Pastel Winter

My post today is for one of the blogger challenges offered by the SL Christmas Expo called “Why I Relay“. The challenge is for anyone who has a personal reason to support Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society and like it or not, I have reason.

I am a two time breast cancer survivor. First diagnosed in 2007, I went through the usual treatment; chemo, surgery, radiation. Thankfully, I was able to move forward, rarely giving cancer another thought, determined not to live in fear of the “what if’s” and I did that successfully. Fast forward to 2016, when I learned it was back, this time learning I had inherited a gene mutation, BRCA2 that raised my odds of getting breast and ovarian cancer greatly, 80% in fact. There was more surgery, more chemo but I did it all again, successfully and am doing well today.

Since the second diagnosis, its been a little harder not to think about the “what if’s” but they are mostly in regards to my daughter, who is about to be tested for the gene mutation she has a 50/50 chance of having. So, why do I relay? I relay for myself, I relay for my dear friend, Toni, who lost her fight after 3 graceful battles, I relay for my nephew, newly diagnosed with Lymphoma and about to begin chemo, I relay for all of those who have fought this battle successfully or gracefully never gave up trying and most of all I relay for my beautiful daughter, my only child, the greatest treasure I have ever known so that if she is faced with hard decisions, she will have the knowledge to make the best choices for her, in part due to the work done by The Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society and all of the other organizations working to end cancer.

Please visit the SL Christmas Expo, look around, shop, donate. There are great things available and with creators donating proceeds up to 100%, it is effortless on your part to support this great cause.