Words

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - Words matter. I always listen – very, very carefully to every doctor and researcher I ever hear. There are a few key things I like to hear, but sometimes it’s not what they say out loud that matters. 

Recently, a group of us went to the IU Simon Cancer Center to hear from some docs that are in the world of cutting edge science. Just an update to see where the world is right now with cancer treatment and research, and all of the exciting things they are doing to help. It was amazing! There will be a great posting soon on verabradley.org, so please keep checking back to see that.

As I was leaving the lab tours, I saw the note above on a refrigerator. I took a photo and put it up right away on my personal facebook wall, just because it was so.wonderfully.inspirational. It boosted me, made me smile, made me want to hug them all. Then, when I got home and checked facebook that night, I learned that so many people felt the same. It was shared, reposted, commented upon, etc. All comments were the same basic message; "we LOVE to see this." 

Sometimes is just the little comments that give us the energy to keep going. To keep taking our medicines, to keep raising funds, to keep lending helping hands. We do it daily, and not because of the big, grandiose statements but because of the little true words that exist in the hearts of those we trust the most. Go, go cancer research!

Zombies

WORLDWIDE - So you know that cancer cells don’t die, right? They have this  immortal zombie/vampire thing going on, and it makes me crazy. Luckily, we have about 20 ‘how to defeat immortals’ television shows happening so we know to stock up on water and supplies. 

The big news at a recent meeting of cancer researchers called ASCO is that there are little tiny caps on the ends on the tops of cancer cells called "telomeres". Those caps are the reason the cells live forever, the researchers tell us. The researchers are now trying to find a way to make the telomeres not fit. Be too short for the cell, therefore it will die a natural death like the rest of our cells.

I, personally, was pretty happy to hear about this research. As a cancer patient, it’s really unnerving to know that I’ve got cells wearing shoes that look like this picture running around my system. Blech. 

(Come on, you didn’t think I was going to put up a photo of a really scary zombie and not shoes, right? This is a family friendly blog!)

Go go cancer research!

Standing

CALIFORNIA - Laura Ziskin took a stand, and showed many others how to do the same. She was a big-time Hollywood producer for movies like "Spider-man," "Pretty Woman" and "As Good As It Gets," and has myriad more credits to her name. She’s won awards and has had enormous influence in the movie industry.

Interestingly, however, I never even knew her as anyone but the movie-cancer lady. She created Stand Up to Cancer a few years ago while fighting her own breast cancer. There are so many of us who do little things here and there. Speak at events, throw parties, you name it – but no one else made three television networks stop everything, bring out stars and talk about cancer for a few hours.

She was crystal clear about her passion - 100 % of donations goes to collaborative research. They are making "scientific dream teams" that are changing lives right now. It’s unusual, don’t you think, that someone can make such a profound impact with her career and her passion? Thank you, Laura, for making this journey with us. And for fighting with us. And for fighting for us. And for that cool hat in the Kentucky Derby scene in Pretty Woman. Your drive and energy will never be replaced.

Wisdom

INDIANAPOLIS - Some of us try really hard to learn all we can during the time we are given, and sometimes absorbing all of that data makes our brains hurt. I have, for the past five years, read about cancer on a daily basis. No exaggeration; I’ve read about everything from cancer fundraisers in every little town across America to landmark research being conducted at the highest levels of scientific study. Yet, every time I finish reading that day’s updates, I realize that my scope of knowledge just got smaller, not larger.

Most articles are inflammatory – created, it seems to be less informative and more to create panic about a drug or procedure. It so happens that there is new research about the potential of threat for women who opt for reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy. This news hit, as a fabulous irony, as I was on the phone scheduling my own mastectomy and reconstruction. Niiiiicceeee.

And yes, of course there are studies out there that people should read. I have the FDA website bookmarked, that place is a veritable font of really cool information. But, I don’t let it scare me, I just use it for ongoing attempts to find wisdom.

Which brings us to knowledge, and the lack thereof. Are there risks with this surgery? Absolutely, and everyone I’ve spoken to has indicated that they were all well aware of them before they went in themselves. But, the people that have talked to me about this – many, many from around the WORLD – say that they were comfortable with their wisdom. Not that they knew everything about the procedure, or the technical design of their prosthetics, etc. But, that they knew enough about their doctors. About the research they have been funding for years. About their own self-awareness. About the myriad of clinical trials and tests in which we have all participated. About how they wanted to live their lives. About the fact that we, as a "cancer nation," have come so far that we aren’t about to start walking backwards.

Mostly, it’s in our hearts. Which is where knowledge becomes wisdom, in my opinon. We will do what we can with whatever we have so little peanuts like this one can say "I remember when my mama used to talk about cancer. I’m so glad we don’t have to worry about that any more."

2011!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here’s to the happy thought that by this time next year, I will be writing something like “the unprecedented advancements in cancer research this year have led to a cure, what a wonderful year this has been!”

Honeysuckle

WORLDWIDE - Since I have been working at Vera Bradley, I have been tuned in to color. It has been a wonderful addition to my formerly monochromatic world and wardrobe. Every year, the fashion world convenes to determine what is the next hot color. I am happy to announce that 2011 is the year of hot pink.

For those of us in the breast cancer community, I think I speak for us all when I say this, “Hey world, embrace your pink! And please, pretty please, give just a wee little bit of the proceeds to cancer research. Thank you!”