Her name is Becky!

I was born in Canton, Ohio on March 1969. I was adopted into a wonderful Hungarian/Siren Family; whom I cherish dearly. I as well, have a wonderful 15 year old daughter. She is undoubtedly my guiding star.



My mother and daughter have endured alot over the course of the past two years. It has meant the world to me, that they have been lovingly by my side. Unconditionally showing me their support and Love. My family has been my guiding light throughout my journey with Cancer, and I would like to send my unconditional thoughts of Love and Praise.



It's with great sadness that I bring the news of the passing of a Dear Friend who is coincidentally named Rebecca Ann. She was known by all who knew and loved her as Becca. She was only 36 years old and she fought Melanoma avidly, with gracious vigor.

We had actually met, after much confusion in the clinical lobby at the National Cancer Institute. There were four Rebecca's in the lobby that day awaiting to see the Doctor's. It's an odd coincidence, but none-the-less, one that was meant to be. I had in all actuality, thought that it was her sister who had been diagnosed with Melanoma. Becca was so lively the entire wait, you would never have known that she was the patient.

We had corresponded for months and had asked the Doctor's at the National Cancer Institute if we could do our IL-2 Cancer treatments at the same time. Our research nurse was more than happy to make this happen.

Our online community of family and friends, at www.mpip.org (Melanoma Patients Information Page; cheered us both on, during this difficult treatment. We became known, as "the IL-2 Queens". We supported one another throughout this treatment and beyond.

I know, that I have been given a wonderful opportunity to share my story. I feel that it would be unfair and unjust to speak of myself, solely. My Life has forever been touched by Becca.

If you were to visit the Mpip bulletin board today, you would see, what a grave impact she had on the Melanoma community. Many other's, have, as well; aided in my discovery of new treatment options. They have given support, when very little was given or asked of them.

I feel honored and privileged to tell you, not only my story and journey through a Cancer diagnosis, but many other's who have lite the way. They are the true heroes and heroines of the day. It is in great Memory and Dedication, that I submit to you this:

The Power is in YOU! The power was in Becca to help guide me through a very difficult Cancer Treatment. She was sent here, to be by my side. To fight, alongside; myself, and countless other Melanoma Cancer Patients.

I believe in the greatness that surrounds our lives. I believe that everything happens for a reason. My Melanoma diagnosis is a blessing in disguise. I have learned to live stronger, hold on longer, and fight harder.

My be-loved friend, Becca, is a Melanoma Angel. She is watching me from Heaven above. I look forward to the day, that I may say: Thank-You. You touched my Life.

A Cancer patients journey in Life is one paved with great emotional awareness and zest. We learn to look at Life through a different perspective. I believe, that Cancer can be our cure. Our cure to Life's ailments and strides. We have been given a gift. A gift; of LIFE. To learn to truly Live.

Thank all of your reader's for helping raise an awareness. Early detection can and does save Lives. See your dermatologist. Get your yearly Doctor check-up's. Let everyone know, "it's NOT JUST" skin cancer. It's Melanoma, a deadly form of Cancer.

May all those who have fought the good fight and all those who continue to fight the good fight LIVESTRONG and forever long; they with forever be in our hearts, mind, body, and soul.

As far as benefit fundraising... The Melanoma Research Foundation. Dr. Rosenberg at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. He is determined to find the Cure for Melanoma. On a more personal note: I want to help outreach to Melanoma Patients/Families in Financial need. It is TRULY very difficult to find resources and funds for your Living Expenses while trying to fight this battle. I'd like to help financial aide those in need ~ A program needs to be made... where the INDIVIDUAL ~ Cancer patient gets the funds needed to help them with their monthly expenses while off work and fighting this battle.

I wish Peace to all in your journey and path through Life. Discover yourself. Live your Life. Make your Dreams come true and hold on tight.

Kind Regards, Becky (stage IV Malignant Metastatic Melanoma patient and warrior)

Submitted by Becky

His name is Paul

I was born in a small village in southern Ontario, Canada in 1934 to bilingual French parents (both now deceased) and had 6 sisters and 3 brothers.

I met my dear wife at the office where we were both employed, we were married in 1963, our cherished son Gregory was born in 1964. To complete our life journey, we were also blessed with two fantastic daughters and now two grandsons that we just adore.

