes a list of other facts such as demographics, employment data, crime rate and local legislation.  In the long run the company seeks to turn the website into a large-scale online database.

They say knowledge is power.  What will you do with the information you gain?

Food for a Cause: Top Reasons You Should Start Buying Local Food

Written by Marketing Intern Nandini Kavuri

1. Taste and freshness: Locally grown food tastes better because it is freshly picked and is not packaged. Fruits and vegetables shipped from distant states and countries can spend as many as seven to fourteen days in transit before they arrive in the supermarket. This freshness not only affects the taste of the food, but also the nutritional content. 

2. Strengthen your local economy: Buying local food keeps your dollars circulating in your community. 

3. Support family farms: More than one million acres of farmland are lost to residential and commericial development each year in the United States. By purchasing local foods, you are helping local farmers to stay on their land and thrive economically. A recent study in Maine showed that shifting just one percent of consumer expenditures to the purchase of local food products would increase farmers' income by at least five percent. Also, eating locally allows you to form valuable relationships with the people who grow your food.

4.  Safeguard your family's health: Food that has less distance to travel has less susceptibility to contamination.

5. Protect the environment: On average, most supermarket foods travel about 1,500 miles to get to your plate. Buying food locally eases our dependence on oil, helps clean up the air, and reduces greenhouse gases. 

6. Greater variety: You can also find greater variety among locally grown foods, including heirloom fruits and vegetables that chain stores rarely stock. 

Find a local Farmer's Market in your area and start buying locally grown food today! Visit http://www.simplesteps.org/eat-local/farmers-markets

Take Initiative for a Cause: Be Your Own Health Advocate

Written by Uptown Liz Public Relations Intern Britnee Brotherton

At one time or another, I, like most women, am guilty of being stubborn, hard to budge, set in my ways, or headstrong. One area in particular being personal health. It is vital that women take initiative and learn to be their own health advocate, especially when it comes to cancer. One great resource that ladies everywhere can and should use as a reference is “15 Cancer Signs Women Ignore” on WebMd. To some, these signs may seem like normal nuisances or occurrences, but it is vital to your well being that they do not go unnoticed. Signs that should not be ignored:

1. Unexplained Weight Loss

2. Bloating

3. Breast Changes

4. Between-Period Bleeding or Other Unusual Bleeding

5. Skin Changes

6. Difficulty Swallowing

7. Blood in the Wrong Place

8. Gnawing Abdominal Pain and Depression

9. Indigestion

10. Mouth Changes

11. Pain

12. Changes in the Lymph Nodes

13. Fever

14. Fatigue

15. Persistent Cough

To read more about each of these and how to determine if you may be suffering from one of them read the entire article on WebMD.

Uptown Liz is a company that encourages and urges people everywhere to serve as their own health advocate. The founder’s sister, Liz, who died of breast cancer at just 28 years old, did not ignore her early signs of the disease. Sadly, after misguidance from a medical professional, the breast cancer took over until it was too late. Let Liz’s story be your example. Listen to your mind and body, and know that even if a doctor is not willing to run the right tests you CAN find one who is! Go on. Be hard-headed about it!

Diet and Exercise Can Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk

Written by guest blogger Natasha Raju


I will be the first one to admit that sitting on the couch and watching my favorite episode of Lost with a bag of popcorn would be my perfect idea of R&R. The last thing on my mind is hitting the gym after a hard day of work.

According to a recent article, women who change their lifestyle by eating less and exercising more could change their outcome of getting breast cancer. There has been a progress in early detection with mammogram screening and treatments that have slowed down breast cancer but “what can be achieved with screening has been achieved. We can’t do much more,” Carlo La Vecchia, head of epidemiology at the University of Milan, said in an interview.

He estimated that 25% - 30% of breast cancer cases might be avoided if women made the conscious effort to be healthy by changing their eating habits and exercise regime. In many cancer cases, there has been repeated health advice in areas such as diet, smoking, and sun exposure that could play a role in being diagnosed with cancer.

