Wednesday, March 03, 2004
Thoughts from a Survivor: A Poem
Cancer, Chemo & Me
Please laugh with me
Cry with me
Talk to me
Share with me
Don’t avoid me
Or look the other way
I’m still me
Not something contagious
Reach out and touch me;
The gentle caress of
A friend’s soft hand
Is a healing touch.
Kind words and laughter
With a loved one
Brings a little bit of sunshine
On a rather dismal day
This is a sideways step in life
A wrong turn
A bump in the road
A little bit lost
I’ll be home again soon
But until again,
Don’t forget me
Or leave me out.
I’m still me
Your friend or sister
Your mother or cousin
Your wife and lover
Remember: Bald is Beautiful
Donna Viau
5/19/99
Liz's Note: Through the AWBC message board, I recently had the privilege to "meet" Donna whose poem I have reproduced above, with her kind permission. She's now a 5-year survivor whose wonderful words will, I am sure, touch your hearts as they touched mine. Thank you Donna for the chance to share this poem with the folks who read my blog.
Cancer, Chemo & Me
Please laugh with me
Cry with me
Talk to me
Share with me
Don’t avoid me
Or look the other way
I’m still me
Not something contagious
Reach out and touch me;
The gentle caress of
A friend’s soft hand
Is a healing touch.
Kind words and laughter
With a loved one
Brings a little bit of sunshine
On a rather dismal day
This is a sideways step in life
A wrong turn
A bump in the road
A little bit lost
I’ll be home again soon
But until again,
Don’t forget me
Or leave me out.
I’m still me
Your friend or sister
Your mother or cousin
Your wife and lover
Remember: Bald is Beautiful
Donna Viau
5/19/99
Liz's Note: Through the AWBC message board, I recently had the privilege to "meet" Donna whose poem I have reproduced above, with her kind permission. She's now a 5-year survivor whose wonderful words will, I am sure, touch your hearts as they touched mine. Thank you Donna for the chance to share this poem with the folks who read my blog.
There's NO Such Thing As a Silly Question. . .
Note: This was originally posted on the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer's community message board (henceforth "the AWBC message board"). Some of the language has been altered to make it more general and applicable to the internet as a whole, but the intent is the same. - ETR
As I get closer to 30, I find myself quoting my mother more and more often.
Among the quotes that have been rattling around in my brain are these two, which are especially pertinent to [the breast cancer cause] here:
#1 - There's no such thing as a stupid question.
It's taken me some time to learn that this is true. If you don't know the answer, there's probably someone else who doesn't either. When I've seen questions asked on [the AWBC message board], there have been so many positive, encouraging responses, that I've gotten the information I needed to move to my next phase - action. Thank you to all those new walkers like me who've asked "stupid questions". They have been indescribably valuable to me.
#2 - If you don't ask, the answer's already "no".
I'm in what I've dubbed "phase two" of my fundraising campaign. I have asked all the folks in my e-mail address book once. They will receive an update/reminder e-mail within the next few weeks. I sent a dozen solicitation letters through regular mail [at the beginning of February], enclosing a donation coupon and envelope with each one. While I didn't specifically ask for donations, I did let them know that the Avon Walk is especially important to me. These folks will receive
an update/follow-up letter in March/April. . . whether they choose to make a donation or not isn't what matters to me or my campaign. Maybe they know someone who can; maybe they'll remember when they get their tax return; maybe they're just happy for the news. But if I hadn't asked, I wouldn't have that chance.
I hope that this post helps those of you who are feeling discouraged or even down in the dumps right now. Perhaps you feel that I have an advantage because I'm doing an event that takes place in October. . . I don't. I think it's more of a challenge for me *because* it's in October, so folks are more inclined to put off making a donation until then. I refuse to
give up and I refuse to let them forget. It's that important to me.
Good luck everyone!
Again, WELCOME to the Avon Board members who've been kind enough to check out my blog and THANK YOU all for your support. =)
Note: This was originally posted on the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer's community message board (henceforth "the AWBC message board"). Some of the language has been altered to make it more general and applicable to the internet as a whole, but the intent is the same. - ETR
As I get closer to 30, I find myself quoting my mother more and more often.
Among the quotes that have been rattling around in my brain are these two, which are especially pertinent to [the breast cancer cause] here:
#1 - There's no such thing as a stupid question.
It's taken me some time to learn that this is true. If you don't know the answer, there's probably someone else who doesn't either. When I've seen questions asked on [the AWBC message board], there have been so many positive, encouraging responses, that I've gotten the information I needed to move to my next phase - action. Thank you to all those new walkers like me who've asked "stupid questions". They have been indescribably valuable to me.
#2 - If you don't ask, the answer's already "no".
I'm in what I've dubbed "phase two" of my fundraising campaign. I have asked all the folks in my e-mail address book once. They will receive an update/reminder e-mail within the next few weeks. I sent a dozen solicitation letters through regular mail [at the beginning of February], enclosing a donation coupon and envelope with each one. While I didn't specifically ask for donations, I did let them know that the Avon Walk is especially important to me. These folks will receive
an update/follow-up letter in March/April. . . whether they choose to make a donation or not isn't what matters to me or my campaign. Maybe they know someone who can; maybe they'll remember when they get their tax return; maybe they're just happy for the news. But if I hadn't asked, I wouldn't have that chance.
I hope that this post helps those of you who are feeling discouraged or even down in the dumps right now. Perhaps you feel that I have an advantage because I'm doing an event that takes place in October. . . I don't. I think it's more of a challenge for me *because* it's in October, so folks are more inclined to put off making a donation until then. I refuse to
give up and I refuse to let them forget. It's that important to me.
Good luck everyone!
Again, WELCOME to the Avon Board members who've been kind enough to check out my blog and THANK YOU all for your support. =)
Monday, March 01, 2004
SPRING!
Spring is just around the corner, so I'll be kicking my training up a notch. I'd like to start by taking short (45-minute) walks to the NJPAC or through Military Park when the weather is nice outside, but I'd like to get a group together at the office.
In addition to that, I'm looking to do some Thursdays at lunchtime walks around my town and, of course, my long walks with Sue's group in NYC, every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month, starting March 14th.
I'm not sure what to do with my "off" weekends, but I think keeping my walking plans up will be best.
In the meantime, I've got lots of support and help in raising my minimum and think that I may actually go above and beyond it. Thank you all for your support!
Spring is just around the corner, so I'll be kicking my training up a notch. I'd like to start by taking short (45-minute) walks to the NJPAC or through Military Park when the weather is nice outside, but I'd like to get a group together at the office.
In addition to that, I'm looking to do some Thursdays at lunchtime walks around my town and, of course, my long walks with Sue's group in NYC, every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month, starting March 14th.
I'm not sure what to do with my "off" weekends, but I think keeping my walking plans up will be best.
In the meantime, I've got lots of support and help in raising my minimum and think that I may actually go above and beyond it. Thank you all for your support!
