breast cancer

I HATE CANCER

by oh amanda on May 14, 2009

in breast cancer,race for the cure

The Sisterchicks ran the race for the 3rd year in a row. Although the emotion of the Race for the Cure isn’t as new to me, it is still as real. There are still women dying of breast cancer. I HATE CANCER. There were thousands of people at the race last Saturday wearing pink shirts, tutus and tiaras—all to honor the strong women in their lives who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The first two minutes I was there, I wasn’t really thinking of those women. All I was looking at were the shirts. Who had cute ones? Which ones had funny slogans (uh…breast friends forever…)? Did any of them look cooler than ours?

Then I saw a man with a homemade puffy paint monstrosity of a shirt. And I kinda rolled my eyes at him.

Until.

I saw his young elementary aged son behind him. Also wearing a puffy painted shirt that read:

I MISS YOU, MOM.

And I pictured him and his dad at Wal-Mart picking out puffy paint and buying white tshirts. The dad realizing how important it would be to do something to honor his wife and the mother of his child. The little boy working his hardest to make a beautiful shirt to honor his mom. His father, realizing how different the shirt would have turned out had his wife been there to help.

This is why we run.

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Saturday was the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in Atlanta. For those of you that don’t know, that’s THE breast cancer fund-raising event. My sisterchicks and our mamas did it last year and it was such an amazing experience we decided to make it a yearly event. It’s an awesome way to celebrate Mother’s Day!

This year we did the 1 Mile instead of the 5k. It was definitely a lot shorter–so not as much talking time, but wow, was I exhausted at the end of the day. Of course, it could have been because I had to walk MORE than a mile to get to my car and back.

It’s fun to be with your best friends and their moms. It’s a fun, tight-knit, surprisingly serious event. If I’m going to give time, money and energy to an organization, it’s usually going to be one that is doing something for Jesus. Or at least for kids or hungry people. But let me just say that looking around and seeing the THOUSANDS of people that banned together, that walked together, that made tshirts together and had obviously cried together at one time and hopefully rejoiced, too…well, it makes you proud to be a part of it!

5 of our 6 sisterchicks, along with our mamas, some friends and even some of our baby chickies!

I was very sobered at how many people were wearing pink racing numbers. This meant they were survivors . Not just older women. I saw several moms of little kids sporting the pink numbers. (see our survivor above? #830! Yay, Glenda!)

I thought back to last year and the people we walked for. We walked for new people this year. I wonder if we’ll have to walk for someone else new next year. I pray not. I pray that next year we can write on our backs…

“In Celebration of…LIFE!”

I want to see my sisterchicks grow old with their families. Not battling breast cancer and sickness. This is not what I meant for this post to be about. But as I looked around at all the survivors, I was just struck by their differences. Cancer is not a respecter of persons. But thankfully, neither is God.

Back to the race, after our little 1mile jaunt, we got to hit up the expo where we were inundated with FREE STUFF. We got apples, oranges, bananas, peanut butter, ice cream, bagels, key chains, chapstick, drinks, scarves and even toilet paper! Staci said she felt like she was trick-or-treating!

look at us race!

Becky & Staci have their posts up about the race, too. They got a ton more pictures than I did. Just don’t look at me too closely…did I even fix my hair that day? Sheesh! Oh, and here’s one more pic—of Lydia. She was so excited about our race. “It’s just for girls” she told me.

Lydia wearing her own chickie shirt and her pink ribbon “cape”

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Pray for My Psuedo Mom

by oh amanda on November 26, 2007

in breast cancer,cancer,healing,Jesus,prayer

When we moved to Birmingham a few years ago, we miraculously found the parents of some of our great friends. And miraculously, they let us live with them for several months until we bought a house. This couple, Wayne & Donna are without a doubt some of the best and most special people in our lives. When we lived with them we’d be introduced as their children. And we in turn called them our psuedo-parents. They are godly people who love God, the church and His people.

Just a few minutes ago, they wheeled Donna into surgery for a double mastectomy. She found out just 3 weeks ago at her yearly check up that she had breast cancer. Please pray for her right now. There’s so much I’d like to say, but really, I just want more than I can ask or imagine.  And I know God can do it.

You know how I feel about prayer and cancer. So, please pray for Donna and her family today.

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Calling All Women!

July 30, 2007 breast cancer

Remember when I did the Race for the Cure? And I briefly mentioned I got to be on TV? Ahhh, yeah! Well, I TIVOed the segment, burnt it onto a dvd but can’t seem to get it on the computer. (so, any hints would be appreciated!) The entire segment was full of interviews on different [...]

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Update on the 5k

May 18, 2007 breast cancer

Thank you so much for all the sweet comments about my Race for the Cure. They really meant a lot. But if I confused you and made you think that it was all fun and daisies and roses, I’d like you to click HERE and see how it really was. And uhm…please don’t laugh too [...]

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The Sisterchicks Run a Race

May 14, 2007 breast cancer

Dear Grandmama Ann, Last Christmas my sisterchicks had our big Christmas party. Somehow we started talking about how we had all been affected by breast cancer. Staci & Mandi lost their Aunt Sandy. Becky’s Aunt Stef fought and won her battle. Kristen’s mom, Glenda is a 6 year survivor. Mandy’s grandmother Mary died from breast [...]

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