Quick statistics:
- Chance of getting breast cancer is 1 in 8 in women
- Obese women are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than a normal-weight woman (according to a British study in 2006)

Of course, the three major risk factors in breast cancer, gender, family history, and age, are beyond anyone’s control. However, a healthier lifestyle isn’t.

The American Cancer Society has important recommendations:
- 45 to 60 minutes of physical activity for 4-5 days a week.
- Drinking less alcohol. Having more than two drinks a day can increase the risk by 4 -10%.
- There have been studies on hormone-replacement therapy being linked to cancer.
- Watch your nutrition and find a nutritionist to discover a healthy eating regime.

Carlo La Vecchia is quoted saying, "It's hard to lose weight, but it's not impossible. The potential benefit of preventing cancer is worth it."

And don’t forget, for ways to support breast cancer awareness through shopping, browse products on Uptown Liz.

Becky Lavelle of Jenny’s Light Interview (Part 4)

To read parts 1, 2 and 3 of the interview, click here.

RR: Because Jenny had such a severe case of postpartum depression, do you worry about having a baby?
BL: I do a little, but I am obviously much more aware of what can happen and will have a very heightened sense of awareness, as will my family and friends.

RR: The grieving process is very complicated. What surprised you most about grief?
BL: The second year has been harder than the first. Last year seemed almost surreal, now the reality is setting in a little more.

RR: How have you changed since Jenny’s and Graham’s deaths? How has your family changed?
BL: I am definitely more emotional with many things, but also more open and more grateful for the things I have and the life I am living. I’ve learned to not take anything for granted, to truly “live” each day, and not be afraid to be happy. I sometimes say to myself, “What would Jenny do?” and I try to honor her by doing things she and I both loved to do, or going out of my way to help out a stranger, or smiling at a random person on the street, petting a stray cat, buying something because “I like it”, etc. I think my family has become closer, we talk on the phone more often, I try to see them as much as I can and they come out to California as much as they can. We all grieve in different ways and it’s sometimes hard to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, but we all try to be understanding and lean on each other.

RR: What do you miss most about Jenny and Graham?
BL: Jenny’s laugh, her smile, talking to her every day, sharing my day-to-day activities with her, and just knowing that she’s always there for me. She still is now, but in spirit, and I know she will always be looking out for me. Graham was such an adorable little thing; he made the cutest little noises and was just so sweet.

RR: What do you want people to know about Jenny?
BL: She had such a big heart and a big smile and she was the most genuine person I know.

For more information on Jenny's Light, go to http://www.jennyslight.org/.

Photo caption: (From left) Becky Lavelle, Brian Lavelle, Chip Bankston and Jenny Gibbs Bankston.

Becky Lavelle of Jenny’s Light Interview (Part 3)

To read parts 1 and 2 of the interview, click here.

RR: How did you get into triathlons?
BL: I swam competitively since I was 10, got a scholarship to swim at LSU and knew I was done swimming after college but still wanted to compete and stay fit, so triathlon was the perfect thing. My brother Randy signed me up for a local race in 1995 and I never looked back from that!

RR: What do you like most about triathlons?
BL: I love being fit, traveling all over the world to compete, and I love the challenge of it; it’s always evolving and I’m always finding things I can work on or improve. And the fact that my husband also trains and races professionally makes it that much more enjoyable.

RR: What is an average day like for you when you’re training?
BL: Up at 5:20am, swim from 6-7:30am, breakfast, work on the computer for a few hours doing e-mails, Jenny’s Light, booking travel, keeping in touch with sponsors, updating my Web site, etc.. Then 1-1.5 hour run midday (or a 2-3 hour ride in the late afternoon with a 3 mile run off the bike), lunch, sneak a 30 min nap in if I can, run errands (groceries, plan meals, etc.), cook dinner (I love to cook!), do some more computer work, watch a little TV with Brian or read a magazine and pass out!

