Farewell October

Happy Halloween! Even though it is October 31st, please do not let this be the last day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month...breast cancer awareness is a year round activity! Take what you have learned and continue to share with those around you.

What can you do? Well, we received support from young and old this month. Soccer players sold pink socks, football players sold pink items, elementary school children collected coins. Children can participate all year too...my kids have a charity bank at home and put part of their allowance in there each week.

It doesn't end there. Have you considered the children who's moms are going through treatment and their families are struggling financially? We have and our Pink Ribbon Assistance program provides financial support and at holiday time, we provide a Christmas party complete with the man in red and presents for kids. In August, we have a Party in the Park and provide the kids with backpacks full of school supplies to take that burden off of the parents.

We cannot thank our community enough for their involvement. Something as simple but as profound as our Go Pink! program really makes a statement as you drive through town. Local business sell our pink ribbons for $1 and display them. All proceeds go to us, Michelle's Place Breast Cancer Resource Center, and the displays are beautiful and such a vision of support!

So much more went on this month and appreciate each and every action that everyone took to promote awareness this month because out of it came education. We were able to provide more than 80 free screening mammograms and we provided support to over 100 women diagnosed with breast cancer this month. That is what we are all about. Helping women get what they need and educating the community.

And I will close with a message from our Executive Director, Kim Goodnough:

October is leaving me speechless

I am very rarely at a loss for words. Just ask my husband, my father, my dear in-laws, my children, my friends. I want you all to know that I have not been neglecting this blog. I literally have not found words profound enough to express what I have been feeling over the last couple of months.  We start preparing for October months in advance so I have been in the zone for a while.

October is an especially busy (understatement of the year) for Michelle's Place and we do remind everyone that every month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month for us. Due to marketing and the pink revolution, we will never win the battle to even out the activities across the months so our staff, board and volunteers dive in head first and do not come up for air until the beginning of the fourth week of October. I am so proud to be associated with these people...their passion, support and dedication is beyond measure.

Today our Executive Director, Kim Goodnough, published her weekly message in the Michelle's Place weekly e-newsletter and I finally became inspired. Not inspired enough to write my own words, but inspired to share hers. Without further ado, here is a message from our Executive Director:


It is so important that we are reminded of the work MP does and how much it means to so many.  I am so proud to be part of this team.  When I was walking in the event yesterday (Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure) I felt emotionally overwhelmed a little as I looked around.  I think everyone feels that way when they participate in that event.  But, for me it was a little different this year.  It was a very introspective day. This is my 11th year.  It's so cool to see so many "Team Michelle's Place" shirts everywhere.  We started the walk with Paul who lost his wife this year and he comes to MP to feel part of her and share with us their love story, and as we crossed the starting line the announcer yelled out "GO team Michelle's Place, we love Michelle's Place", my heart swelled with pride.  And as I read all the names of those lost, loved and remembered on the backs of participants, I thought, we lost 4 women this week at MP.  And then, as we neared the finish line (we cheated) part of the Hawks soccer team ran past us in their pink socks that they sold to raise funds for Michelle's Place.  So MANY people are part of this amazing journey.  All of us, each one of us, makes an impact.  We are a support system for those who have lost loved ones, direction for those recently diagnosed, we provide hope and inspiration for young people and we carry on a legacy that I think Michelle would be proud of.  Thank you all for what you do.  It is awe-inspiring and so heart-warming.  I am blessed to be part of it.

Thank you, Kim. Michelle is not only proud, she is smiling and cheering you, and all of us, on.

Your Wife Has Breast Cancer and Your Powers have been Rendered Useless

I am going to apologize up front for offending anyone with the generalizations I apply in this post. I do so with the best of intentions. Obviously, there are always exceptions.

Men are from Mars. Women are from Venus.
This concept is crucial when you consider how a man feels when his significant other has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Often we focus on the woman and how she is feeling but the husband deserves some attention too. The journey can be long and men are typically not the primary focus when their partner is faced with a breast cancer diagnosis.  However, understanding their coping mechanisms and getting them the type of support they need is critical.

At Michelle's Place Breast Cancer Resource Center, we have never had success in establishing an ongoing husbands/partners support group. This is not surprising because most men do not want to sit and discuss their problems, especially with people that they do not know well. Many men say it makes them feel worse to discuss their problems and prefer to focus on actions to improve the situation or cope by participating in activities that will distract them such as exercising or spending time with friends.

It seems to be the feeling of powerlessness that is the hardest for men. Many men cope by taking control of a challenging situation and focusing on a plan of action. It is truly a struggle to stand by and watch as their wife endures painful treatments and then have to deal with unknowns. All the while, their lives are turned upside down with changes in daily work life and household responsibilities. Add to this worries about children and changes in their relationships with their wives. Since most men like to fix problems, it is not surprising they rate their spouses cancer diagnosis as the worst thing that can ever happen to them - worse even than being diagnosed with cancer themselves.

If you know a man that is in this situation, I want to introduce you to a man that I admire and I only know him through his book. Mike Stalter has written a book called Still Have Faith. He wrote this book about about his experience with his wife's 17½-year battle with breast cancer. I admire Mike because he took the time to write this book with honesty. He does not romanticize the situation and turn it into a "made for tv" movie. He is candid...he readily admits he feels he could have done more. I am not going to spoil it for you though. I do recommend this book and I am donating 2 copies to our Michelle's Place library in hopes that it will help spouses/partners of our clients.

You can purchase the book on Mike's website at www.stillhavefaith.com or you can purchase the Kindle edition on Amazon. You can find him on Facebook too.

 

Reality Rally

Along the journey, we get the honor of meeting people who give of themselves to help others. Today people from all over are in Temecula to be a part of an event that was sparked on the beaches of Gabon. When this Survivor contestant heard "Gillian, the tribe has spoken," she took her lot in
life seriously. This adventurous grandmother born and raised in South Africa who makes her home in Temecula knew she would do something with her 15 minutes and she has. Gillian Larson has realized her dream - Reality Rally. A weekend achock full of events all in the name of "Fun for Funds." Michelle's Place is honored to be the beneficiary of this spectacular event that has something for everyone.
With over 80 Reality Stars representing 27 shows, a golf tournament, 3 parties, 2 after parties, Surf Dogs, a Chopper Dog and 31 FREE things to do...oh, and did I mention there is a game called Reality Rally? It is easy to see that this weekend is an incredible undertaking.