Good Wishes, A Hug for Your Head

Today I want to talk about a sweet organization that I discovered.  They are called Good Wishes (A hug for your head, cute right!).  As I was going through my mountain of papers I came across this little pink piece of paper that looked so cute, so I looked them up.

What they do is provide a scarf to anyone with hair loss or thinning hair due to illness or treatment at no cost.  They want to share good wishes (about link) to those on there way to recovery.  It all started when Laurie Erikson, who was the owner of a hair accessories business was approached by a customer, who requested something for her balding head.  Laurie used some of her finest cotton and silk fabric to make a scarf for the customer.  The staff signed the card and so Good Wishes was born.  Good news is they have a children's line as well!

In the last nine years Good Wishes has sent over 39,000 scarves to those requested.  What I found simply fantastic is they takes every name, city, date sent, and scarf number on a place card and these are taped everywhere in the office, as a reminder of what they are doing this for, to help those on their journey, and send them additional good wishes.

 On their site is a resources tab that list many other organizations.  

A pic of their office!

photos courtesy of:   www.goodwishesscarves.org

xo and good wishes to all of you,

Shannon

JenniferFromTheBlog

Today we have a guest blogger.  JenniferFromTheBlog.  I met JenniferFromTheBlog through a mutual friend when she was first diagnosed with Breast Cancer, through Facebook. She didn't live in the same state I did, but we kept up with each other the way you do on Facebook. We finally met one day when we happened to bump into one another , while we were both at an appointment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. This was completely unexpected, definitely God had a part in us meeting. Jennifer says, " I just turned around, and there you were." She even checked Facebook to be sure it was me. This lady is an amazing woman and you will love hearing from her.

Shannon

 Hello everyone, this is JenniferFromTheBlog here. Ya know, if someone would have asked me me 5 years ago, if I thought I'd be here writing about my experiences with Breast Cancer, I would've thought you were crazy. Of course not, that would never happen to me. I do my monthly Breast exams, I eat right, I exercise when I can, no never. But, here I am, 5 years a later, writing about how Breast cancer has effected me, my children, and even my family and friends. 
    For privacy reasons I will not disclose my children's names. I am a divorced, single mother of two girls. They were 10 and 7 when I was diagnosed with Breast cancer. I don't ever think I will forget that day. I went for a mammogram because I had found a lump. Actually, I had found this lump nearly a year before this mammogram, but my family doctor told me, "Oh....it's nothing to worry about, it sometimes just happens. Probably just fat necrosis." Okay, I was 30 at the time, what did I know. This was my doctor. I went with it. Well, as months passed by, I noticed changes. Enough changes in 10 months, that I scheduled an appointment with a wonderful OB. He jumped all over it. He requested every test he could, it was scary. But nothing, could prepare me for those words. 
   I remember that morning so clearly. I took my kids to school and I drove to that appointment, I went alone. Didn't think I'd need anyone, it was just a few tests. Well, after just one ultrasound, the Radiologist came in. She says to me, " Ma'am, normally we would ask you to return a week later for a biopsy, but we need to perform these tests immediately. We are quite certain, ma'am, we found 7 masses in your left Breast". Talk about can't breath. I said nothing, a tear rolled down my face. "Ma'am she says, would you like me to call someone?" I couldn't talk. I couldn't stand. All I could see were my daughters graduating high school, getting married, having babies, was I going to be there. What was I going to tell them. I'm all they have. 
   After a call to a friend, I settled down. We did biopsies. I was diagnosed with Invasive lobular and invasive ductal carcinoma. I had two aggressive forms of Breast cancer in one breast! Go big or go home, right? Yeah.  That had to be the longest drive home, I had ever had in my entire life. I call this, the day my life stood still. It truly was, that day.

I hope you haven enjoyed my first entry. I want you to understand me. So, I will start from the beginning, so you know where I am coming from. Feel free to ask me any question in. You comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for reading, 

JenniferFromTheBlog

Diane O'Connor Thompson Breast Center

I am so happy I decided to do this.  Now, instead of focusing on what I can't do I am focusing on what I can do.  I'm not getting to watch as much Netflix or Hulu but I think it's worth it.  I keep finding more resources and it's like, OMG!  A lot I don't qualify for because I'm "too old" now or I'm still in treatment and they are for the "out of treatment" people, but they are resources for others.

I'm excited to announce that I have three guest bloggers lined up already.  Ladies that I have met through this experience that, I believe, will bring different perspectives, information, and heart to this blog.  Always keep checking back, I am adding more information daily.

For those who are looking for specific help you don't find on here right now, feel free to email us at pinkprincessesblog@gmail.com with any questions you may have, information you need, or maybe you want to be a guest blogger.  We check email frequently and will do our best to find what you need.
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Now for some great information I came across.  The University of Colorado Cancer Center's Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program.  I briefly touch on this resource under my resource section but I was looking at their Spring 2015 Newsletter.  In this edition there are some great information I wanted to tell you about.  All this information is taken directly from their Spring 2015 Edition.

• They have a special interest in raising awareness and treatment of Pregnancy Associated Breast Cancer, which can be diagnosed even up to 5 years after a childbirth (I find this information very useful because I fall into that category as I know a lot of other's are as well)
• At the University Colorado Cancer Center they are working on vaccine trials.  New immunotherapies seek to block cancer's actions.  These vaccines also teach the body to recognize and attack cancer cells.  As a benefit of the targeted treatment, they have fewer side effects than traditional treatments (i.e. chemotherapy, radiation)
• There are many types of research, from treatment trials to surveys to exercise trials to even donating a part of your cancer.  Even if you are up to 10 years from your original diagnosis you are still eligible for some trials.  Currently over 20 treatment trials are open, including special trials for BRCA+ or HER2+ patients.  You can even just donate part of your tumor biopsy for one trial.  Contact them for more info!
• A recent study includes examining breast changes in women after pregnancy and breast feeding.  Young women who recently gave birth and have not been diagnosed with cancer have volunteered to join this study to help them learn more about young women's breast cancer; and in particular, pregnancy associated breast cancer that can occur up to 5 years after the last child birth.  The study remains open!  Contact today if you are interested in participating and tell your friends who have recently given birth!

Contact them today to learn more about Research or Clinical Trials!

Uch.edu/breastcancer

twitter: @youngwomenbc

youngbc@ucdenver.edu

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All information is taken from the

Diane O'Connor Thompson Breast Center 

Breast Cancer Services

pamphlet (received from the YSC Summit 2015)

For an appointment call:  (720) 848-1030

More about the CU Cancer Center at University of Colorado Hospital.  Each patient has clinical teams assembled specifically for each type of cancer-and they bring the specialists to you, often at one location and in one visit. (I'm not sure what the "bring the specialists to you" part means)  As true subspecialists, their team treats the most common and rarest types of breast cancer (something I am so interested in because mine is a rare 2% of all breast cancer's).   

The care is comprehensive, and depending on your situation, your Breast Center care program will include a combination of their team members.

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I hope there is some information here that helps someone.  It was so important to me when I learned of all the specializing they did.  The vaccine trials, how cool!  I will be calling them soon, I will let you know how it goes!

xo,

Shannon