Monday Night Cancer Club is a Daily Kos group focused on dealing with cancer, primarily for cancer survivors and caregivers, though clinicians, researchers, and others with a special interest are also welcome. Volunteer diarists post Monday evenings between 7-8 PM ET on topics related to living with cancer, which is very broadly defined to include physical, spiritual, emotional and cognitive aspects. Mindful of the controversies endemic to cancer prevention and treatment, we ask that both diarists and commenters keep an open mind regarding strategies for surviving cancer, whether based in traditional, Eastern, Western, allopathic or other medical practices. This is a club no one wants to join, in truth, and compassion will help us make it through the challenge together.
A few years ago, Bo Bice, the runner up from American Idol's Season Four, the season won by Carrie Underwood, cut his hair and gave it to Locks of Love, and organization, as you probably know that makes wigs for children who have lost their hair due to a medical condition or medical treatment.
He went from this:
To this:
Bo inspired me to also grow my hair and donate it. From the time I was 10 until I was 19, I had long hair, that for several years I could almost sit on, so I knew it would be possible and pretty easy.
Over the years since, two members of my heart family were diagnosed with cancer, and I offered them my hair. For various reasons, it wasn't needed.
Then, in October of last year, my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which was then changed to probable uterine or cervical cancer, which was advanced. Immediately that she told me that she going to have chemo, and that she would lose her hair, I, of course offered her mine. Sadly, the cancer was too advanced and she died peacefully on December 17th. I miss her every single day.
But I still had this hair that was waiting to be cut and donated.
So I hatched a plan: I am part of three thriving communities: Bo Bice's Bo Peeps, the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) which I have been part of since January 18th, 1975, and, of course, Daily Kos. So, I decided to have an online auction competition. Members of each community will donate as much as you wish over the time of the auction. The winning community will have the right to do the first cut of my hair at a suitable event next year (If Daily Kos wins, likely Netroots Nation.) All of the donations will go to the British Columbia (BC) Cancer Agency, Mom's home for her last and a half months. The hair will be donated.
(As a parenthetical comment: I've researched Locks of Love and some of the other charities that make wigs from donated hair, and, while I honour the work of Locks of Love, it appears that they are being overwhelmed with donations, some or many of which don't get used, so I am considering donating the hair to a smaller organization.)
A friend has set up three banks accounts under a non-profit he is involved with that raises money for charities. Another friend is creating the web site. It was going to start this Thursday, Mom's birthday, and go until December 17th, the first anniversary of the day she went to be with my dad, who also died of cancer on December 16th, 2003.
Then I tried to set up the paypal accounts, to make donating easy, and got tangled in paypal bureaucracy. SIGH ! It is being straightened out, as we speak, and everything should be ready to go by the 17th at the latest, so I'm adjusting the date of the auction to go from December 17th until later in the month. I'm trying to decide between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. What do you all think ?
I will let everyone know as the details of the auction become solid, and the web site goes live.
I know many of you are going through challenging financial times, and I honour that completely. If you are able to spare even $5, it will make a difference. Every penny will make a difference in the lives of people with cancer and their families.
May you all have a date with NED.
Happy Birthday, Mom
I love you, Mom. I miss you each and every day.
Love and Hugs,
Heather