ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

It is only supposed to take 24 hours to complete the ALS ice bucket challenge once you have been nominated.

Well it took me almost 144 hours.  I am not good enough with my i-phone to take the challenge selfie style like Adam did, so I had to wait for my videographer, but I finally got it done.

So as I waited for my schedule to sync up with Adam I completed what I think are three essential steps to take before dumping a bucket of ice water over your head.

1. Donate  
2. Educate 
3. Advocate

Check out the video that Adam put together for me and then take on the challenge yourself. 

Visit ALSA.org o learn more about how you can get involved. 

Remember you have 24 Hours to: 

• Donate
• Educate
• Advocate
• Participate

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Asbestos Awareness Week April 1-7

I learned today from a comment left on my blog that this is Asbestos Awareness Week.  My new friend Heather asked me to share her story and even sent me some awesome pictures to share as well. 

A Mother' and daughter's love!

Please take a few minutes to learn about the dangers of Asbestos and follow the links in the article and share the message with your friends and family on Twitter, on Facebook, wherever you can.  

Every year 3,000 people are diagnosed with Mesothelioma, a deadly cancer caused by exposure to Asbestos. 

On average these people are given 10 months to live, 300 days, 7,200 hours. 

Imagine what might be possible if 7,200 people shared this message, used their voices to raise awareness, sharing a simple message that could save a life.

Make your actions echo so loudly that no one will be able to hear your words.  Heather beat the odds, will you be a voice so others can as well?

"Remember: From awareness grows hope. Each voice could save a life."~Heather Von St. James

Cameron, Lily and Heather 

Will you commit to being one of the 7,200 voices this week?

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Claire's gambit

Claire Davis's last spoken words were to the person who shot her.  "Oh my gosh Karl, what are you doing?"

Claire tried to shine her light into the darkness that had overtaken Karl’s life. That was her gambit, armed only with kindness and concern, she tried to start a conversation with this troubled young man.

I have never before mentioned the name of a school shooter before and Claire's parents call to action for all of us is to not sweep his name under the carpet.  Karl has parent's and a sister.  "Karl is gone now and it is not our responsibility to judge him."~Mike Davis. 

Mike went on to share that he had forgiven Karl.  I was stunned by the courage he showed to be able to say his name.

The minister, challenged all of the Claire's classmates to find the other Karl's in their school.  That is the challenge for all of us.  Find the Karl's in our community, reach out, connect.  "I won't give up on you." 

This was a new perspective on school shootings that I never considered before.  I have steadfastly refused to write their names, banishing them to obscurity.

Missy Franklin spoke at Claire's service today.  She is proud to call herself a Coloradoan.  She grew up 5 miles from Arapahoe High School.  Kudo's to Missy for being a role model, for caring about Claire, for her classmates, for her community.

Colorado leads the nation in school shootings.  I love Colorado, I have lived here my entire life and as awful as that statistic is, I hope no other state will overtake us, because that will only mean that the shootings have continued.

Today I launched a website that was built in honor of Claire.  Please take the pledge to honor Claire with action.  Accept the gambit that she offered armed only with kindness and concern for a classmate.

Go into your community, into your schools and find the Karl's.   Shine her light at the Karl's that are lost.  Arm yourselves with kindness, compassion and concern like Claire did. 

We are Claire's angels now and we are her light.

Claire's light

We found out today that Claire's nickname on her Equestrian riding team is "Fluffy Little Rainbow Child".  FLRC(Flerk) as Claire pronounced it.

If you are on Twitter and Facebook and happen to read this post, please post on your timeline, please retweet with the hashtags,

#honorwithaction, #flrc, #ClaireDavis

#FLRC

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Looking towards 2024

Adam and I were in San Antonio last weekend and were fortunate to be riding on the boat during a river boat tour with a a future olympic runner.

Our tour guide told everyone on the boat that we were riding with a young lady who had run in the USATF 3K championship earlier that morning.  We chatted for a bit and I found out she has already run as far as a 10K.  I didn't run my first 10K until I was in my forties.

As we were leaving the boat I waited on the dock so I could ask her a few questions.

I asked her what her name was and when I could expect to watch her running in the Olympics.  I told her that I would be watching.

She smiled sweetly and laughed.  Her parents said that was a ways off.  Maybe 2024.

So you heard it first here.

Keep your eyes open for Elly.  This is the future of American running.  She ran 13:48 for 3000 meters at the age of 10, which is totally ridiculous.

Elly, 2024 Olympic Runner!

In light of what happened at Arapahoe High school last Friday and on the one year anniversary of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, Elly gave me hope this morning.

Let's make sure this young girl makes it to her start line in 2024 safely.  It's up to us...

“Hope is always available to us. When we feel defeated, we need only take a deep breath and say, "Yes," and hope will reappear.”

Monroe Forester

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144 dollars in 144 hours

Raise $144 in 144 Hours (6 Days)
Raise $144 in 144 hours, Wednesday, September 18, 2013, at 12:00pm (Noon) and will end on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at12:00pm (Noon)!

