Day 70 of...98 Days...The Screen

In basketball the screen that's easy one man steps in front of a defender while the other using the screen can then get to the basket to shoot.  In a home it's usually the last guard of defense against the house either going or coming.  The sun screen protects you from the sun.  So most times the screen is a good thing it's a protection or guard.

But when does the screen act as a repellent keeping you from making a difference?  I see those screens around my neighborhood when people avoid me because they don't know how to tell me that I don't have $5.00 or $10.00 to give to fund research and find a cure for a child diagnosed with Leukemia, Lymphoma or Myeloma.  People screen my teams' follow up calls and send them into voice mail only to return a postcard saying we cannot support your efforts because there are better ways to spend that $5.00 than knowing in the next 10 minutes someone will lose their life to this devastating disease.  Then there is the delete button that acts as a screen in e-mails we sent because if you don't see it in your in-box you don't have to face that 900,000 people diagnosed with blood cancer many of which are children have no cure.

So for today let's take down the screen and open our eyes wide and look at our honoree Tressa a beautiful young woman at 21 who went through so much pain and unimaginable agony and even though so many times she battled back she didn't have a fighting chance because even though there are advanced therapies there is no cure!  Together we can make that difference and fund research and find that cure all we need are donations where every dollar makes a difference so we don't lose another life.

For those who have found it in their heart to donate we could never thank you enough for others please take the screen down just for today and let's save a life.  Click here to donate: http://www.in.llsevent.org/pam

Day 69 of 98 Days...The Conservative

When you are in the midst of trying to make change and have others take notice to go down the conservative track may not be the route at least when it comes to fund-raising.  It seems that if you continue to go down the traditional path you get drowned out by the sameness. You have to break through the clutter and the only way is to do something a little different.

When there are only 29 days left to a fund-raising campaign and you are talking about saving lives it's time to pull out all of the stops and start down a little different path.  The team and I have done everything to reach out to share why this campaign and why now.

Why this campaign, because if you could touch and alter the lives of 900,000 currently diagnosed with blood cancer when anyone of them could be the one that can't fight anymore in the next 10 minutes because the disease won and overtook them then why not join us to stop the bleeding?

Leukemia alone is one cancer that takes so many of the lives of our innocent children. Would you have wanted to be the one to tell Tressa's parents that sorry but I don't have $5, $10 dollars to give so a cure can be found to save your daughter?  Do you know how scared parents are whose children are in remission with this disease and the fear that if the cancer comes back they question and worry if their child will have the ability to defeat it yet again?

So why donate now because if we fund research and find a cure for that next child who ever is diagnosed or comes out of remission the cure is at hand.  We can no longer be in the bubble of fund-raising we need to walk away from the conservative path and ask every one we meet in all different ways if they would join us where every single dollar can make a difference.

So I am asking no I am pleading click here to donate: http://in.llsevent.org/pam

Day 68 of 98 days...Forecast Flurries

Well in Vail or the Mountains for sure but not in the Midwest today but in my own little world there were flurries and I loved every minute.  I would take these kinds of wonderful flurries every day.  It was a flurry of new faces and emails that came across my desktop of first time supporters to the fund-raising campaign.  Ones that made your heart swell and ready to bust buttons.

It all started with my daughter (luckiest Mom in the world) and soon to be son-in-law who I love both so much and adore who with their prompting ignited a fire rallying their friends to donate as well.  Posting on their Facebook walls and trying to help spread the word about the campaign. 

The campaign is all about funding research and finding a cure for blood cancers.  As I thanked them I shared that this fight is about not having another parent lose a child like any of them to this devastating disease.  It's about saving a life.  All donations received felt like big hugs from the most wonderful caring people you would ever want to meet.  They are these amazing Men and Women in their 20's setting an incredible example for all others to follow.  Boy I am going to hope for the forecast to be this kind of flurries again tomorrow.

Day 67 of...98 Days...Overnight Success

Haven't you heard the expression before that oh he or she was an overnight success and look how easy it was for them?  They are so lucky. Well I think if you heard the back story of any "Overnight Success" you would learn there was so much blood sweat and tears that went unnoticed.  The hours and hours of work behind the scenes yet convincing the world it was easy.  At times as they went down that road there were significant moments when they were ready to throw in the towel and then with some force unbeknown to them they just kept on pushing through the hardest part and on the other side they emerged stronger.

Today that happened for our fund-raising campaign to fund research and find a cure for blood cancer.  We presented every imaginable off the wall promotion to every type of available venue and possible promoter and we couldn't seem to get anything off the ground.  Everyone was gracious and wished us luck but felt time was too short to pull it off.  We are looking at only 4 weeks left and not much time but today it all changed we received a call.  The call that said yes come in we believe in the fund-raising campaign and we want to support your efforts for funding research and finding a cure for blood cancer.  We couldn't believe it. We have no firm date in April yet and I can't announce anything but this could make all the difference in helping raise the much needed donations.

