640,000 Steps towards Save Lives

It's time to launch my annual participation in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Boston (2012).  This event takes place in major cities throughout the U.S., and in an increasing number of international locations.  The Avon Walks involve striding 40 miles over two days, a feat that requires devoting one's feet to months of pre-event training.  Here in New Hampshire, this training commitment either means joining an indoor gym, or calling upon one's New England hardiness and winter wardrobe.   Given my limited budget and time, and hoping the fresh air will help counteract the "seasonal affective" hibernation tendencies we Northerners struggle against, I wait until late February to start training for my ninth annual Avon Walk endeavor.

While my walk counterparts in California quickly slip on a fashionable sweater for their Avon Walk training strolls, it takes me five minutes to put on my winter uniform - hat, coat, warm "ugly pants", wool socks, and gloves -  before hitting the frozen pavement.  It's warmer in Califormia and, well, alive.  My walks are accompanied by long measures of silence. Here in small town New Hampshire, no birds are singing, nor are neighbors out  and offering staccato "hellos", except mouthed through the glass of their heated vehicles. Please don't spray me with cold wet snow, I think while smiling as they drive by.  They don't see my smile anyway. My face is covered by my scarf.  In the southwest U.S., Avon crusaders train under green, leafy canopies while smelling lovely flowers. My only reminders of NH botanical life are occasional dried up leaves, crispy fragile vestiges of last summer's vibrancy.  I feel sort of like these leaves - dried out and drained of color from too many months spent indoors in my heated home.  Then, there is the matter of sneakers.  While California girls don light and airy cross trainers, all bright and cheerfully clean, I dare not break in my new annual walk sneakers, the aerated ones that will help my feet succeed for 40 miles.  Not yet.  Instead, I wrangle my feet into snowproof, windproof, dirtproof lugs.  Tres chic.  All this gear I must wear in the cold winter days. But, I also bring along my imagination, and my thoughts take me to southern California.  I imagine that I am walking with my breast cancer crusader comrades there, and feeling the warm sun on my face.

Starting about now, my pedometer becomes my annual friend.  I wear it as much as possible, measuring and increasing the steps it will take me to complete nearly 27 miles on day one of the 2-day Avon Walk Boston event in May.  The tick-tick of my pedometer gets me closer to motivating my winter-lazy body back to health again.  I start with a goal of 2500 steps a day - just over mile.  This is an easy goal.  A walk up and down my street, a choice to park far rather than near, to take the stairs rather than the elevator, and my pedometer reading surprises me at how quickly simple habit changes can add steps to my days.  Eventually, I will get up to 10,000 steps a day, about 5 miles, and I'll be ready once again to embark on my fulfilling Avon Walk journey.  Then, for two days in May, my solitude and the quiet of winter will be replaced by a roaring swell of humanity as we warmly walk side-by-side for a cure.

Most days I conduct my training solo. Sometimes I am joined by a friend, and recently by my teen son who has proudly joined the crusade. I never train with my dog, who finds it more interesting to stop and sniff every few yards while my creaking knees beg me to keep going.  When I am lucky enough to have winter walking companionship, the parallel strides and interesting banter make the miles fly, and I forget the cold and my running nose.  Our smoking breaths humor me, and remind me of puffing factories or steaming cups of tea.  By April, early buds, ethereal chirping, and willing companion walkers will make this training so much easier.  I remind myself in February and March that those days are just weeks away. Really.  Until then, in February and in March, I create a virtual symphony in my mind.  The hope-song melody in my heart is accompanied by the swish of arms swinging in my nylon jacket, while the rhythmic crunching of shoes on sanded roads keeps the beat.  .

Left, right, left, right....crunch,swish,crunch,swish...I am ready to commence the training, beaming inside as the earth under my feet and the cold in my face remind me over and over that I am alive, I have survived!

Left, right, crunch, swish, and I can ensure life for others....that's why I stride.... when I could be home and cozy.  It's my amazing gift to give back.