The passing of our son's lovely wife Maureen, our daughter-in-law, with that dreadful disease cancer was very traumatic to us, as you are quite aware, was devastating to our son Greg by the loss of his young wife.

Unfortunately, this was not the first time cancer had come into our lives.


This all started with my brother Jules (eldest) with prostate cancer..he had quite a battle with this disease, surgery of the Prostate Gland then Radiation then Chemo and is still dealling with wth the issues of the after effects from all the procedures.

My sister Margaret the 4th one to be born was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer in 1996 but was fortunate to have been detected at an early stage and has been in remission ever since.

My other sister Marie born just before me was also diagnosed with clavicle cancer and passed away in 1998. I was present at her bedside in the Hospital when she died and if anyone else have ever experienced this (as Greg did) it is not pleasant.

And, the story doesn't end there, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, was treated for the disease, and am a survivor.

We will be making a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society on behalf of all the above mentioned.

Regards
Paul/Terry

Her name is Holly!

You never think it will happen to you and then it does and then you pray every day for one more day even while feeling guilty for being lucky enough to have one more day.

I was diagnosed with Stage III Metastic Nodular Melanoma on February 14th, 2005. On that day, my world opened up in way I could have never imagined.



From the start, every visit to the Doctor was a chance to get some "good news", a chance to pretend this wasn't really happening but it took 3 visits and 3 rounds of "bad news" to realized that my cancer diagnosis was real and very serious. Only then, did I stop looking for good news and start looking for answers.



I looked for love and support and I found it in my friends and my family. But for answers I went to the Melanoma Patients Information Page. (www.mpip.org) MPIP offered me real information and friendship with people who understood exactly what I was going through, were in the fight of their lives and could offer me a breadth of knowledge that went beyond facts and into real-world experience.

While on MPIP, I made many close friends. Carver, Mellisa, Miss M., Kim, Heather, and Monika just to name a few. Of those six, THREE are gone.



They died while the rest of us have survived. But to what end?



I promised myself when Kim passed on, that with what time I had, I would do whatever I could to help spread the word about Melanoma and that I would continue to live, race and support all fellow cancer survivors to Live STRONG!

May is Melanoma Awareness Month. Along with sharing some sobering statistics and Tips on Prevention dail on my blog (http://triandbehappy.blogspot.com/), I am doing what I can to support my local community's effort to raise awareness. On September 21, 2008 I will race in the SAVAGEMAN Olympic Distance Triathlon. The event raises money for Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation. The Foundation, an all-volunteer, non-profit charity based out of Maryland.

My goal is to raise $3000.00 in honor of those MPIP members who are no longer with us and to celebrate and give thanks for 3 years as a Survivor.

http://www.active.com/donate/SavageMan2008/triandbehappy

You never think it will happen to you...consider the possibility that it could and make PREVENTION a priority, please.

• Use sunscreens rated 15 or higher

• Avoid unnecessary sun exposure

• Teach your children good sun protection habits at an early age. The damage that leads to adult skin cancers starts in childhood.

• Stay away from tanning booths

Life is Good! LiveSTRONG!

Submitted by Holly Gannoe

Tommy D

Two Friday's ago, I had the honor of going to Dr. Tom's office to watch the filming of the video for the Tommy D foundation. The main filming was done in Dr. Andrew's (Jenn's grandpa) office which I honestly hadn't been in since um, I think I was 17. It was amazing. Nothing had changed. It felt safe(sounds strange even typing that a doc's private office was safe). Anyway, I sat and listened intently to the loving way that Dr. Tom explained Tommy's diagnosis and treatment from age six until last August. It was hard to listen to him talk and give the timeline of Tommy's treatment over the years. I felt badly that I forgot a surgery that he had back in 2002. It was hard to think of how I felt the first time I met Tommy when I was just moved here. I never knew anyone who actually had cancer and brain cancer was just so foriegn to me. I remember being worried about how to treat Tommy. Then after I got to know Jenn and family. I knew to treat Tommy as just one of the gang. He was always so pleasant. I really can't think of a time when he was 'in a bad mood' I have said it before but Tommy really taught me to live for the moment. Enjoy every breakfast, every lunch, a cup of coffee, a television show.



