The Three Day - A Breast Cancer Fundraiser

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Last night I was doing some work on the computer, but procrastinated by going over to Facebook. I came across a video post by Melanie Eatherton. I had not seen Melanie's post all day, and I was surprised to see it since Melanie is on the East Coast and it was late. Melanie's Post was about “The Three Day”, which is a breast cancer fundraiser affiliated with the Susan Komen For the Cure organization. I contacted Melanie, and was surprised when she responded at 1:00 AM her time (she doesn’t require much sleep apparently!). I asked Melanie if I could promote her event on my blog, and she was all for it.

It’s interesting to me how many people are affected by the ravages of breast cancer. In the last few months I’ve met people of all ages, ethnicitie's, and economic backgrounds who have been affected by breast cancer. As a man, I’m not likely (but could) to get breast cancer. However, many people thought they are too young to get breast cancer: then I met Gina Andrews. Gina was in her early thirties when she was diagnosed. Two days ago, I met Nicole McLean who just turned 40. Nicole is in the midst of fighting breast cancer. Another good friend of mine, Danielle, has a Mom who is about my age: she also has had breast cancer: breast cancer is everywhere.

In meeting the aforementioned people, I’m amazed at the people and their reactions to the disease. I don’t know why Melanie volunteered to help in the fight against breast cancer, but I’m amazed that she stepped up on Saturday morning at 1:30 when asked. Gina beat breast cancer, and decided to turn a negative into a positive: she started the Sacramento Breast Cancer Resource Center. Nicole, in the midst of fighting breast cancer, started a blog, Fabulous-Boobies.Blogspot.com, to help inspire others: do you think you would think of others when fighting cancer? I'm not sure I would show that kind of courage when confronting something so scary.

The aforementioned women inspire me, because they stepped up. Each of them wants to make a difference, and is not afraid to walk the walk. Please help support Melanie Eatherton with her goal to raise $2,300 for breast cancer through the The Three Day event. In addition, please help Gina Andrews and the Sacramento Breast Cancer Resource Center in her ongoing efforts to help women with breast cancer. You never know, your efforts may help save the life of somebody you know and love.

Sacramento Breast Cancer Resource Center

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Many people have been affected by the ravages of cancer. I was speaking with a friend of mine, Danielle, and we were talking about how her Mom beat breast cancer. However, now her Aunt has breast cancer as well. Breast cancer is a pervasive disease, and seems to be getting worse.

I had the privilege of meeting with Gina Andrews, and Gina is a breast cancer survivor. What's most amazing is that Gina was diagnosed when she was 29 when the cancer was diagnosed! I often like to use the phrase: "fight or die". Gina just did that, but she went one step further. Gina started Sacramento Breast Cancer Resource Center, which is a non-profit designed to "foster hope and inspiration among women facing breast cancer".

Please take a moment to read Gina's story below, and, if you are an agent looking for a non-profit to pay it forward to, please support Gina Andrews and the Sacramento Breast Cancer Resource Center. Gina turned a negative experience like breast cancer into a positive - the positive is called the Sacramento Breast cancer Resource Center:

Breast Cancer is not hereditary, racial, or age specific. It does not discriminate on any of these things. Before my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer I believed that Asian people were less at risk for it. Then when I was 29 I thought there was no way this lump is cancer, “I’m too young for cancer.” The first thing people ask me when I tell them I’m a breast cancer survivor is “ did someone in your family have it”…and then when I say yes my mom is a 12 year survivor “oh I see”, as if the reason why I got cancer is because it’s a family disease.

There are many young women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer that have no family history. And though this is not an accurate description of the world, the young survivor support group I attend averages 10 attendees and 4 of those are Asian. The reality is that cancer is none of these myths. It is completely nondiscriminatory. It can and will attack anyone regardless of family history, age, or ethnicity.

According to the American Cancer Society, only about 5% to 10% of all cancers are the inherited type. And according to the National Cancer Institute one in every 229 women between the ages of 30 and 39 will be diagnosed with breast cancer within the next 10 years. My mother and I both had cancer. My mom was diagnosed at the age of 47 and I was diagnosed at the age of 29. Both of us were diagnosed at early ages but the cancers we had were completely different, and I tested negative for the BRCA, the only known cancer gene.

These myths of breast cancer need to be changed. Because people believe they are not at high risk for breast cancer, they are disregarding the lumps they find in their breast. As a result of this disregard the disease can be found at a later and more deadly stage.

Gina's organization is having a fundraiser here in Sacramento tonight at 7:30 at the "Lounge on 20", click here for more info. If you are an agent or a charity, please join Agentspayingforward.com. There are many great causes that I want to help, so please feel free to contact me at tomash@surewest.net. I'll be happy to include your information in this blog. We are a community, and we all need to work together to help great people do great work.