RR: You had one of your best racing years last year. How is that possible after going through such a horrific tragedy?
BL: I have to attribute much of my strength to Jenny and the fact that I wanted to make her proud. She would have wanted me to go on and be successful (and especially make the Olympic Team!). I also felt like I was racing for a greater cause; I knew success would also help the foundation and in turn help spread awareness of PPD and hopefully help save lives.

RR: How do you find balance between competing, Jenny’s Light and your personal life?
BL: It’s tough and I struggle with it from time to time, feeling like I’m overwhelmed with too much on my plate! But thank God I have Brian; he is so great at making me feel better and putting things in perspective. He’s my rock. I sometimes have to take a deep breath, step back, and remember the most important things in life are your health and your family.

Stay tuned for part 4 of the interview.

Photo caption: Becky doing a triathlon in Alcatraz in 2008.

Becky Lavelle of Jenny’s Light Interview (Part 2)

To read part 1 of the interview, click here.

RR: Why did your family want to start a nonprofit?
BL: We were so shocked by our loss and realized later how little we knew about PPD; there was just not enough awareness about it and it made us think that there had to be thousands of other people who were in the same boat. We did not want this type of tragedy to happen to anyone else.

RR: You started Jenny’s Light not long after Jenny’s death. How were you able to do that so quickly?
BL: I think it helped in our grieving, and it gave us something to focus our energy on and helped us make something positive out of something so devastating. It was nice to know we were helping people and saving lives.

RR: Jenny’s Light is one of the fastest growing nonprofits that I’ve seen. What do you attribute to the success of it?
BL: A big part of the success of Jenny’s Light is a direct reflection of the impact Jenny made on so many people; it just shows how many people she touched and how many people loved and cared about her. Our Board of Directors has also worked hard to make it a success - especially my brother Randy who spearheaded a lot of the efforts in getting the Web site up and running, full of content, and always up to date. I think my presence in the triathlon community and the success I had racing last year made it possible to reach a much broader audience and really positively impacted the foundation. Facebook has also been a great vehicle to get people involved in our cause; we have over 5,000 members and have raised over $10,000 through our fan page!

Stay tuned for Part 3 of the interview.

Photo caption: Becky (left) with Jenny and Graham in 2007.

Becky Lavelle of Jenny’s Light Interview (Part 1)

I first read about Jenny’s Light, an organization whose mission it is to improve and save lives by increasing awareness of all perinatal mood disorders including postpartum depression, from an article in the October 2008 issue of Glamour Magazine. The nonprofit was started (and named for) in the memory of Jennifer Gibbs Bankston, who after giving birth to her son Graham, suffered from postpartum depression, took her seven week old son’s life and then her own just days before Christmas in 2007.

I was surprised to find how much I had in common with Jenny’s twin sister (and one of the founders of the organization) Becky Lavelle. Becky and I are both runners (she’s a professional triathlete and 2008 Olympic Games alternate with the body to show for it, and I run marathons as a hobby when I feel like it), we were born 21 days apart (December babies), have mothers named Sandy, both live in Northern California, were married a year apart and tragically lost our sisters a year apart.

I know how helpful it has been for me to talk to others that have lost siblings and to share my sister’s story, so I contacted Becky and asked if she would be willing to share hers.

Ramona Russell: What was it like growing up as a twin?
Becky Lavelle: It was always like having a best friend. We did everything together, dressed alike most of the time (at least until junior high), had the same friends, did the same sports and activities, etc.

RR: How were you and Jenny alike and how were you different?
BL: We never thought we looked much alike but people had a hard time telling us apart when we were young. Our voices sounded almost identical, but our personalities were quite different. Jenny was always the more outgoing, extroverted, type-A one (although I usually did the planning, talking on the phone with our friends), she seemed to make people laugh a lot more than I did, she had this uniqueness about her unlike anyone I will probably ever know. Our family and friends always used to say “That’s just Jenny!” For example, if the whole family is up playing games at the cabin and it’s about 9pm and she’s tired, she just goes to bed! She was never afraid to do her own thing and was never really concerned about what other people might think. I was the more introverted, shy one (even though I was 16 minutes older too), laid back and mellow you could say, but more competitive in nature.

