Making Progress

Linda's Thoughts from Duluth
I found out that a dear friend, who has been battling cancer for about 2 years, was discovered now, just when we thought she was on the road to recovery, to have a brain tumor. She has been given 2 – 9 months to live. She is close to me in age, and has been a friend of many of us girls the same age, for over 20 years. How can we bear this? She is in the hospital, I want to stop and visit her this week. We are wondering if she has been told her prognosis. If it were me, would I want to know early on, or wait to be told "later", of course, what if it happens in 2 months, and you hadn't been told. So many things to think about. I am pretty sure that I would want to know, especially since I have so much family and friends in another state.

Doesn't it seem that cancer is everywhere? It touches all of our lives on a daily basis. No one is immune.
A few weeks ago another friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, in December another friend finished her breast cancer treatments. I have so many friends who are breast cancer survivors. I attended a funeral not long ago, of a dear man who lost his battle. I lost a brother to lung cancer, and two uncles to cancer. Sometimes we just think that we are on an uphill battle, and feel that there is no hope. We must resist the urge to think this way. We must continue the fight, and continue to have hope and faith. Support those who are struggling with cancer, and their families. Give them hope and support.

I have an excerpt below of a press release put out last week from the American Cancer Society. It is the non-profit organization that I spend 37.5 hours a week supporting. I believe in the mission of our organization which is: The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

I work for the Midwest Division, one of 13 regional divisions in the United States, and our Minnesota Region is part of the Midwest Division. This excerpt from the press release:

"Feb. 9, 2006 - The American Cancer Society’s annual estimate of cancer deaths says 2006 will see a slight decline in the projected number of cancer deaths compared to estimates made for 2005. The projections are based on a decline in the actual number of cancer deaths reported by the National Center for Health Statistics for 2002 (557,271 deaths) and 2003 (556,902 deaths), the first decline in the actual number of cancer deaths in more than 70 years.

Death rates adjust for the size and age of the population. The death rate from all cancers combined has decreased in the US since 1991, but not until 2003 was the decrease large enough to outpace the growth and aging of the population and reduce the actual number of deaths. While it is unclear whether the decline in the total number of cancer deaths will continue, it marks a notable milestone in the battle against cancer. “The drop in the actual number of cancer deaths in 2003 and in our own projections for 2006 mark a remarkable turn in our decades-long fight to eliminate cancer as a major health threat,” said John R. Seffrin, PhD, American Cancer Society chief executive officer. “For years, we’ve proudly pointed to dropping cancer death rates even as a growing and aging population meant more actual deaths. Now, for the first time, the advances we’ve made in prevention, early detection, and treatment are outpacing even the population factors that in some ways obscured that success.”

A full report that this information was taken from is available in Cancer Facts & Figures. Call 1-800-ACS-2345 for your copy. Also on the web: www.cancer.org/statistics.

I am happy to hear that we are making progress. It makes it easier when we employees are feeling overworked and overwhelmed to know that there is a difference being made. I have been feeling very busy and overwhelmed at my job. I’m in the midst of the Daffodil Program, and we are doing the footwork for our upcoming regional relays. Seeing this press release gives me hope and the knowledge that our work is not for naught. We are making a difference. It gives me hope that someday we will not see our family & friends suffering from this disease. If they do, the quality of life will be better, through research and services, and we will see even more survivors walking that “Survivor Lap” at our relays.

Be assured that we are good stewards of our donor dollars. Your donor dollar goes for research. 33 Nobel Prize winners have been funded by ACS. We have services to help patients and families: The Navigator program, Reach to Recovery, and Road to Recovery, Leading the Way, Hope Lodges to help house those traveling for treatment. ACS Prevention and early detection programs help the disease to be found earlier. A hot line open 24 hours, 7 days a week for support, questions, and help, a national web page for information, referrals, to find answers (www.cancer.org)

For more information anytime, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org

Note: when I figure out how to place links on my blog, I will link cancer.org to it.

Let us say a special prayer for all those suffering with cancer.