Friday, January 28, 2011

Relay for Life...and I got 'Frogged' today!!

You knew I would have to thank you somehow...so here is my THANK YOU to my mystery frog person...whoever you are!! :)


So as I walked into work today, I was met by not the normal junk on my desk...but a desk full of everything frogs! Frog pencils, magnets, papers, stickers, borders, animals, and F.R.O.G. key chains and bracelets. I was taken back because I had no idea who would do this...then I looked at my other door and there was a frog poster hanging in the doorway with a note. It was the kindest note about my Pursuit and remembering to Fully Rely On God. But still no name. So for all of you who know how much I love surprises...you also need to know how much I love to thank you FOR the surprises. So please reveal yourself one day...because you are awfully nice and totally creative! And thank you for supporting me along this Pursuit...so here's my way of paying if forward this year...

RELAY FOR LIFE!!

Over the summer I decided to give my garage sale money to Relay for Life. Well, shortly after I decided its time for me to get out of my box and do more to help others, so I went to a meeting yesterday and got some more information about being apart of the Relay for Life event. So here are the basics...The event will be held on June 10 and 11 (yes, it goes on ALL night! :) at the Allen County Fairgrounds. The event is open to the public with lots of activities...but the main focus is to have fun, walk the track to promote awareness, and celebrate the money raised to further cancer research. Here's what I need to do...I have to create a team of about 10-15 people. And your job is to pick a one hour time slot on June 10 through 11 (I'm counting on you Scotty to help me with the midnight hours :) to walk around the track. And if you want to help even more, you can help me in any way you want, raise money for cancer research...hey, you'll get a free T-shirt (you know we are suckers for the free T's!). The idea behind this day in June is for EVERYONE to come together after raising some money to celebrate the survivors of cancer and remember the ones who have lost the battle. Unfortunately, cancer is still a deadly disease. So if you feel like being apart of my team and help me walk and raise money to further cancer research (or to just know how to simply donate) please let me know! (email me at laurabelle03@hotmail.com or for any ideas on fundraisers to raise some money for that day). I am way out of my box on doing something like this...way out because I am usually the girl behind the scenes. But I feel like I owe it to the American Cancer Society this year to do this event because the money raised to fund cancer research in the past saved my life. You saw me from the beginning in every emotion through this Pursuit, the good the bad and the ugly, so please help me one last time and come to this event to help me celebrate the end of my Pursuit! And even if you aren't apart of the team, you can still come out that day in June to donate, walk, or just see me! :) I will give you more details as I hear, but more than anything, I would just LOVE to see you at the event and give you a BIG HUG for all the support you have given me through my treatments. And to meet some of you in person for the first time who have been reading the blog and keeping up on my progress. Remember, this is open to the public, you don't have to be part of the team to walk the track, enjoy the day of music and activities, and donate to a great cause (did I say yet that I get to have my own tent set up for our team and all of you who come?! Sweet!!) Now you all know I love being social, so please don't leave me alone out there!!! :) For more info on Relay for life, visit http://www.relayforlife.org/

In case you may have just started reading this blog, here is a recap of the cancer I was diagnosed with in June 2010. This is all courtesy of WebMD, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Lymphoma Research foundation.

Hodgkin lymphoma, also known as Hodgkin disease, is a rare type of lymphoma. Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s are the two types of Lymphoma and most people are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's. Lymphoma is the most common of blood cancers. If I was glad to get cancer, I’m glad I got this cancer. This is a kind of blood cancer that can be curable. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 8,500 new cases of Hodgkin lymphoma are projected each year. In 2010, about 628,415 people (153,535 with Hodgkin lymphoma and about 474,880 people with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma) are living with lymphoma or are in remission.
Researchers know it is a cancer which arises from an abnormal lymphocyte (white blood cell). Lymphocytes normally die, and your body replaces them with new ones, but in lymphoma, your body produces abnormal lymphocytes (aka abnormal white blood cells) that quickly divide and multiply. Hodgkin lymphoma develops when a lymphocyte (usually a B-cell) becomes abnormal (cancerous). White blood cells are divided into two types: B cells that produce plasma cells that then make antibodies to battle foreign substances, and T cells that fight these foreign bodies themselves. My lymphoma started in my white blood cells (the B cells) which fights infection. I wonder if this is why I got the rash that couldn’t go away. These abnormal cells in my body are called Reed-Sternberg (R-S) cells. Reed-Sternberg cells are cancerous and continually divide, making more and more abnormal cells, which do not die when they should. The R-S cell is what they found when they looked under the microscope after they took a piece of my tumor out for testing. This was how they knew it was cancer because of this abnormal cell. When all of these abnormal cells build up, they can form a mass of tissue called a tumor.

Adult Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops in the lymph system, part of the body's immune system. Hodgkin lymphoma usually starts in the lymph nodes. Since lymph tissues are connected, cancerous lymphocytes circulate throughout the lymphatic vessels. They overwhelm the lymph nodes and cause swelling and tumors. Hodgkin lymphoma often spreads from one lymph node to another and can also spread to organs outside the lymph system. Because lymph tissue is found throughout the body, Hodgkin's lymphoma can begin in almost any part of the body and spread to almost any tissue or organ in the body. Luckily, mine only made it to my chest and neck before we caught it.
So this is the low down and science behind my cancer. Pretty crazy...but there are a ton of different cancers out there, even some that may haunt me again one day, so lets find a cure...starting with Relay for Life!!!

2 comments:

  1. Hey, count me in for the Relay team~I can walk and bring snacks! And donate! Keep me informed. And I may need a double xl shirt if I don't get active!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Laura,So glad you're pumped up for the Relay. It really is an amazing event where you meet so many wonderful people and hundreds of survivors like yourself.I will be there 24/7 if you need anything.Relay is about a Community that takes up the fight to promote more birthdays. Glad you're on board. Patsy

    ReplyDelete