For those that want to support me, visit www.avonwalk.org and enter my name: Donna Bramante InDelicato.

Let Us be Something Every Minute: Growing Past Cancer

“Dear God” she prayed, “let me be something every minute of every hour of my life.  Let me be gay; let me be sad.  Let me be cold; let me be warm.  Let me be hungry…have too much to eat.  Let me be ragged or well dressed.  Let me be sincere- be deceitful.  Let me be truthful; let me be a liar.  Let me be honorable and let me sin.  Only let me be something every blessed minute.  And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is every lost.” - from A Tree Grows in Booklyn by Betty Smith, 1943

Cancer is as much a disease of emotional struggle as it is physical. I read this book recently, and the excerpt really resonated with me, moving me to joyful tears. I re-read the paragraph over and over in the quiet of the night, the noisiness of the ballet studio, and aloud to each member of my family..  These words so reflect the internal bargaining that many go through when battling cancer.  "Please let me survive," we plead, "and I promise to appreciate every moment of every day,"  Then, when we are finally out from the dark tunnel of treatment, our faces once again in the sun, there is a deep and eternal appreciation of living, of feeling the seconds, the moments, and hopefully compiling them into years of grateful survival.  

Sometimes fears of recurrence pull cancer survivors to a panicked place, inciting desperation to validate one's alive-ness by living, even over-living.  I know this first hand.  For those that have been stricken with cancer and struggle in those moments of recurring fear, those that support loved ones that are dealing with cancer, and even those that have survived 50 years past cancer but still have occasional fear, I assure you that you are not alone.  These emotions are not all bad.  Cancer survival, and its associated gratefulness for life, lead many to explore a new hobby, take on a new challenge, love a little deeper, be more forgiving, loosen up.  Our perspective changes and we not only see the forest for the trees, but the trees for the leaves, and the life-giving air and sun. 

To live ones life with an authentic appreciation for living is, in a sense, like living it from death backwards.  Facing off our mortality makes us realize the gift that is time.  How wonderful to more fully value and feel watching our children sprout and branch out, opportunities to learn and lead, our ability to share and impart, and time to just breath..  To be "above ground" consciously experiencing and engaging in the full breadth of what it is to be part of humankind is to be truly alive.  To smell the ocean and earth, feel the biting cold, cry at our losses, celebrate our joys, laugh out loud, help others in need, and learn something new every day is like the unwrapping of gift after gift after gift.

Perfect or not... how blessed we are to be something every minute of every day.  The quote above says it all and more.  

Here's to the adventure called life, the medical and scientific communities that afford people like me the chance to live, and generous souls everywhere that support research and care.  May our combined philanthropic and humanitarian efforts afford more people struggling with cancer the chance to survive, and touch all the wonder that is "life".   

Breast Cancer Surgeons Should Limit Bias in Patient Dialogues

As I celebrate the third anniversary of my reconstruction and, on some levels, my resurrection, I am struck by how little advancement has been made in terms of educating women about their full range of surgical options to address breast cancer. 

As I mentioned in my earlier posts, I often find myself in a counseling role, supporting women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.  One of the most difficult decisions for these women to make relates to breast surgery.  Lumpectomy or Mastectomy? Reconstruction or Not?

Aside from the obvious imperative to remove the insidious cancer cells from the body, there's just so much to consider.  The considerations are extremely unique and personal to each and every individual woman.  Not only do these early decisions effect a woman physically and in terms of recurrence risk, but may impact her psychological and emotional well-being going forward.  These "quality of life" consideration MUST be given weighted consideration by both the patient and her team of physicians.

With the trend towards minimally invasive surgery and breast conserving lumpectomy, those that may benefit from breast removal (mastectomy) and aesthetic breast reconstruction are often made to feel over-reactive or overly conservative in their desire to explore the choice of mastectomy for early stage breast cancer.  I am not advocating for mastectomy.  Trust me, there are many times when I wish I could re-wind back to the days of having real breasts and the associated sexual benefits.  I am advocating, however, that all women facing breast cancer should be presented with their full range of possible surgical options before commencing their treatment plans. 