I sat in the chair in Dr. Andrew's office and saw Jennifer's dad as a father who had love in his eyes for his son. I saw a man who did everything possible to seek out 'the best' possible treatment for Tommy. When that treatment plan wasn't working as well, then he sought out another plan. There was never a 'this is the end' there was always another option on the horizon. I saw a man who loves his four children. I saw a man who loves Lucille (Jennifer's mom). Tommy relied on Lucille for strength. I saw a man who did everything he could to find a cure for Tommy and s now tryng to make the path easier for others who are diagnosed with this horrible disease. I was honored and proud to be there to witness this moment. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. The whole family teaches me about the person that I strive to be.

April is birthday month for Jennifer's family and I know that Tommy with his grandparents are rejoicing and celebrating each of the April birthday's from Heaven.

Submitted by Michelle

Her name is Stephanie

Not too long ago I had the pleasure of enjoying dinner at Greg and Stephanie Johnson's house to help plan out the 2nd Annual Stephanie Johnson Tri. I couldn't stop looking at Stephanie and their whole family thinking how healthy and normal she looked and how normal their household was. They don't really know how much more time she has, but if anyone were to see her, they would guess 30, 40, 50 years. I am in total awe of their ability to live life to the fullest, while still continuing to be a normal, every day family. I've said it before, but I do not think there is any way I would ever be strong enough to continue on the way that they have. It is just amazing and inspiring.

I pray for them each night, along with several others. I hate that it seems my list is getting longer and longer. I wish I could do more. I really do. I wish I could take just an ounce of hurt out of the hearts of people affected by cancer - both the cancer victims themselves and their families. I wish they could go at least one day with no fear, no pain, no heartache. I wish the people who have been left alone due to a loved one dying of cancer would never have to feel alone again. Uncle Boyd said the silence in his house was deafening after Aunt Linda died. My stomach still turns in knots every time I think of that. Caitlin said she doesn't think she can bring herself to sell her dad's car because it smells like him. Others can't really tell me how their loved one with cancer is doing because they can't bear to know the information themselves. Mom said the other night "I HATE cancer." I wanted to say "no sh**" but I didn't.

Here is "the list" as of today. It is ever-changing and always growing. It sucks.
1. Ellen
2. Stephanie Johnson and her family
3. Mrs. Chandler
4. Alaina's mom
5. Clayton (we met his mom at Tx. Children's)
6. Caitlin and Cary for the loss of their dad in December
7. Elizabeth's grandmother - recently diagnosed with breast cancer
8. Mike and his family, after the loss of his mom in 2003
9. Aunt Linda's family, after losing her in 2003
10. Mishele, after losing her mom in 2005
11. Ruthie's family, after losing her aunt in January

In 11 short days, I will be racing with each of these people in my heart. I will be racing for them and in memory of them. I will be wearing my special #99 proudly, as a sign that I'm part of the Janus Charity Challenge, and racing for "something bigger than myself" as Sissy said.

I'm still working on meeting my goal of raising $5000 for the American Cancer Society, so if you know anyone with some loose change, please point them in this direction.

Submitted by KCWoodhead

Her name is Hannah

We met on a retreat in a remote area of Mexico. I knew she was special right away. She is beautiful and graceful, (I teased her and told her she looked like a model for Eileen Fisher!), as well as smart, and has spent her life dedicated to helping others as a Chiropractor, body worker and nutritionist. She is an athlete and a Yogini and meditates daily. She is committed to health and well being both personally and professionally, but in a quiet, unobtrusive manner. I’ve been in the business of natural wellness for many years myself, and I can say that Hannah is, bar none, one of the most knowledgeable practitioners I’ve met in many years. She was an inspiration to me, and very generous with her hands, her heart and her knowledge.

Two days in to the retreat, I sat next to Hannah and we began to share our stories. Hannah’s story, a long journey of 3 years that began when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, humbled me. She was at peak fitness, loving life and felt terrific when she got the sad news that she would need a mastectomy, chemo and radiation to battle her cancer. I listened to her detail the experience of surgery, harsh chemotherapy that wiped her out, then radiation that sapped her energy, of how the entire experience brought her to her mental, emotional, spiritual and physical edges. She shared her journey towards recovery, and of how her life and her body have forever changed. I was very moved by her courage and grace, of how she seemed able to communicate this difficult journey with a sense of levity.

