Who Says I Can’t?

During Young Adult Cancer Week last week, several stories about young survivors were featured on the LIVESTRONG Blog. When I read the story of Jothy Rosenburg, I was absolutely blown away. At age 16, Jothy was told that he had a zero chance of a survival. Thirty-five years later, Jothy is still defying the odds with one leg and one lung. Since he overcame cancer, he has earned his Ph.D., become a double black diamond skier, biked from Boston to NYC three times, biked 192 miles across Massachusetts 7 times, raised over $100,000 for charity, swam across the San Francisco Bay, started 6 high tech companies, had 3 kids and one grandchild–all before turning fifty.

Jothy is living proof that through perservance, hard work, faith, and the determination to succeed, you can accomplish anything you put your mind too…no matter the odds. He wrote a book “Who Says I Can’t” to share his story and motivate others to overcome adversity and live to their full potential. I encourage you to watch this video and share it to those who might need a little inspiration.

It just goes to show that life is what you make it. Everything is a matter of perspective. It would have been easy for Jothy to pity himself and give up, but he made the decision to prove everyone wrong and turn his death sentence into an opportunity to empower others.

The road to success is never easy. Achieving your dreams requires a lot of work, resilience, and determination, but you have the power to make them real. Give those who say you can’t a big smile, never give up and keep on keepin’ on. It is SO worth it.

Have a great weekend and live strong.

National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week

Hi friends! I can’t believe it is April. This year is already soaring by!

April 5th through April 11th is National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week. The 70,000 young adults that are diagnosed with cancer in the United States each year face dramatic challenges unique to our age group. While most of us are earning college degrees, creating a successful career path, starting families and beginning our own lives, cancer still affects thousands of young adults each year. It is heartbreaking to think of those striving for their life-long goals while fighting for their life. While many believe that cancer is something that happens to older people, the truth it that cancer is the number one disease killer of 20- to 39-year old Americans. Luckily, there is now a huge movement supporting young adults diagnosed with cancer. Awareness is the key to finding a cure to cancer. The more people uniting to raise money, knowledge, and take action against this disease, the closer we will get to finding a cure. For more information and links about National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week, click here.

There are grassroots fundraisers all over the country that everyone can join. As you know, I am a participant in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. You don’t have to be a star athlete to compete in an endurance event to raise money for cancer research. Team in Training provides all the support an amateur athlete needs to be successful in a race and in fundraising. From training plans to team support and encouragement, Team in Training has it all. You can participate in running, biking, swimming, hiking, and other events with Team in Training. I am proud to be a part of such a phenomenal program that is making an enormous difference and bringing hope to cancer patients and survivors all over the country. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society also hosts other fundraisers such as Light the Night Walk and School & Youth programs, which can be found on their website here. For more information on Team in Training or to sign up as a participant, click here. To donate to my Team in Training, click here. I am only a little more than a thousand dollars away from my goal!

The American Cancer Society also hosts events in cities across the United States. Perhaps the most recognizable is the Relay for Life. We have several organizations here in the Shoals that have formed relay teams in raise money for this event. I have joined the Bethesda Cancer Center’s relay team once again this year. Each team unites to raise money for the American Cancer Society and camps out at the Relay for Life to raise cancer awareness. Survivors attend to show their strength and share their stories of hope and inspiration with those in attendance. This year’s Shoals Relay for Life will be held on May 21st at the Muscle Shoals High School football field. To find out more about the American Cancer Society and the Relay for Life, click here. To donate to my Relay for Life team, click here.

The Lance Armstong Foundation is also a huge advocator of the grassroots cancer movement. You can join Team LIVESTRONG to compete in swimming, running, biking, and triathlon events all over the country to raise money and awareness for cancer treatment. Competing in these events in honor of cancer survivors not only enables you to make a difference, but helps you to stay healthy and live a life of prevention. For more information about Team LIVESTRONG, click here. The Lance Armstrong Foundation’s website also provides you with all the tools you need to host your own grassroots fundraiser. Let them know what type of event you would like to host, and they will send you information and the tools to promote your fundraiser. For more information about the LAF, click here.

There are several ways to make a difference and raise cancer awareness. Remember that YOU are a key element to bringing researchers and scientists closer to finding a cure for cancer. Unite and take action for a cancer-free world.

liveSTRONG…

Monday already? I don’t know about you, but my weekend was jam-packed and flew by.

Katie, Nate & I had a fun time running the Scenic City Charity 5k in Chattanooga Saturday, even though the temperature was below freezing!

Last week, I worked extremely hard on an internship application for the Lance Armstrong Foundation! Thursday night, after working until 11:00 PM, I stayed awake until 4:30 AM analyzing every word of each sentence I wrote. I woke up early Friday morning to pack for Chattanooga before class, and then had my application reviewed by my adviser and my aunt (the president of her non-profit). After a little tweaking, I decided that it sounded fantastic and was bold enough to set me apart from the hundreds of other applicants. I was proud of my application and submitted it that afternoon.  I would love to work for the LAF and be a part of the movement to improve the health of our nation.

As you probably know, I am passionate about advocating a healthy, active lifestyle in order to prevent disease. Life is valuable and so many people fall victim to life-threatening diseases. In some cases disease is unexpected and unexplained, in others it is totally preventable.

Cancer is different. There isn’t a fool-proof prevention method or a specific cause. However, there are steps that we can take to lower our risk of forming cancer:

• avoiding smoking and overexposure of sunlight
• eating a diet rich in whole-grains, fruits and veggies, and lean protein, and avoiding refined, chemically laden foods
• exercising and maintaining a healthy weight
• protecting yourself from STDs, such as HPV
• limiting alcohol consumption
• scheduling regular doctor visits and cancer screening

How does cancer form exactly? Our bodies contain tons of cells that multiply when the body needs them and die when it doesn’t. Cancer forms when the genetic makeup of a cell becomes damaged and abnormal cells then multiply uncontrollably and do not die. The extra cells invade other tissues and sometimes form tumors. Not all tumors are cancerous, and not all forms of cancer form tumors. For instance, Leukemia is a form of cancer found in blood marrow and blood that begins when blood cells reproduce uncontrollably. Currently, there is no cure for cancer; however, it can be treated. Researchers believe they are getting closer to a cure. With increased awareness and funds, they believe they will discover the cure within ten years!

The Lance Armstrong Foundation aims to empower people and unite the world in the fight against cancer. It is their mission to improve the quality of life for those affected by the disease and prove that there is life after cancer! The LAF promotes grassroots fundraising in order to increase awareness at a local level. Grassroots fundraising is a way to get as many people involved in the fight against cancer through community events. For more information about how to become involved in the fight against cancer with LAF,click here.

People have asked me what motivated me to become so involved in the fight against cancer. I have met some pretty inspiring survivors, and have also seen first hand the tragedy of death due to cancer. I have close friends who have lost parents and family members to the disease. As the number two killer of Americans each year, this disease deserves serious attention! I am inspired to use my knowledge, skills, and physical abilities in a way that will improve the lives of others, which is why I changed my major from Entertainment Publicity to Public Relations. If I work each day knowing that my efforts are making a difference in the lives of others, it makes every minute worthwhile.

I am well aware that internships with the LAF (located in Austin, Texas) are highly competitive, and am not putting all my eggs in one basket. I will also be applying for internships with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and other non-profits. However, I am confident in my capabilities and know that whether or not I score an internship, I will continue to advocate and raise cancer awareness. It’s a cause worth generating a noise!