RR: Describe Jenny.
BL: Beautiful, caring, funny, charismatic, athletic, creative, intelligent, kind…she had a way of making people always feel comfortable around her and like they had known her forever. She also loved animals and always walked up to pet other dogs and talk to their owners. She LOVED to shop… it was truly her passion! I would shop with her but let her go through all the racks and she could always pick out the really cute stuff for us. She had such a great sense of style. And she loved home decor… she always wanted to be an interior designer and she would have been an amazing one! She was also very artistic and made numerous watercolors and canvas paintings, pillows, lamp shades… she was just always full of great creative ideas! She helped many of her friends with flower arrangements for their weddings and decorating rooms in their homes. She was always fun to be around, could light up a room, and just her presence drew attention and admiration. I was also always amazed at how friendly she was to random people, store clerks, waitresses, etc. She had so much patience with them and wasn’t afraid to strike up conversation with them.

RR: What signs did you see (if any) regarding Jenny’s postpartum depression?
BL: Jenny never spoke to us about how she really felt. The only outward signs we saw, looking back, were more frequent crying, trouble breast feeding (which can contribute to PPD), lack of sleep (she was definitely a sleeper and loved to take naps), she also did seem to lose the baby weight really quickly (she has always been thin though). We thought all of these things were part of being a new mom and adjusting to motherhood and having to care for a baby.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the interview.

Photo caption: Becky (left) and Jenny at Thanksgiving in 2006.

Body Care Ingredients That Kill

Since losing my 28 year old sister, Liz, to breast cancer, I have done a lot of research on health. One of the many things I have discovered is how toxic our personal care products are to our bodies. Our skin is our largest organ, absorbing 80% of what goes on it into our bloodstream and vital organs. My sister was a huge perfume and lotion junkie, where I was addicted to lip gloss and skin care.

Once I started becoming more aware, it was shocking to discover what we are putting into our bodies. We are using these goodies to look better, but in reality, we are slowly destroying our health (from the inside out). I started buying products that boasted "No sulfates, parabens, etc." without reading the full ingredient list. Further research showed this was only the beginning, and most products claiming to be "natural" or "organic" were false advertisers.

I found this ingredient list from Health Wanted - one of my favorite blogs - to be very helpful. I keep it in my purse and refer to it when I'm purchasing personal care products.

Stroke Warning Signs

Stroke is the leading cause of death in the United States - behind heart disease and cancer - killing over 160,000 Americans every year. Two thirds of the six million afflicted are disabled, which is the leading long-term disability in this country. Twice as many women are killed from a stroke than breast cancer, but think they are at greater risk from cancer.

The good news is that 80% of the strokes are preventable.

Risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, family history of stroke, obesity, previous strokes and ignorance of these risk factors.

Some warning signs:
WALK (is your balance off)
TALK (is your speech slurred or face droopy)
REACH (is your vision all or partly lost)
FEEL (is your headache severe)
TONGUE (ask the individual to stick out their tongue to see if it's crooked - going to one side or another)
STR:
S: Ask the individual to SMILE
T: Ask the person to TALK and say a simple sentence
R: Ask the person to RAISE both arms.

If you recognize any of these signs - even if they go away - call 911. If given the right treatment within the right amount of time, a stroke can be reversed. FAST - a great acronym to remember - stands for FACE, ARMS, SPEECH and TIME.

For more (surprising) information on stroke, go to the Stroke Awareness Foundation.

Food Matters: A Must-see DVD on Health for Everyone

I have been receiving alternative health care for years and have seen it change not only my life, but many other lives as well. I am constantly doing research - particularly in women's health and cancer - on how complementary medicine can prevent and cure illness.

I recently watched the DVD, "Food Matters", which discusses how food and alternative medicine can treat most ailments. It is the best and most comprehensive piece of information I have seen. If I could buy thousands of copies and pass them out on the street corner, I would. I feel it is so important that everyone have this information.

To buy the DVD ($24.95) or watch it online ($4.95), go to www.foodmatters.tv.