So check back and I'll share the news as soon as it becomes final.  And when someone says what an overnight success you had in the campaign and we were lucky you'll know better.  I have the other 66 blogs to show nothing comes without hard intense work, deep frustration but we kept pushing because somewhere when all signs point to impossible we still wanted to believe.  It's the dedications, its Tressa and others who have lost the fight to blood cancer that kept us going at times when there was nothing left in the tank.  And we kept believing in people like you and hoped somehow we would have a breakthrough and someone could help us with an event that would support this campaign so we would not lose another life to this devastating disease.

Day 66 of 98 Days...Are We There Yet

From the mouths of babes "Are We There Yet".  It makes you smile when you think of how many times you heard that phrase from little ones and you found yourself replying okay we are getting closer, okay not much longer, okay we are almost there and yet knowing there's still a ways to go.

That's how I am feeling today with the fund-raising efforts now officially at the halfway point.  I keep asking are we almost there yet achieving the goal we set out to accomplish.  Sadly I go through the motions of convincing myself and others we are getting closer knowing there is still much work yet to do. With over 2000 touches of various ways of reaching out and asking in many different ways of sharing my passion the team and I continue to encourage everyone we meet to help those who have been diagnosed with Leukemia, Lymphoma or Myeloma to help fund research and find a cure .  These 900,000 have therapies but no cure for blood cancer.  Every 10 minutes losing a loved one to this disease.

I know that the heartfelt dedications we receive daily from individuals going through the painstaking process of watching in many cases their child go through unimaginable pain for survival and they have nowhere to turn to express or reach out so they find Light The App and make a simple prayer, a dedication of hope or encouragement.  It is because of these daily reminders I see I am still hoping for that tipping point.  That point at which many realize that with a little help $1, $5 donations we can make a difference and fund research, find a cure and save a life.  I am hoping my Are We There Yet the response will become a resounding yes.

Won't you help me help others.... http://in.llsevent.org/Pam

Day 65 of...98 Days...History in the making

So the Healthcare Bill has passed I am not yet quite sure how this will affect us other than pure speculation.  The 14 month fight over healthcare still continues.  No Republicans voted for it but it still passed. The President will sign the Bill tomorrow.  Senators will fight it and changes will be made and then go back for another vote.  The generalities of it we have all heard but in the end we will learn together how this all unfolds.

The Good News it's all about Health Insurance and providing people with the very best care available that they need regardless of income level and pre-existing condition which can be a great thing for all of us.  But the one piece it does not address is when there is a devastating disease known as blood cancer in which there is no cure to date. The Government is not stepping in it is left to people like you and me helping others.  It's coming to the aid of 900,000 who have a pre-existing condition known as blood cancer where even if they are covered by Insurance the cure is not available.  Yes strides in new therapies are making great headway but we still lose a loved one every 10 minutes. So if it's up to us to make a difference why not start today with a donation so another history in the making can come to the forefront and be announced a cure for blood cancer.

Click here to donate:  http://in.llsevent.org/Pam

Day 64 of 98 Days...March Madness

This is a month where Basketball fans are soaking up every game having the time of their life watching their teams try to make it into the big dance.  Homes everywhere hosting parties as hourly brackets and ladders are being rewritten daily.  What is it about this that has so many huddled up against the TV?  Is it seeing these young kids lay everything on the line for their team?  It's not about money it's about the love of the game and those fans watching can't seem to get enough because they are witnessing the best of the best young men and women out there achieving greatness.  Surprises are always in store which glues you to watch the last minutes because nothing is assured. Upsets occur as underdogs rise to the occasion and moves on while the other left speechless goes home.  But regardless of what happens life goes on and they live to play another day.

What does this have to do with the fund-raising campaign everything and yet nothing?  I try to help give you visuals as to what we are facing with blood cancer in the hopes one of my blogs grabs you.  Did you know Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul Jabbar is fighting a rare form of Leukemia called CML. Former Florida All-America center Dwayne Schintzius is at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa getting treatment in what has become a months-long battle with leukemia.   Charles Hayward, a basketball player at North Carolina-Charlotte, died after a two-year fight with leukemia. He was 21.

Leukemia has no boundaries it strikes when those least expect it and can take a life.  It's a young life that had similar dreams to those during March Madness that you enjoy watching.  It's someone's son, daughter, parent and loved one with the same hopes of those who make it into the big dance.  Except when they lose it's not just a game it's their life.  And every 10 minutes without funding research we lose another to blood cancer. So in the spirit of March Madness and the joy it brings watching young men and women put everything on the line why not add to that feeling by supporting a fund-raising campaign that can save a life.  Every $1.00 can make a difference.  Click here to donate:  http://in.llsevent.org/Pam