Why raise $144? Every four minutes someone is diagnosed with blood cancer and every 10 minutes someone dies from blood cancer. 

In 24 hours 360 people will be diagnosed with a form of blood cancer.    In 24 hours 144 people lose their lives to blood cancers. Dedicate a day in support of blood cancer awareness month and donate a dollar or whatever you feel moved to in honor of every life lost.

As Jack Bauer would say "We are running out of time." 

If all registered Light the Night participants in the Rocky Mountain chapter raise $144 in 144 hours that means another  $332,496.00 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society bringing us closer to funding vital life saving research and providing patient services. Together we can hit our $1.1 million dollar goal for this year's Colorado Light The Night Walks and come closer to finding cures!

So that could be 1 person that donates 144.00

                         2 people donating        72.00

                         3 people donating        48.00

                         4 people donating        36.00

                         6 people donating        24.00

                         8 people donating        18.00

                       12 people donating        12.00

                       16 people donating          9.00

                       18 people donating          8.00

                       24 people donating          6,00

                       36 people donating          4.00

                       48 people donating          3.00

                       72 people donating          2.00

                     144 people donating          1.00

Who will you be in this fight against blood cancer?   1 or 1, 1 of 144, 1 of ...  Every dollar counts.  Your contribution brings us closer to the day that we can live in a world without blood cancer.  

You can donate here by clicking on my Light the Night page. 

Thanks in advance for your contribution and know that you are providing support and hope to everyone that is touched in this battle. 

With love for Kelly and Laiken and Melina and so many others, too many others. 

I walk with a gold balloon to remember and honor my angels

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Aurora, one year later

One year ago today, those of us living in Aurora Colorado work up to find the community we live in changed forever.  The anguish once again too familiar and this time it was so close to home.

Twelve people lost their lives that night because they bought a ticket and fate brought them to the wrong theater where a lunatic lay in wait.

Let us forever remember the 12 lives that were lost that night at Century theater.

Johnathan Blunk
A.J Boik
Jess Childress
Gordon W. Cowden
Jessica Ghawi

Jessica Redfield Ghawi memorial

John Larimer
Matt McQuinn
Micalya Medek
Veronica Moser-Sullivan
Alex Sullivan
Alex Teves
Rebecca Ann Wingo

My son Adam could have been in the theater that night.  For some reason he decided to attend the premier of the Batman movie with a different group of friends, 15 miles from his home rather than Century 16 which was 2 miles from home.  I shudder every time I think about that.  Was it a nudge from his guardian angel that steered him away from Century 16 that night?

In the year that has passed since that horrible night what has changed in the community, in our country?

The Century 16 theater reopened in November.  People didn't stop going to the movies.

We watched in horror of another mass shooting in Newton, Connecticut where twenty-six lives were lost at an elementary school.

Again the politicians stepped forward for a moment to capitalize on this tragedy only to recede quickly into the woodwork,  lacking the courage to take a stand. The NRA said the answer to the problem was to have more guns.

No substantive changes have been made and I fear that none ever will.  It is a complex problem and doing nothing leaves an open invitation for another mass shooting to occur.

The shooter has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.  It took an entire year to get to this point.

For me, it took a mass shooting to occur a mile or so from where I raised my family to get me to donate blood for the first time in my life.  I now go on a regular basis, every 6 weeks.  It is such a simple thing to do.  Everyone can do it and I encourage anyone that is reading this to find your local blood bank and become a blood donor.  You can do something meaningful for you community every six weeks.

My son and his co-host went on the air one year ago tonight on Mile High Sports and held an open forum about the shootings to begin the healing process.  There was no talk about sports that night.

Denver Sports Nation partnered with 5280 Shirt Shop to raise money for victims and families of the Aurora shooting.

I met one of the survivors, Jasmine Kennedy at a fund raiser at a local bowling alley. Her leg had been shattered by a bullet and she faced a long road of rehabilitation. Undeterred she bowled that day from a wheelchair, smiling, laughing and providing inspiration to her community with her positive attitude.

Jasmine Kennedy, Thumbs Up!

Eugene Han and Kristin Davis were both in the theater during the shooting and decided to get married today as a way of moving forward, claiming a better day.

So a year later our community is still healing.  We watch and wait and hope there will not be another senseless tragedy in any community.

We are Aurora!

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A beautiful ripple effect

Last Saturday  was the grand finale for the 2013 Man and Woman of the Year campaign for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

One year earlier, I had the honor of being a part of Cassandra Perkins Woman of the Year campaign and it is a memory that I will always treasure.

I couldn't have possible written a better ending than the one that unfolded.

My son Adam and I sat at the table with Dr. Jeff Matous and his daughter Catherine.  Catherine ran as a woman of the year candidate in 2011 during her freshmen year in high school.

Catherine's ripple effect inspired me to nominate Cassie to run the following year during her freshman year in high school.  Cassie to became the youngest person in the state of Colorado to run as a candiate for this campaign.