7 Things You Can Do To Support Someone Through Grief

I have thought about writing about grief - either through a book or dedicated blog. I have had so much experience - not only with my own, but those of close family and friends. I have lost three family members in three years: my 28 year old sister to breast cancer in 2006, my 32 year old cousin (who was like a brother to me) in 2007, and his father (my uncle) in 2008. Prior to that in 2002, a close friend of our family lost her three year, little boy to A-typical SIDS.

The grieving process is very complicated, and everyone grieves differently despite background, circumstances and personality. There is no right or wrong way and no time table.

The worst time starts after the funeral. Before that you are busy (and distracted) with arrangements, visitors, etc. After the funeral, everyone goes back to their own lives and the silence can be deafening. While they are focused on their careers and families, you are left with the aftermath of tragedy.

When you offer to help someone, many times the person will say "no" or "not to worry about it", because they don't want to ask for favors, feel like they are inconveniencing anyone, or that the favor will come with a long visit they might not be up for. Here are a few suggestions to help someone you know who is grieving:

1. Send an e-mail or a card letting the person know you are thinking of them, and that you are there for whatever they need. Try to do this a few times a month.

2. Bring meals that can be left on the porch (so not to bother the person) and put them in a disposable container (so they are not worried with getting you your dish back).

3. If the person has kids, offer to babysit or take them to school. Many parents have said that grieving when you have children is harder because you don't have enough time to yourself and you feel you always have to be strong for (and in front of) them.

4. Offer to run errands and pick up things they might need.

5. Invite them to coffee, lunch or a movie.

6. Offer to go on a walk with them.

7. Just listen and validate their feelings. There is little you can say that they haven' t heard before or that will make them feel better.

There are many other things I could add to this list. Whatever you choose to do, be there for the long haul. The more devastating the loss, the more difficult the grief. It is a process that is constantly changing, and a journey that is exhausting and overwhelming.

Here is a link to one of the best articles I have read on grief (click here). Everything I have ever said to someone else (or heard someone else say) on the topic is mentioned.

Please share your own thoughts on grief in the comments section.

Shop for a Cause: Jenny's Light Offers Hope for Women Suffering from Postpartum Disorders

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." - Robert Brault

Jenny's Light (jennyslight.org) was created after the tragic and untimely passing of Jenny Gibbs Bankston and her baby boy, Graham Gibbs Bankston, on December 19, 2007. Jenny had suffered silently with postpartum depression and psychosis.

The name of the foundation was created to reflect the 'bright light' that Jenny was to everyone who had the privilege to know (or even just to meet) her. She was kind, caring, creative, beautiful, poised, and athletic. Her love of life was evident to all of those around her.

By raising money through Jenny's Light, the foundation will be able to help so many new mothers who suffer from this terrible illness. They want to shed light and increase awareness about the seriousness of postpartum disorders (PPD), and also educate and support women and families dealing with it.

With the money raised, they plan to help fund research, pay for distribution of literature in hospitals, become a key resource that women and families can refer to for information and support about PPD, set up more support groups, advertise, support chosen efforts, and help spread hope where so many hearts may feel desperate, desolate, and dark.

To support Jenny's Light by shopping, go to Uptown Liz or http://www.jennyslight.org/.

Prevention Magazine Names Vicki Tashman "Health Hero"

Vicki Tashman, breast cancer survivor and founder of Pink-Link, was named "Health Hero" in the July 2008 issue of Prevention Magazine. "It's an incredible honor," says Ms. Tashman, who founded Pink-Link in 2005, "and it happens to coincide with the anticipated 2,000 registered member, which should happen in July! We are all thrilled!"

According to their Web site, Pink-Link is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower women in obtaining a healthy survivorship of breast cancer. They provide an online support service for women; their Web site creates an intimate and personal link among the patient, survivor, friends and family, using an online searchable database, as well as other supportive services. The resulting connections give women the knowledge needed to promote life and enhance the quality of living with breast cancer.

