The Woman Who Made it My Duty to LIVE Life

This is Susan.

She left us, way to early, one year ago today.

She blogged here.

She made an impact here and here.

For the two or three years that I knew her, and through her ability to share what it was like to LIVE with cancer, I realized that it's my duty,

no matter what is going on in my life

despite whatever struggles I have

despite whatever worries or stress I have

that as a healthy person,

I MUST LIVE, truly live and embrace every single day.

Money is money.

Stuff is stuff.

What matters most to me are the people I love, and being able to really BE with them. To embrace each day, whatever it brings. To LIVE each day, each moment to it's fullest. Good. Bad. Ugly.

It's life.

And one day it will be gone.

I want to look back on my life, however long or short it is and see that I spent more time being thinking about what I'm grateful for, than thinking about what troubles me.

I want to be at peace because I chose to be happy.

I owe it to myself, to my family, and I feel that I owe it to Susan who no longer has that choice.

But when she did, she chose to LIVE.

Please consider donating to these organizations in honor of a Susan:

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation: http://www.ibcresearch.org/

Crickett's Answer for Cancer: http://crickettsanswerforcancer.org/

Janine

You Can be Part of Breast Cancer Research Even if You Don't Have Breast Cancer

All Women can Help Scientists Research Breast Cancer

Breast cancer has been around for decades..so why don't we know more about it and how to prevent it? Why is breast cancer still taking lives? When Dr. Susan Love asked scientists this question they explained that they had studies that simply required women, of all ages, races, and health conditions, to participate. They simply didn't know how to find these women. According to the Army of Women website,

"Dr. Love realized the problem wasnít that women didnít want to participate in these studies, but that they didnít know that they were needed. In short order, the idea was born of an Army of Women ready to serve science."

Join the Army of Women and Lifetime will Donate $1

When you join the Army of Women you will receive periodic emails with research studies looking for participants ñ both with and without breast cancer. If you are interested in participating in a study, click on the Call to Action and you'll be asked a few questions to determine if you are a fit, then you will be put in touch with a researcher. It's that easy, flexible, and yet so important.

Ready to join the Army of Women?

For every Army of Women recruit who joins through Lifetime Moms, Lifetime will donate $1 to the cause. So, be sure to pass along this post, or the link to Lifetime Moms / Army of Women (http://www.lifetimemoms.com/army-of-women) to your friends, family, and neighbors.

Tag! You're It! And you might win an iPad2!

Bee Well for Life has a new game going and they are giving away an iPad2!

#Tag4Cancer is a Twitter tag game that you and your friends can plan through the end of May.

Simply tweet your friends,

include @BeeWellforLife,

#tag4cancer,

and link (http://bit.ly/fYiUYS)

to the page so they can play too! You'll will not only be helping to raise breast cancer awareness, you'll be entered to win the new iPad2.

Then track your fitness miles at Bee Well for Life and Bumble Bee will donate $.10 for every mile! I wrote more about that here.

And you can read more of my Bee Sqad posts here:

Bumble Bee is getting sloppy

Go for an easy, hot lunch

Janine

Disclosure: As a member of the Bee Squad Bumble Bee is my official sponsor to attend the BlogHer 11 conference. I have received a box of product for my family to use as we explore the Bumble Bee line of products and document the experience here. I may at some point offer a giveaway and that product will be supplied at not cost to me.

Fashion Friday for Breast Cancer Awareness: Get Your Pink On!

Everyone knows the color that symbolizes Breast Cancer Awareness (the month-long celebration starts today by the way) is our family's favorite color...PINK!

There are so many ways to show support for the women who have battled breast cancer and wearing a pink ribbon or pink clothing is just one. I've found a few fashionable items that not only show your support, when you purchase them a donation is made either to the cause, or to underprivileged women so that they may get a free mammogram.

For the Rocker

Intricate Swirl Pink Ribbon design long sleeve t-shirt from The Pink Ribbon Store

For the Girly Girl

Flourish pink t-shirt from the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month line of products

Make a Statement: "World Needs a Cure"

"World Needs a Cure" premium t-shirt from Save the Ta-Tas store

What are you wearing this month to show your support?

Janine