What many women do not know, for instance, is that some electing mastectomy over lumpectomy may be able to avert radiation therapy, which carries a risk of degrading tissue.  Also for consideration is the fact that lumpectomy can mar the breast aesthetic with its resulting scarring and divets.  It's not an easy or automatic decision.  Women should be shown the possible outcomes of plastic surgery breast reconstruction so that they can envision the end results of their cancer removal decisions.  Additionally, they need to be made aware of nipple sparing mastectomy and its benefit for some (see attached article).

I expect that as chemotherapy drugs continue to improve, and radiation treatment more pinpointed, fewer women with early stage breast cancer will truly gain recurrence risk reduction benefits by having radical breast removal surgery.  However, in the interim, women that want to insure or gain psychological/emotional faith in their survival after breast cancer, and those for whom aesthetic is emotionally important,  mastectomy with reconstruction should be offered, one of many options to fully consider at the very beginning of the breast cancer journey towards overall wellness.

Three happy years later, I feel and look great!

Tools and Tips and Fundraising Adventures

It’s mid-March in New England. For most, this means the anticipation of Spring, a much needed college break, the slow and deliberate shedding of winter sweaters, the tiny daffodil sprouts that give us Northerners cause to release the tensions of Winter. For me, Spring means all this and so much more. March means that breast cancer fundraising season is already in full bloom, and my beautiful bouquet of “Team BellaDonna” volunteers is right there blooming beside me.


Team BellaDonna, a loose conosortium of people directly or indirectly struck by breast cancer, began nearly a decade ago. Instigated by my mom’s emotional response to my first bout of breast cancer, Team BellaDonna is comprised of women and men that are inspired to exercise tangible efforts against the disease. This group, including up to 25 individuals over the years, has more heart than a herd of elephants, and a determination that has allowed us to collectively raise over $250,000 for the smartly and efficiently run Avon Breast Cancer Foundation, and its offshoot, the Avon/Love Army of Women. Young and “older”, moms and singles, businesswomen and students, members of the Team BellaDonna posse join the efforts for varying reasons. Some tag along for one cathartic term as an empowerment and renewal effort after battling breast cancer. Others, the core team of about eight, return to the group year after. We are survivors, supporters, sisters, sons, and perhaps superstars to those we empower through our numerous fundraising and awareness efforts. Turning emotion into effort, trial into tribute…that’s what this group is all about.

Over the years, Team BellaDonna has created and encountered many adventures. Among the humorous failures that were more investment that return – an “Open House” party at my home featuring the likes of Lia Sophia, Usborne Books, and Pampered Chef. What was I thinking when I opened up my home to the public? The concept was that people would move from room to room, purchasing items with a percent donated towards fundraising efforts.

Another questionable effort – the “cottage” handmade glass bead bracelet project. Beautifully designed bracelets made by women that were already overburdened with careers and kids, in a market flooded with Pandora®, Chamillia®, and other “trendy” “build a beaded bracelet” offerings. Yeah, that was destined to fizzle before it started.

The children’s concert palooza with a collaboration of four hugely popular interactive tot-set performers, garnered quite a bit for our cause, promoting breast health to hundreds of young moms to boot. Now that event was both fun and fruitful. We were roockin’ in the isles with toddlers at a packed auditorium! What pleasure to be a kid again, miming animals along with the pre-school set!

A greater success, and still with great potential, our Team BellaDonna “ArtWear” tee shirts, designed to symbolically represent hope BEYOND breast cancer, a core focus of my personal and professional efforts. With original signed art donated by a known artist, Ken Maryanski, this endeavor may yet be a winner. I just have to clone myself to find the time to roll this project out completely while still earning income through gainful employment. Still, the shirts do sell locally, and simultaneously raise hope.

