Lots to Talk About...Lulumon, Turn Up the Heat, etc.)

Hello loyal followers. I can't call you readers because, well, I haven't written anything to be read ;-) Several times over the last month I have wanted to jump on here and spew my thoughts, but life, as usual, got in the way. So, here is a back log of my ponderings.....

1. Ovarian National Alliance Turn Up the Heat Event-

"The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance is proud to present the 9th Annual Turn Up the Heat! A Celebration of Women Chefs Gala on February 19, 2014, at our new venue -the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

Join more than 400 guests for the food event of the season while raising important funds to fight ovarian cancer! You'll have the chance to mingle with nearly 50 women chefs, restaurant owners and mixologists Click here to purchase tickets or explore the links to discover more."

2. Lulumon and stupidity-
Firstly, I really am trying to be less critical and skeptical of people and at minimum, stop making faces and comments to indicate that I am currently judging and criticizing. However, when anyone makes a statement like the one quote below, I'm sorry, it is no longer within my will power to fight my belief that you are absolutely ridiculous.

Except taken from Chip Wilson's blog post from 2009:

"Breast cancer also came into prominence in the 1990's. I suggest this was due to the number of cigarette-smoking Power Women who were on the pill (initial concentrations of hormones in the pill were very high) and taking on the stress previously left to men in the working world."

Another statements that will be referenced below:

"Quite frankly, some women’s bodies just actually don’t work,” “It’s about the rubbing through the thighs,” and “how much pressure is there.”

WHAT? There are too many leaps in logic in these two sentences for me to adequately address all of them adequately. So, let me just say this; Chip Wilson, you make absurdly expensive women's clothing, yet you are not a woman. You make ludicrous statements about the shape of women's bodies yet you do not have a woman's body. You then make asinine statements about breast cancer, yet you are not medically trained, nor are you a Power Woman. So let me say this as I feel I am ALL of these; women, thigh rubbing and powerful; shut up. You demand too much money for a product you say does work for almost nearly every woman and then you spew inaccuracies and victim blaming statements about women with breast cancer. Shut up.

Get P. INK'd

P.INK Day 2014 wants you! E-mail help@p-ink.org

 

 

Every Voice Matters

From the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Genetic Counselibg Program:

Help future young, high-risk individuals like me and you by participating in a research study! We would love to hear your story! We are looking for women or men under the age of 25 who have undergone genetic testing and know that they carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation to take our online survey! For more details and information or to participate in our research please click here:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8HQNVDD

Angelina Jolie Previvor Montage

I stole this montage from a blog called: http://www.helloeverydaylife.com

The video has a lot of great questions regarding BRCA and prophylactic surgery stemming from Angelina's announcement.  I wish the clip included the doctor referenced in the third segment. Again, I'll look for it and update once I'm off mobile.

 

Also stolen from Hello Everyday Life, this graphic on BRCA, who's at risk, what's the risk and general statistics. 

P.INK Day 2013

I just got back from New York City (first trip ever), and I am on a high of positive energy and have a renewed sense of "fight" for the cause. This trip was mind blowing in so many ways. I met amazing women from advocates, to survivors to artists. Everyone gave something to make the weekend as amazing as possible for the participants and the coordinators.

We arrived Sunday night to our hotel. It was crazy driving through the city, through tunnels and across bridges, dodging bikers and pedestrians. It was something I had never seen before. Once we arrived, we got ready for a pre-event reception in lower Manhattan. There I met the P.INK team as well as tattoo artists and fellow survivor participants. Right away the energy in the room was hopeful and excited. We were all so very grateful for each other and listened adoringly to each story as we had a chance to meet and connect. As we said our goodbyes I was overwhelmed with excitement that I had a hard time sleeping.

Monday morning, we all gathered outside of Saved Tattoo in Brooklyn. Saved Tattoo graciously allowed P.INK to use their space and invite guest artists to complete 10 mastectomy tattoos for the first P.INK Day. Stephanie Tomez is a part owner of Saved Tattoo and she, along with other artists of Saved Tattoo participated in marathon tattooing. Some women were there for more than 8 hours of tattooing. That is nothing short of miraculous and fierce for not only the woman being tattooed, but also the tattoo artist.

My artist, Joy Rumore, is from Twelve 28 Tattoo around the corner from Saved Tattoo. She single handedly owns Twelve 28 Tattoo and has a connection with the cause. She herself had a cancer scare herself at 19 and lost loved ones to the disease. We connected immediately on these points and our silly witty personalities. I was tattooed for 3-4 hours and we laughed the entire time. I am honored to say that Joy is a truly beautiful person inside and out and I look forward to a forever friendship and bond from this experience with her.

After we were all tattooed and refreshed, we met for a post reception at a local bar/restaurant. There we talked about the day and exchanged thank yous to the organizers. We got to further meet and talk to Mollie the inspiration behind the entire project (see Mollie's story here). There I was asked an interesting question. What makes a mastectomy tattoo different than any other tattoo? I'll get back to this answer later, because it is a provocative question.

The next day, Tuesday, I was asked to participate in an interview with HuffLive about my experiences with P.INK and P.INK Day 2013. Of course I said yes! While in the "Green Room" (which is not green at all), I rubbed elbows with a super cute TV star, Tyler Blackburn of Pretty Little Liars and Ravenswood. 

After taking pics and drinking yummy coffee drinks, I was on set talking about my mom, my story and P.INK Day 2013.  You can see the full conversation here .  Huffington Post also wrote up a short article about my personal story with BRCA and my mom, as well as clipped just my speaking parts. You can see both the article and the short clip here.

The interview was an amazing experience. I was apprehensive at first being a teacher. I wasn't sure if I would have negative backlash for talking about a sensitive issue so publically. But, after much antagonizing thought, I decided that I am not doing anything wrong, ugly or perverse, so I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. I dare anyone to say otherwise. Go on, I dare you! (haha)


The experience I had with P.INK cannot be categorized with words. I didn't realize what I was being given and I cannot find the words to adequately express my gratitude, and pride for this organization. I hope to help in any way I can for the future of P.INK and for survivors and women everywhere.

Please consider donating to P.INK 2013 and to future events. 

I donated...

And you should too!

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/p-ink-day-2013

 

 

P.INK Day 2013

I have amazing news that both elates me and humbles me.  I haven't written in far too long.  I even had thoughts, once, about not writing again.  Life is chaotic at this point and I often find myself feeling like I am drowning in "stuff".  My hormones were off for quite awhile due to a pharmacy mix-up and I have been struggling heavily with insomnia.  The hormones are finally leveling out and I am starting to feel better and sleep better.  But after today and the connect I made because of this blog, and the opportunity I have, I am humbled that I was about to give up.  Thank you "J" for that renewed sense of needing to do something.

An organization called Personal Ink, P.INK, contacted me to an effort to find 10 women with mastectomy scars to participate in their P.INK Day 2013.  I am thrilled to be part of this campaign as I can't even express with words the discomfort of looking different.  This campaign is giving 10 women the chance to have their scars turned into art, their experience turned into beauty and their stories turned into tales of strength, survival and courage.

Here is more about the P.INK campaign, and Molly, the woman that started it all.  Support P.INK, Molly and me, as well as 9 other women, in this amazing event.  Give a woman a lifetime of confidence.