I will always remember the day when Julia was diagnosed with cancer. We were devastated, we felt so helpless, what could we do? I finished up the projects I was working on and decided I would go home, I couldn’t work in this state. I went down to say bye to Julia and ask her if she wanted me to come in tomorrow, convinced the answer would be NO! Instead she said, “YES, by tomorrow I will have a game plan. We will get through this!” In awe I just said, “OK, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I gave her a BIG hug and told her I loved her! (YES I told my boss I loved her! She is more then just a great boss she is a wonderful friend.)
The next day I was driving to work bawling the entire time! As I pulled into work I dried my tears and tried to regain composure, I had to be strong! I walk in and the first thing Julia said to me is, “Have you been crying?” Of course I just started crying more! Julia sat us down and began to give us a speech. She told us we need to be strong and not let this over take us, she told us that whatever happen, she was going to transcend (her new motto!) She talked to us for a good hour; I remember thinking, here I am sitting in front of this wonderful woman who has just received some devastating news and here she is giving ME a speech on staying positive and strong! Julia is such an inspiration and mentor to me, I knew she was right and I couldn’t let her down!
When I had heard about the Race for the Cure, a fundraiser arranged by the Susan G Komen Foundation, there was NO question that I was going to do it! I felt like it was one small thing I could do for Julia and all others who have or have had Breast Cancer. The event was wonderful and the weather perfect. Cari, Cheryl, and I walked together and had a great time. There were over 16,000 people at this event and it was very up lifting to see that each of them were walking for someone they cared about! This was just one little thing we did, but I know that it made us feel better to know we were doing something!
There are also other small things I try to do that you can do too! I click on http://www.thebreastcancersite.com for every click (you can only do it once a day) a donation will be made towards mammograms for women who can not afford them. I also have signed a petition on Lifetime’s website http://www.lifetimetv.com:80/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php to pass a bill that would allow women to stay in the hospital for at least 48 hours to recover from a mastectomy. It’s not much and it doesn’t take long, but I figure that if someone will benefit from it then I am going to do it.