Email, social media, direct mail, tables at supermarkets, motivational speaking, producing major public events, auctions, fashion shows – the fluid Team BellaDonna group, though they may very well raise eyebrows and sigh behind my back, has been with me from the time of my second breast cancer bout, literally marching towards breast cancer cures. Truth be told, we’ve had a lot of fun, met some amazing people, and learned great practical skills along the way! Oh, and then there’s the little 40 mile Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Boston walk in the park we reward our efforts with each May. But, that’s another host of stories.

Last week, whilst in the thick of planning our annual “Styles & SMILES” Charity Fashion Show and Auction (those of you that are professional event planners will realize this in itself represents a full-time job), we threw together an event called the “Pink Toolbelt Diva” party. Although not great as a fundraising event (the first time out rarely is), this event had the effect of raising more awareness and generating more empowerment than any of our prior fundraising endeavors. The Toolbelt Diva event allowed women to try Tomboy Tools®, sized for women and with pink accents, at fun hands-on stations “manned” by local Firefighters, Team BellaDonna husbands (bless my husband), and Home Depot store managers, who seemed to enjoy all the female attention. The event was a win-win-win, gathering women of all ages for the empowerment that comes with learning independent “tool use” skills, providing attendees the opportunity to contribute to the cause while getting practical skills and tools in return, providing a networking opportunity for area businesses related to homes and design, and reaping a percentage return towards Team BellaDonna fundraising efforts Through a concerted public relations campaign (did I mention my background includes a Masters in Communication?), the event garnered front page photos and articles in every area newspaper, both local and state news. The message: Women Can Do. The exposure and awareness for corporate Tomboy Tools (a women owned business that, at a corporate level, sponsors the Avon Breast Cancer Foundation), corporate Home Depot (traditionally perceived as a man’s playground), and the Avon Breast Cancer Foundation were a bonus benefitting these organizations. I do sometimes wish our corporate beneficiaries would find creative ways to reward our Team BellaDonna volunteers’ efforts towards promoting these businesses, but am also grateful for the opportunities these collaborations represent.

The “Pink Toolbelt Diva” event had little girls learning about power tools, grown women fixing faux cars, older women painting on practice walls, gardeners getting tips from Home Depot experts, and me finally learning what to do if my car tires fail. The three survivors on our team spoke with others, offering counsel, consoling those that exchanged their breast cancer stories, and modeling hope as they represented “thriving and purpose” after cancer.

For me, the event provided an opportunity, yet again and again, to model proactive humanitarianism and management skills for my young daughter, who, at 9, follows suit as a little leader of her own inventive and adorable “event management” efforts. Finally, I was able to let go of my need to “kick cancer’s #@$” by personally directing every fundraising project, passing the event managment reigns to two of our capable younger team members, who got a taste of what it is to pull disparate event pieces together, and the pleasure of watching the event become much more than the sum of its elements. In the thick of the event, I surveyed the room, all the action, emotion, conviction and shared purpose, and my eyes rimmed once again with inspired tears. Thus, like many other of our ongoing efforts to support those impacted by breast cancer and move the big bio-scientific –medical machine closer to the real breast cancer answers, we’ll call our first “Pink Toolbelt Diva” Party a good success.

Now, just weeks later, there are dozens of fashion show/auction tasks to tie up. We’ll need an entire skein of “pink ribbon” to knit the event together and pull it off, and a piece to tie the clock’s hands as we race to find the time to complete the event while juggling our lives. But, I know that Team BellaDonna is up to the task.

That Was Then, This Is Now: The Army Ending Breast Cancer

Back in the 50's, breast cancer was a taboo topic. Women that were diagnosed felt obliged to keep the diagnosis hush-hush, it was spoken of only in whispers and shrouded in fear. Radical surgeries, highly toxic treatments, and social stigma left women that were diagnosed devastated by the disease. The 60's and 70’s saw some improvement to this, as stories of survival gained public attention, women’s health initiatives grew, and the American Cancer Society stepped up its communications efforts. The 80's brought the onset of the "breast cancer awareness" movement, a result of growing disease incidence and news media propagation. Emotionally evocative breast cancer stories filled media air time and made the cover of prominent magazines.


