Things Are Good

I'm so excited about my nonprofits newest program, Cards For Cancer Day For those of you who don't know we are reaching out to people all over the world asking them to help us make/buy, collect and deliver cards to local cancer institutes. People who know my personal story know the cards and gifts I received while in the hospital meant so much to me. I want others who are in hospitals right now to feel that same joy I did when someone sent me a card.

Spirit Jump has reached over 200 cancer fighters and we have over 1,000 members who send cards and gifts.  These are great numbers but I know there are so many more people who need their spirits lifted but just don't know about our services. That is why we created Cards For Cancer Day. On 4-10-10, or around that date, people will deliver cards to cancer centers in their hometown.  This project is open to anyone living in any state and country.  I hope that we can deliver at least 100,000 cards!

People have been signing up to help left and right. Right now we have teams in over 35 states and 5 countries.  Its very simple. If you can make or buy a card then you are a perfect Team Member and dont worry we will connect you with someone in your city who is a Team Leader. If you can make/buy, collect and deliver cards to a cancer center than you should be a Team Leader.  Its really very easy and you will be making a huge difference in someones life.

Here are some great pictures of people making cards for Cards For Cancer Day. If you want to get signed up click HERE  then you will get an email with all the details.  Hope you like the pictures:

A Bit Outdated!

When I was having cancer treatments in 2007 I was handed a magazine similar to the one in the picture above. You may notice that Jen looks a bit younger in this picture and she is sporting that Jennifer Aniston hair cut, never mind that she is being referred to as "Friends" Jennifer Aniston. Well if you couldn't tell this magazine is from 1996.  It doesn't take a math genius to figure out this magazine is a bit outdated and so was the one handed to me while I awaited radiation treatments.

At first I was really confused, I was on a ton of drugs, and then I started looking for the magazines date....1996!!!  At the time I was waiting for my treatments on a stretcher and couldn't get up to ask someone so I started calling for a nurse. "What is with the magazine from over 10 years ago", I asked.  The nurse took the magazine from me and looked at it closely. She assured me that there was no reason behind handing me such an old magazine and that she simply took it from the stack they had. 

My next thought was, "at least people don't take magazines from radiation waiting rooms". What reminded me of this event was a post someone wrote about what to do with magazines. I suggest that people donate any magazines they have read and are thinking of throwing away to cancer centers. Apparently they are in great need of them, and not the ones you had when you were in high school please :)

Survivor & Author Kairol Rosenthal & her book Everything Changes

Last year Kairol Rosenthal was featured on my blog as a Fellow Fighter. She shared her amazing story and wrote a little about her book: Everything Changes The Insider's Guide To Cancer In Your 20s and 30s.

Im excited to announce that Kairol will be a guest on the Spirit Jump show tonight 8-9 pm EST.  Her book is fantastic and I can't wait to talk to her about it!  Kairol was diagnosed, at 27, with stage II thyroid cancer that had metastasized to nineteen lymph nodes.  Her personal journal is amazing but her book is about much more than that. 25 cancer fighters share their journeys with Kairol as she travels around the country.  Everything Changes is a book about what its really like to be diagnosed, battle and live with cancer. Along with each story there are useful tips and resources for the reader, something I think many books lack.

I hope people stop by the show tonight because its going to be GREAT. After watching us talk about some of my favorite portions of the book I know you will want to rush out and get a copy for yourself!

Check out the show on www.justin.tv/spiritjump 8-9pm EST

I'm So Proud Of My Friend

Donna Martin is an amazing woman. She has lost her entire family, mother, father and sister.  Donna stood by each of them through their lives, during their deaths and continues to give them life through her spirit and determination. Donna was with me in DC at Tamika and Friends Cervical Cancer Day On The Hill and her message was heard, no woman should die of cervical cancer!  Please take a moment to read this article and learn more about Donna's message:

Fort Pierce woman, spurred by sister's cervical cancer, lobbies in Washington