The retreat continued to unfold, and as it did the women began to open their hearts and, as often is the case, the pain of recent losses and disappointments surfaced amongst us. Yoga has a way of softening the heart, especially when you have the time to really dive in. Other stories of cancer and loss surfaced. One of the women broke down and shared that she had recently lost a best friend to a short and intense battle with colon cancer. When she cried, it was Hannah who came over to hold her. Grace in action.

At the end of the retreat, we all traveled the 5 hour journey from the remote location of the retreat to the airport together. As it turned out, Hannah and I had later flights in the same terminal, so we hung out for 5 hours together and had a nice long lunch. I commented on how much she had inspired me with her vigor and grace. After sharing her story so intimately at the retreat, and holding such a comforting space for others, Hannah decided to share yet another aspect of her experience that really moved me. She talked about feeling like she had to hold back expressing her own fears of death and dying from her loved ones so as to ameliorate theirs, of having to be strong even when she felt defeated and exhausted, of never being able to speak of death or failed treatments or an uncertain future, of feeling daunted in a confusing medical arena, of having to weigh tons of complex information and make life altering decisions, of dealing with disfigurement, of changed relationships. The tears came. Hers and mine.

I have a bit of a different perspective than the other stories shared in this forum. I’ve been lucky. The only cancer in my family has been in very elderly distant relatives, and their treatments were not aggressive nor were their cancers, although I am not arrogant in thinking that cancer can’t happen to me...too many really vibrant, healthy people are surprisingly stricken in the circles I frequent, and I suspect in general. As a Yoga teacher and sitting at the helm of a Yoga community rooted in a studio I’ve run for 9 years, I have had the ‘difficult privilege’ of bearing witness to the ravages of cancer in many students’ lives. It is not uncommon for folks dealing with cancer to turn to Yoga for stress relief or as a way of regaining a sense of peace or physical strength. I say it is a difficult privilege because I am always humbled and impressed by the dignity with which people meet such daunting challenges. Because of these experiences over the years, I have been motivated to seek out supporting organizations and resources that I can pass on. I’ve volunteered as a support person myself in a hospice setting and on a hospital unit with stage 4 cancer patients. I know how important it is for cancer patients and survivors to be able to talk about their fears with others who are perhaps a bit removed, who can witness without letting their own fears get in the way. Often, these organizations are in need of funds, as well as volunteer support. Here’s a few favorites. Hope you’ll be moved to help.


www.gildasclub.org
http://www.cancerhopenetwork.org/
www.breakawayfromcancer.org


Submitted by Cyndi

Brad

Each Spring, I participate in The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in memory of my dad, Brad Wilson.

There are many reasons why I decided to start participating in Relay for Life, but they all come back to my dad. He was diagnosed with lung cancer when I was only two years old and although he made a miraculous recovery, I spent my childhood watching his health decline due to the after effects of his cancer. The twenty long years he lived after his diagnosis were filled with pain, illness, and his overwhelming fight to live for his family. Even near the end of his life, when he was in the hospital going through procedure after procedure, he still put his family first and cared only about our happiness.

My dad was always there for me, no matter how sick he was. He never missed a soccer game, or an awards ceremony. He was there when I started high school, when he sent me off to college, and again when I graduated. He was there when I was sick, or scared, or so happy that I had to share it with someone. And for all of those memories I am so, so thankful. But he was not there when I started my first teaching job; he was not there for my wedding; he has not been here to see the woman I have grown up to be, and that is why I participate in Relay for Life.

I Relay because so often when our loved ones are fighting this illness, we feel helpless and out of control. We watch them fight, and feel as if we can do nothing to help them. Relay gives me a chance to give back to my dad, who fought so hard and gave me so much in my life. It gives me an outlet for all my grief and sadness, and a place to put all of my hope for the future. I learned from my dad that anything is possible. That even when the doctors say you have no chance, you can live to watch your children grow up, you can teach them about the kind of strength that makes someone a hero. My dad was the most amazing person I have ever known, and every part of me has been shaped by his courageous fight against this heartbreaking disease.

Help me make a difference.

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/karriewhitsel

Submitted by RunnerGirl