No doubt about it, the evolution of breast cancer consciousness is responsible for reducing breast cancer deaths. As the subject became more "normalized" and less taboo, pro-health communications campaigns circulated. The disease went from something never spoken of to something discussed in nearly any social circumstance. The message of "early detection" found its way to more and more women, resulting in more cancers identified during early treatable stages. With cancers identified sooner, the survival rate increased. Early breast cancer benevolent groups were effective in saving thousands of lives.

Awareness walks emerged, effectively serving the dual purpose of visually reminding the public of the breast cancer epidemic and bringing participants together in productive collaborations. The “charity walk” paradigm spread, with well meaning walker/fundraisers now having to choose one beneficiary alliance over another. Two day walks, three day walks, relay walks, regional walks...the field of breast cancer walks and coalitions grew. While raising money for the cause, participants in these humanitarian walk efforts gained real benefits of increased self-esteem, social/emotional networking, and empowerment. Before long, hospitals began sponsoring their own breast cancer "awareness raising" events which, not just by coincidence, reflected positively on their marketing agendas.

As the movement twisted, turned and wove a complex web, corporate America jumped onboard, its marketing gurus seeing the potential of “cause association” advertising. The pink ribbon, inspired by the success of the AIDS awareness ribbon, became associated with the breast cancer cause. Beginning in the early 1990’s, breast cancer charities, in their zeal to collect as much money as possible, began partnering with profit-driven entities for whom "altruism" ranked 2nd to "product promotion". As evidence of its potential economic collateral mounted, charitable organizations like Komen sought registered trademarks in the use of the iconic pink ribbon symbol. Promising varying percentages of product profits, corporations inked the evocative pink ribbon on everything from soup cans to pot scrubbers, lest there be any question of their stance "for the cure" (as opposed to "against the cure"?). Competitive Corporate America, driven to distinguish brands and products, jumped by the hundreds into the sacks of bloated breast cancer non-profits. The proliferation of the ubiquitous breast cancer "pink ribbon" began to actually mimic cancer, spreading to a point of phenomenal "pink noise". Cause-related marketing spread like an uncontrolled disease. The pink ink syndrome occurred particularly during October, which was deemed Breast Cancer Awareness month. (Folks, I assure you that breast cancer is a year round disease). Discriminating companies, those supporting the most effective breast cancer organizations, have truly made a remarkable impact in saving lives from the grips of breast cancer. However, some of the tremendous earlier efforts to reduce fear have become eroded by the overwhelming use of the pink ribbon on consumer products. For many, particularly those directly impacted by breast cancer, the repetitive visual reminder is not unlike the incessant “nevermore” reiterations of Poe’s Raven.

That was then, this is now. From its beginnings in the mid-twentieth century to the pink ribbon period, the “awareness” and “commercialization” chapters of breast cancer are waning. A new and exciting chapter in the fight against breast cancer is commencing, one that will not only eradicate breast cancer, but will also shed light on stopping cancers of all types. This final chapter is focused on stopping breast cancer before it starts. It requires targeted, collaborative, and concerted research partnerships. And, this cancer prevention research, in order to be truly fruitful and expeditious, requires scientifically significant study enrollment.

So, back to the grass roots that got us this far. Just as Dr Susan Love and other grandmothers of the breast cancer movement effectively engaged humanity in life-saving breast cancer awareness, the time has arrived for women and men to become engaged in research that will prevent the disease from occurring all together.

Wise organization like the National Breast Cancer Coalition, the Avon Breast Cancer Foundation, and the Army of Women are leading the way, calling for an end to breast cancer by 2020. So far, half a million ordinary people have committed to the solution, ready to write the next chapter against breast cancer. The Army of Women research database, and the technology that enables it, are the wave of the future. This time, the grass roots span the entire global community. Any individual, anywhere in the world that has internet access, can act to be part of the solution by simply allowing researchers to study their lifestyles and health. It’s about significant research acceleration enabled by the participation of ordinary people. This new chapter of the breast cancer legacy will take the ribbon that was once used to symbolize breast cancer and use it to tie the disease up – forever. Join the Avon/Love Army of Women today at www.armyofwomen.org and be part of the countdown to the end of breast cancer.

