Turn Pain into Gold

Everybody loves LL Cool J, but I love his wife, Simone I. Smith, even more. She is a cancer survivor who decided to give back in style: she teamed up with the American Cancer Society to introduce “A Sweet Touch of Hope,” a lovely piece of jewelry which I proudly rock every day. Not only does it look really good, but this lovely lollipop charm helps raise funds and awareness to help save more lives from cancer, a disease that affects everyone in some way.

In 2004, Smith was diagnosed with Stage III chondrosarcoma-a very rare form of cancer. Her treatment required an invasive surgery that altered the appearance of a beloved lollipop tattoo. “It literally looks like someone took a bite out of it,” she said. After her experience, Smith designed a lollipop line of jewelry that represents her journey to getting well and staying well. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Cancer Society, so Smith’s inspired example can be an emblem of hope for every woman.

Share Your Hair

    Do you have long hair, or don’t mind growing it out for a good cause? Donate to Locks of Love, a group truly contributing to the good of others. Visit their website at locksoflove.org for more information. I recently read of a five-year-old girl who gave her hair to a fellow kindergartner going through chemo. With kids like her in the world, our future is bright!

Turn Pain into Gold

    Everybody loves LL Cool J, but I love his wife, Simone I. Smith, even more. She is a cancer survivor who decided to give back in style: she teamed up with the American Cancer Society to introduce “A Sweet Touch of Hope,” a lovely piece of jewelry which I proudly rock every day. Not only does it look really good, but this lovely lollipop charm helps raise funds and awareness to help save more lives from cancer, a disease that affects everyone in some way. 

    In 2004, Smith was diagnosed with Stage III chondrosarcoma- a very rare form of cancer. Her treatment required an invasive surgery that altered the appearance of a beloved lollipop tattoo. “It literally looks like someone took a bite out of it,” she said. After her experience, Smith designed a lollipop line of jewelry that represents her journey to getting well and staying well. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Cancer Society, so Smith’s inspired example can be an emblem of hope for every woman.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

    As we enter October, national Breast Cancer Awareness Month, be sure to schedule an appointment with your doctor to have an exam. Men need to remind their doctors, as well, as this is not just a women’s issue. Remind your close friends to do the same and schedule appointments for the same time so you can go together and give moral support. It is important for us to be educated about all forms of cancer and to take the necessary steps to stay healthy. Visit breastcancer.org to answer and questions you may have. 

    I am a breast cancer survivor and deeply grateful. I remember getting the diagnosis and just going completely numb. I was like a zombie going through the motions of my life, getting up and going to work, cooking dinner, trying to focus but all I could think was “I have cancer.” My friends and family helped me through it all. I also had a genius doctor who got me and understood that it would be a physical, emotional and spiritual journey. She was open to discussions about all that. I am lucky in so many ways, being free and clear for over a decade now. I bonded with my female physician, who asked me to stay involved in her practice as a counselor for the newly diagnosed. Each time I work with someone who has just found out they have cancer, I offer my story and all the success stories I have witnessed, while listening to their fears, dishing out lots of hugs, and helping them in any way I can. This is one of the best things I do with my life-using my wisdom to help another.

The Sweet Life

    Show your support of childhood cancer patients and survivors with Lily’s stevia-sweetened chocolate (lilyssweets.com). A portion of profits goes to nonprofits in Pennsylvania, California, and New York. Opening up a box of joy is good for us all!

National Thrift Shop Day

    Donate to and shop at thrift stores. You’ll be recycling gently used items, supporting the local economy, and save money along the way. There are so many thrift stores working for charity but my favorite is this one in Denver that I discovered a couple of years ago while at a trade show: Denver-Cancer-Charity.org. What they are doing is so cool! The Cancer Cache Thrift & Gift Shoppe is operated as a not-for-profit charity that raises funds to provide free hats, wigs, scarves, and medical equipment to cancer patients. When I was undergoing treatment, I could never have afforded a wig or even a very nice hat, so these fabulous Rocky Mountaineers get my business every time. 

World No-Tobacco Day

    Smoking is a drag, literally. It is bad for your health and the environment. If you need a little push to help you quit or to encourage a loved one to stop smoking, the American Lung Association website at lung.org is replete with helpful information. They report that smoking related diseases in the United States claim an estimated 443,000 lives each year. In addition, cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. Leave this old habit behind and we'll all breathe easier!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Hope, Help & Heart

As we enter October—aka: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month—be sure to schedule an appointment with your doctor to have an exam. 

Men need to remind their doctors, as well as it is not longer only a women’s issue. Remind your close friends to do the same and maybe schedule appointments for the same time so you can go together and have moral support. It is important for us to be educated about all forms of cancer and to take the necessary steps to stay healthy. Visit www.breastcancer.org to answer any questions you may have. I am a breast cancer survivor and deeply grateful. I remember getting the diagnosis and just going completely numb. I was like a zombie going through motions of my life, getting up and going to work, cooking dinner, trying to focus but all I could think was “I have cancer.” My friends and family got me through it also a genius doctor who “got me” and understood that for me, it would be a physical, emotions and also spiritual journey and had deep discussions about all that. I am lucky in so many way, being “free and clear” for over a decade now and also that I bonded with my female physician and she asked me to stay involved in her practice as a counselor for the newly diagnosed. I am honored and each time I work with someone who has just found out they have cancer, I offer my story and all the success stories I have witnessed while listening to their fears, dishing out lots of hugs and helping them in any way I can. This is one of the best things I do with my life- using my wisdom to help another.