I finally understand

Suserq
Suserq Member Posts: 9
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi everyone!! Until you hear those words " you have cancer" I do not think you REALLY understand. You pray for others and feel bad for them but nothing is like knowing how they really feel. I run a bingo in Saint Louis for the Ladies VFW Auxiliary. We always give money to cncer and research and had raffles to raise money. We sell cancer ink dabbers and also have sold cancer awareness pull tabs. I really never felt it in my heart what we were doing. Now that I am a "sister" I am going to try even harder to have events to help our cause. Some day I hope to say our group helped find a cure. I am hoping to have a Sunday that the whole day theme is cancer awareness.

Susan

Comments

  • taleena
    taleena Member Posts: 1,612 Member
    Susan.. that is such a true
    Susan.. that is such a true statement. And the cancer awareness day sounds like a great idea. My mother was a bingo addict...I remember her heading off with her dabbers...Cancer is not new to my life, however this is the first time I have been dealing with it from the front line. I cared for my brother last year who passed away in my living room from lung cancer he was only 51. My step father several years before him also from lung cancer. My mother is a breast cancer survivor, I only wish she viewed herself that way, rather than a victim. When I heard those words I thought the air had excaped my lungs. Sure is different when it is "you".

    I think that is why I hold on to this group so tight through this.. I choose to be a survivor, and not a mere victim. The influence of this group has been not only inspiring but also helped me to pursue my treatment with a warrior attitude... Yes we can!

    Hugs & Prayers

    ~T
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    Susan,
    Welcome to the

    Susan,
    Welcome to the Family...a family you didn't see yourself being a part of, however! It is true that we stand somewhat apart, even if we are so very involved with cancer awareness, as you and your group have been. First of all, Thank You for your diligence and particiaption in finding the cure~ it will come!

    You will find yourself surrounded by a VERY supportive group of women, a few men, awesome caregivers ( saints, all of them~ who would want to make this journey alone??)all full of compassion and insight, will to take YOUR hand and lead you through this maze to Life After Cancer.

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    taleena said:

    Susan.. that is such a true
    Susan.. that is such a true statement. And the cancer awareness day sounds like a great idea. My mother was a bingo addict...I remember her heading off with her dabbers...Cancer is not new to my life, however this is the first time I have been dealing with it from the front line. I cared for my brother last year who passed away in my living room from lung cancer he was only 51. My step father several years before him also from lung cancer. My mother is a breast cancer survivor, I only wish she viewed herself that way, rather than a victim. When I heard those words I thought the air had excaped my lungs. Sure is different when it is "you".

    I think that is why I hold on to this group so tight through this.. I choose to be a survivor, and not a mere victim. The influence of this group has been not only inspiring but also helped me to pursue my treatment with a warrior attitude... Yes we can!

    Hugs & Prayers

    ~T

    To T...
    Yes, ALL of us here are most certainly SURVIVORS. And, darned proud of it, I'd say.

    Victims are defenseless.
    Survivors fight for their lives.
    All cancer patients choose between these two roles.

    Sorry your Mom made the choice she did.

    Kind regards, Susan
  • taleena
    taleena Member Posts: 1,612 Member

    To T...
    Yes, ALL of us here are most certainly SURVIVORS. And, darned proud of it, I'd say.

    Victims are defenseless.
    Survivors fight for their lives.
    All cancer patients choose between these two roles.

    Sorry your Mom made the choice she did.

    Kind regards, Susan

    Thanks Susan... even after
    Thanks Susan... even after all these years I would hope that she would be in more of a "survivor" mode... but she hasn't... when I was diagnosed I thought long and hard about how I was going to choose to deal with it... I knew that I would go about it differently.. I just didn't know how until I found this group... then I knew.. and I know...You'll never know how much this group has meant to me in the last week or two..

    ~T
  • jgridley
    jgridley Member Posts: 169
    Good for you
    I have been thinking about ways to raise money for BC awarness....Ithink that it is awesome what you and your felllow dabbers do...how do you get the cancer ink dabbers as well as the pull tabs?

    Julie
  • ladybug22
    ladybug22 Member Posts: 646
    thank you susan for all the
    thank you susan for all the work befor you had c ancer and thank you now your
    sis in pink
  • Suserq
    Suserq Member Posts: 9
    jgridley said:

    Good for you
    I have been thinking about ways to raise money for BC awarness....Ithink that it is awesome what you and your felllow dabbers do...how do you get the cancer ink dabbers as well as the pull tabs?

    Julie

    fund raiser
    Julie,
    We order it from our bingo supplier All American Bingo supplies.
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    jgridley said:

    Good for you
    I have been thinking about ways to raise money for BC awarness....Ithink that it is awesome what you and your felllow dabbers do...how do you get the cancer ink dabbers as well as the pull tabs?

    Julie

    Your so right susan. Once
    Your so right susan. Once you hear that horrible word Cancer, and there talking about you and you realize your wide awake and not having a nightmare,life as you new it changed in a heart beat. I hang on tight to my friends here, they have seen me though some tuff moments.I am positive regarding my DX and I am not to sure I would be, had it not been for all the wonderful support I found here. Thats not to say I don't relapse every now and again.
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    You are so right. All my
    You are so right. All my life I knew cancer was horrible, but never could understand the emotional and mental toll actually going through the experience puts on people.
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    From one Susan to another...
    As a fellow cancer survivor, thank you for all you've already done on behalf of our cause. And, thank you for what you will continue to do in the future.

    I became an active volunteer for the American Cancer Society following recovery from all of my treatments (surgery, chemo, rads).

    Kind regards, Susan
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    Hi Suserq and Welcome! And,
    Hi Suserq and Welcome! And, thank you for all that you do for cancer. We need a lot more

    like you! I have become involved in cancer support groups and love it! It is nice to be

    able to help someone, even if I am new to this. Thanks again Suserq!
  • dmc_emmy
    dmc_emmy Member Posts: 549

    From one Susan to another...
    As a fellow cancer survivor, thank you for all you've already done on behalf of our cause. And, thank you for what you will continue to do in the future.

    I became an active volunteer for the American Cancer Society following recovery from all of my treatments (surgery, chemo, rads).

    Kind regards, Susan

    The words, "You have cancer," are unyielding
    Reality hits hard when you are told those words...

    It never occurred to me to volunteer for ACS, I thought my hours as a SpEd teacher were enough in the "giving back to society" category. However, I soon realized that I could do so much more--after I was dianosed with bc, and that was when I became involved with Relay for Life. It's a shame that it took this to pull me out of my world of comfort, work and taking care of my family.

    Emmy (that's the pretty girl on the left) is helping me give back. She is now a certified therapy dog and we will be spending our summer volunteering. Some of our hours of volunteering will be spent with cancer patients, possibly some in hospice care. Emmy makes me smile, even when I don't feel like it, it's time to share this with others and, maybe, she can make them smile, too--even if they don't want to either.

    I can only pray that, someday, cancer will be a reality of the past and we can all say that we did our part (big or small) along the way.

    dmc (Emmy's my better half :)
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    You are right, when you hear
    You are right, when you hear the words " you have cancer " you think death, or, I did. And, noone can understand until they actually go thru it. But, hopefully, we will all survive the beast and grow stronger for it. What you do Suserq is wonderful! Keep it up!