Fields of Hope ArtWear

 

"Fields of Hope" ArtWear Aids Women Beyond Breast Cancer

Across the globe, over a MILLION women and men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. But, what happens after the words "You have breast cancer" are heard? While earlier diagnosis, better understandings of breast cancer sub-types, and improved treatments are allowing more to survive the disease, many fail to truly thrive after breast cancer. Why?

I have spent the past several years trying to understand this, during which I have personally counseled dozens of women and men dealing with breast cancer, attended numerous breast cancer patient events, and ruminated on the topic, sometimes late into the night. For too many, most in fact, the fear, anxiety, and depression that follow a breast cancer diagnosis can dramatically reduce quality of life and negatively impact work and relationships. It is my belief that survivors, whether they are actually pre-vivors with genetic risk indicators, or whether they are survivors of advanced breast cancer, can suffer from a sort of "post-traumatic stress." In terms of living beyond breast cancer, this can be truly debilitating. Think about it. You've been diagnosed with a disease that threatens to a) take your life, and b) possibly recur after treatment ends. Most that are diagnosed are not naturally equipped with the coping skills necessary to minimize post-cancer anxiety to a point necessary to entirely "resume" their pre-cancer lives. I am one of the lucky ones. I have a terrific family support system. Activities like art and music, yoga, walking, friendship, and activism have enabled me to move past two bouts of breast cancer. The grey cloud of breast cancer recurrence anxiety very rarely blocks the sun from me now. (My breast reconstruction also helped me feel normal again.) Yoga sessions offered at my cancer clinic helped me turn the page after my treatments ended, and for that I am very grateful.

I know first hand that not all are so fortunate. This is where I want to really make a difference - helping others to "break out" of cancer's emotional/psychological hold, and live out the best lives they can. One giant aspect of recovery - the psychological, emotional, and social dynamic - is still somewhat of a "black hole" in cancer care. Yet, this aspect is absolutely vital to holistic recovery. Thanks to the Avon Breast Cancer Foundation, The Avon/Love Army of Women is beginning to facilitate measurable research studies on the topic of psycho-social wellness after breast cancer and its impact on post-cancer health. (see: www.armyofwomen.org) So many women I have had the honor to counsel report feeling depressed and scared after cancer, but are uncomfortable with traditional support group settings. Often, they truly want to do more to recover, but are so financially beaten by cancer tretament costs that signing up for a yoga class just isn't possible. (To this I can personnaly relate.) So, what to do?

I believe the answer lies in offering women opportunities for emotional and psychological recovery through shared activities, learning new skills/hobbies, a chance to talk with other survivors during creative workshops, yoga, "art therapy" sessions. In my opinion, this should be an integral part of treatment! The most progressive cancer clinics are beginning to offer emotional wellness programs as part of their wellness care. It just plain makes sense, even economically, Happier women are more productive women in every way. To survive breast cancer is great, but to THRIVE after breast cancer - AMAZING!!

To that end, my team and I have begun offering "Fields of Hope" ArtWear. "Fields of Hope" shirts are printed with earth-friendly inks on organic cotton, and the fine art images are all about empowering survivors. Funds from this project will sponsor opportunities for women to actively engage in their own psycho/social and emotional recovery BEYOND breast cancer, bringing together people from different "fields" (artists, wellness, yoga, counseling, etc.) that may offer therapeutic hope and recovery to breast cancer survivors. The fundraising ArtWear, designed and signed by acclaimed artist Ken Maryanski, is available at FRINGE Boutique in New Hampshire (also on FaceBook), and by order (email: bcfieldsofhope@gmail.com).

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. There is much that can be done to help others step forward into optimal wellness after breast cancer.