Tag: State Farm Center

In Conclusion

Today is the last day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please don’t let MBC slip from your mind. This year an estimated 115 people in the United States will be killed by MBC every day.

From Metavivor:

“With the impending flip of the calendar, the “Breast Cancer Awareness” campaigns will retreat back to their pink shadows for the next 11 months – but we can’t ignore stage IV for even a minute. It is estimated that more than 42,000 people will die from MBC in 2024 in the U.S. alone, and these heartbreaking losses won’t stop until we collectively aim more than the current 5% of all breast cancer research funding at the only fatal form of the disease.”

I am so thankful for all the support I received from Dave and all of you for my Light Up MBC fundraising and awareness. I can still hardly believe my beloved Assembly Hall (I mean, State Farm Center) was lit in the MBC colors of green, teal and pink for National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, October 13.

I participated in the Be a Hero Fun Run in Plainfield, IL for Light Up MBC on October 12. My cousin, Suzi, drove me up and walked with me. My dear friend Patti also drove up and joined us. It was a beautiful day and I got to see my MBC friends April and Lisa and meet some new friends.

My dear friend, Greg Niewold, of Power Planter introduced me to Jerry and Jenny Simpson of Creekside Nursery. We made a video that has 24K views on You Tube to spread awareness of MBC, to promote the Light Up MBC Campaign, to promote breast density awareness (My Density Matters), and to announce a Creekside Nursery Signature Event that raised thousands of dollars for Light Up MBC in their live auction. Greg has done so much to support me since my diagnosis and help me spread awareness. He is an amazing human.

Greg hosted a Live Watch Party for the Light Up MBC event so people could watch the show and see me tell my story (with Dave by my side) in front of State Farm Center lit in MBC colors. I don’t know the details of the party, as I was busy with the live filming. It was a crazy night, as the lighting technician was delayed. The green, teal and pink lights did not happen until minutes before I went live. I’ve heard from many of you who watched it and my phone was pinging with texts. You all made me feel so loved. Dave and I stayed a long time after the event was over, just soaking it all in.

I encourage you to follow Metavivor, Light Up MBC, and My Density Matters on social media and I thank you for following me on my mission to raise money for metastatic breast cancer research. The Light Up MBC campaign runs through December 31. My fundraising page will remain active until then. This research is needed to save lives, including my own.

https://donate.metavivor.org/fundraiser/5554408

Know your breast density and why it matters. Perform monthly self exams. Get annual mammograms. Then get additional screening if you have extremely dense breast tissue. Don’t let my story become your story.

Thank you so much for your love and support. It means the world to me and helps me get through some really difficult days.

Light Up MBC Live 2024

This is a link to a recording of our show. I have so much to say about the events of this past weekend, but I am too tired to string many words together well.

It is a 2 hour video. My story comes around the 1:30 mark. I urge you to watch the whole show. I’ve heard some comment that it is too sad to watch. The point of our stories is to show what it is really like to live with MBC, yet to make people aware that we are just like the rest of you – trying to live full lives. You will learn so much about MBC and see all the amazing research.

There are so many new treatments on the horizon. It makes me wonder how much more there would be if more than 2% of all breast cancer research dollars was focused on metastatic breast cancer? Even if we could tip the scale slightly and get 10%, I cannot fathom all the marvelous things that could be extending our lives and making them better.

I’ll end with this: You’ve heard me say or write that around 115 people in our country die every single day from metastatic breast cancer. Did you know that number has held steady for well over a decade? That means the equivalent of a small jetliner full of people die every day from a disease and we are not making any progress on stopping it.

I have so many people to thank for their donations and support. I will get to that soon. For now, please know that your encouragement helps me on some of my darker days. I was so moved by seeing State Farm Center lit in pink, teal and green. I told Dave I wanted to spend the night down there so I could keep watching it. 🩷💚💙

https://www.youtube.com/live/RQQVtZIpFGs?si=FimkefGYPodD5CBu