Currently, Pink-Link has over 1,900 members represented in all 50 states and worldwide. To read the article, either purchase the July issue of Prevention Magazine or click here.

GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act) Passes in Senate with Flying (Pink) Colors

I recently blogged about the efforts to make it illegal to discriminate based on genetic information, and am happy to report that thanks to the 16,000 of you who contacted your Senators, GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act) passed through the Senate unanimously. The next step is for the House and the President to approve the bill, which will hopefully happen soon.

According to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, GINA prohibits discrimination by health insurers and employers on the basis of genetic information. So now, thanks to GINA, women who would otherwise have avoided genetic testing because they feared discrimination – thus being denied information that could help them manage their health or their family's health – will have protections under federal law. The passage of GINA is an important step that presents a great opportunity to promote personalized medicine and the use of genetic information in health care. This will lead to better research and development for new targeted drugs and treatments, which will save lives.

Support the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and Save Lives

There is a test that can tell you if you are a carrier of the breast cancer genetic mutation. If you test positive you are 85% likely to get the disease, and it is recommended that you have your breasts and ovaries removed. This is an issue that, unfortunately, I will have to make a decision on one day. One enormous downside is that if your health insurance company finds out your test results, they will drop you and you will become uninsurable with all insurance companies. My sister’s oncologist has recommended I don’t get the test for this reason, but my OBGYN (as well as other OBGYNs I know) have recommended I do get the test because of our family history with the disease. My 28 year old sister, Liz, died from breast cancer, my paternal grandmother died at 42 from the disease, her sister (my great aunt) died at 47, another paternal aunt died at 65, my aunt (grandmother's daughter) is a breast cancer survivor as well as several paternal cousins, and my other aunt decided to have her breasts removed as a preventative measure (and that’s just on my dad’s side).

This gross oversight has led many to forgo testing denying them important information that could help them save their own lives. It has also led many to opt-out of clinical trials, which in turn hurts advancements in cancer research.

What can you do? Join me and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation in helping to support the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) being brought to the Senate. Please take a minute and send a pre-written letter (you can add your own words as well) to your Senator by going to their website. If this bill is passed, it will save countless lives.

If you are further interested in this topic, a new book just came out called Pretty Is What Changes by Jessica Queller. She’s a thirty something year old writer in Hollywood who’s mother battled breast cancer and later died from ovarian cancer. The book is about her decision to have her breasts and ovaries removed once she tested positive from the genetic test.

Olympic Marathon Hopeful Trains for the Toughest Two Trials of Her Life

Being a marathon runner and someone who has lost a sister to breast cancer, this story really touched me. I know how challenging it can be to train for a marathon. I cannot imagine training (at the Olympic level) while working and taking care of a young child who is battling cancer, but that is exactly what Emily LeVan is doing.

On November 5, 2007, Emily's three year old daughter, Madeline (Maddie), was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Emily and her husband Brad, who live on a farm off the coast of Maine, had their entire lives changed that day. Although Maddie is responding well to treatment, the weekly trips to the Maine Medical Center in Portland and the Maine Children's Cancer Program Clinic in Scarborough and the numerous financial, physical, mental and emotional challenges of having a sick child take their toll. But the family has been inspired by the support they have received at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and the Maine Children's Cancer Program (MCCP). They feel incredibly fortunate to have these resources available and want to make sure other families have them as well.

Currently training for the 2008 Olympic Trials, this emergency department nurse is taking her love of running and raising money for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. The fundraiser entitled Two Trials, which started on January 18th (Maddie's birthday) and will end on April 20th (the day of the Trials), represents two marathons - the one that Emily is training for and the one that Maddie is enduring with cancer. Since a marathon represents 26.2 miles, Emily multiplied that number by two and came up with their fundraising goal of $52,400. Emily wants to use her running to benefit something greater than herself, and with Maddie in the BabyJogger having logged thousands of miles with mom and run a few races herself, I have no doubt that's exactly what she will do.

My best wishes for Maddie's full recovery and an Olympic run for Emily.