At the kickoff event last year Cassie met a young man, Michael Guglielmi who ran for Man of the year in 2013.

Cassie, Ralph and Michael at 2012 MWOY Kickoff

Michael ran in honor of his Dad, Ralph Guglielmi who is a blood cancer survivor.  Ralph is a former Man of the year winner from our chapter so Michael was indeed following in his father's footsteps.

The entire audience was thrilled when Michael was announced as this years winner.  Michael is 17 years old.

I had written last year, that Michael's decision to run was part of the ripple effect that Cassie created during her campaign.

It is the great mystery of our lives as we never know how what we do might touch and change the life of another person.

So from Catherine, to Cassie and now Michael, the seeds you have planted are taking root.  The beautiful ripple effect you are creating is inspiring others to take action and live unbound.

In love and gratitude to these three young and inspirational people.

2013 Man of the Year with Laurie Maeves

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Reverb 2012-My favorite picture

Cassie and Taylor

The picture was taken at the 2012 Leukemia and Lymphoma Man and Woman of the year kickoff at the Chinook Tavern on March 16. 

Taylor was giving Cassie some pointers on ballet out on the patio.  Taylor,age 7 was the Girl of the Year for the Rocky Mountain.   Taylor is undergoing treatment for (AML) Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Cassie, 15 years old quipped, "You are never too old to learn ballet."

I chose this as my favorite picture for several reasons.  Most of all, the moment captured in this picture gives me great hope. 

Taylor was diagnosed with AML on September 30, 2008 at the age of 3.  Without a bone marrow transplant she had less than a 20% chance of  survival.  Taylor received a bone marrow transplant February 5, 2009.  Taylor's Mom said during her treatment , "If her toes were tapping, we knew she was okay,"   Well Taylor is still tapping her toes!

I had the honor of nominating Cassi to run as a Woman of the Year candidate for one of the Leukemia and Lymphoma's society's signature campaigns.   To see Cassi take on that challenge at the age of 15, be a source of love and support and inspiration for Taylor and even learn a few ballet moves along the way is something I will always hold close in my heart. 

I was so glad I had the opportunity to see all the candidates come together that night and make a stand for a world without cancer.

Cassi and Taylor give me hope for a better world.  A world without blood cancers, a world filled with love and hope and yes, ballet!

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Synchronicity

Monday was the 23rd anniversary of Kelly's birthday.

When I got home Monday I opened a package that had come in the mail.

1/9/2012

 I participated in a virtual run last month to support a friend of mine who is training for the Tinkerbell 1/2 marathon and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I was so amazed that of all days this would have come in the mail on Kelly's birthday.

I think it is my favorite medal ever.  I love the words on the medal.

Share love-Give Life.

Kelly shared her life and gave us her love.  Share life, give love.

Even now, I think Kelly knows when I need a little nudge, some encouragement.  A reminder of her love and the connection we shared with one another.

I remember her first birthday in heaven, a glimpse of a sunrise.

1/9/2009

I want to introduce you to a young woman who I will be writing quite a bit about in the coming months.

Tebowing, perfect form!

A Tebow fan!

I met Cassie earlier this summer through an organization called Youth for Parker.  Cassie is an amazing young woman and someone that I really admire for all of the great work she is doing in the world.

I had the honor of nominating Cassie to run as a candidate in the Leukemia and Lymphoma's Society Man/Woman of the year campaign.   Cassie was my top choice, hands down and I knew if she accepted she would be all in.  When I first talked with the campaign manager for the Man/Woman of the year, Caitlin told me that one of the candidates from last year was the youngest person to ever run in this national campaign.  Catherine was 15 years old.  I knew Cassie was 14 at the time when I nominated her and I wondered if she would now be the youngest person to ever run as a woman of the year candidate.  I was blown away when I found out that Cassie was born on January 9.  She shares a birthday with Kelly.  I had goosebumps when I saw that.  I knew I had to ask her.  This was not a random coincidence.  To me, this was synchronicity.

"People love mysterious things, and synchronicity is like magic happening to them," says Carolyn North, author of Synchronicity: The Anatomy of Coincidence (Regent Press). "It gives us a sense of hope, a sense that something bigger is happening out there than what we can see, which is especially important in times like this when there are so many reasons for despair."


Cassie celebrated her 15th birthday on Monday.  Cassie has accepted the nomination.  She has joined the blood cancer freedom fighter revolution.  Cassie is standing for the possibility of a world where blood cancer can't exist.

Deeply honoring moments in my life.

1.  Asking Sue to marry me and having her say Yes :)
2.  Kelly inviting me to go to Disneyland in 2001 on what could have been their last trip as a family.
3.  Being asked to be a pall bearer for Kelly and help lay her body to rest.  This was a sacred honor.
4.  Cassie accepting the nomination to run as a woman of the year candidate, becoming a voice for blood cancer awareness, standing for Kelly's life.

In Cassie's words, "Look out Colorado, we are going to Rock the Rockies.!!!."

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