I Believe

As I REALLY start my fundraising for 2012 I've had a few people ask me, how do I do it?

Me, "How do I do what? How do I raise $2,300 or how do I walk 60 miles in 3 days?" (Truly in my mind, the latter seems more daunting than the money.)

But almost always, they want to know about the money. I know, money is what drives us. It's what we need for "survival."  Aaaah haaa....survival.

So, did you know breast cancer medical care costs will reach over $16 billion (yes, that's billion with a "B" and yes, that is only for breast cancer--also with a "B") a year! (According to the the National Institutes of Health.) That doesn't include the cost of research.

Researchers are frantically searching for that ever elusive cure. They are doing a pretty good job, survival rates ARE going up. But so is the cost of research, the cost of care and the cost treatment.

Yes, I raise money for the Susan G Komen Foundation which has been under scrutiny. I'm not going to lobby or try to sway those against Komen. We can argue about it until we are blue in the face.  Let's just call this one a draw. Each to his or her own.  Everyone has their "thing," their organization, their cause. Mine is breast cancer. Not one person can argue against the fact that EVERY single advancement in breast cancer has been touched by money from Komen. So in a nutshell, a very small nutshell, that is why I support Komen. Obviously there is more, but we'll save that for another day.

This year, everyone wonders how I will be able to raise the money for the 5th year. Each year it gets more and more difficult. As my passion increases my belief in a cure does too. The funny thing is, even if my friends don't support the organization or the cause THEY SUPPORT ME. Hmmmm, isn't that what friends do? They support each other?

To get back to the original question....how do I raise $2,300? I'm able to do it one dollar at a time.... thanks to my wonderful friends and family, they believe in ME.

Now we've answered the money question, it's time to go for a walk because, really, have you every walked 20 miles a day for 3 days? That's what's tough.

~Sacha

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Live YOUR Life

So. It's Mother's Day weekend coming up. Do you have plans to spend it with your mom or are you too busy? Can't make the trip? Don't have the time?

Let me tell you.

You are NOT that busy.

It's NOT that far.

You HAVE the time.

When my mom was sick, I had a job. I had a 2 year old. I lived an hour away from my mom.  You want to talk about being busy? You want to talk about a drive? You don't have time? Really? I don't want to hear it.  Bottom line is, I can tell you about me. I can tell you to make time, make the drive, YOU'RE NOT that busy....but it's up to you.

It's all up to you. It's what you feel in your heart and more importantly, if you were to lose your mom (or another loved one, for that matter) what could you live with? You're the one that has to live with the decisions you make.  When my mom was very sick and we didn't know how much time she had left (which wasn't long) I got some fantastic advice, from my dad, of all people.  (Let me just say, my dad and mom don't, didn't, wouldn't, etc. speak to each other...that story is for another day.)  He told me to make sure I didn't have any regrets.

Oh man, that is so easy to say. But I had to break it down.

I get it. I get what he was trying to tell me.  I'm the one who is going to be here, LIVING. What is it I can live with and not say to myself, I should have called more, I should have drove more, I should, I could blah blah blah. I miss my mom EVERY day. But I can LIVE with the decisions I made. Make sure you can too. 

Oh, and go see your mom this weekend.

~Sacha