#488 #Stage4Lifer

Let's save her.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer Living Beyond BC has offered a challenge to those of us living with this disease--use social media to tell our stories and educate the public.

It is a simple enough request but where do I begin to share what I have been living with for 27 months six days and seven hours.  Finding joy every day is one way to live, unfortunately this disease never strays far from my mind as I read about one more mets sister entering hospice or failing on another treatment or dying.  We put on a smiling face yet the never ending saga that debilitates us at times continues when we face the reality of it all.

The reality.  It is the fine line of walking between that and hope.  We cling to hope--hope that researchers are frantically searching for a cure and will find it in time; and the reality, well, we are well aware of what happens without a cure.

A cure.  It takes years for researchers to take a drug from the lab to a clinical trial--that's the reality--and I know that my cure may still be sitting in a test tube.  My hope is I will live long enough for it to become a eureka moment for a scientist which translates into an extended lifetime for me.  I cling to that hope.

I also cling to the hope that my efforts and the efforts of other advocates are making sure my daughter and my precious young granddaughter will never have to face this diagnosis.  That is why I keep advocating, keep hollering and screaming for more funding.  Those two cherished humans in my life deserve to have a cancer-free long and glorious life. My mission and my purpose now.

Time is crucial  It seems to be a monumental task to get the public and cancer organizations on board and really, too little time for so many of us; but I will continue to rant and rave until we are handed that golden ticket.

But don't despair because we aren't.  If everyone joins hands with us and supports the organizations who put metastatic research first on their mission to find a cure, we may find out it will be enough time.

To donate and become an advocate, go to my website at www.onewomanmanylakes.org.  Let's make a difference today.

Thanks for reading #488 of 7777.