An Unprecedented Cancer Day Of Action In The BC Legislature
                                             
               FINALLY OUR CHANCE TO HAVE A VOICE!! SEIZE IT!

  
    I have actually taken the next step to ensure that people who have, who had, who passed and people who will get lung cancer like my mom and my aunts, will still get to have a voice and purpose in this fight. I'm terrified I'll blow this chance, but I must not limit myself due to my fears, mom didn't.
 
   I will be participating in the Cancer Day of Action on May 14th 2008 at the BC Legislature in Victoria. I will be meeting with elected officials from the BC Government.
 
   The advocacy group that has taken on this mass organization of all cancer advocates is co-chaired by my mother's radiation oncologist. He invited my participation. This is a tremendous and far to infrequent opportunity to create, share and present the realities of lung cancer or any cancer on a solid platform and demand action now.
 
   If I took a rain cheque on your offer to help, I'd like to cash it in now. I may not have another chance to do this. I encourage you to join me. I'm very nervous about this big step but I need to do it. I need your help.

   I am asking you to make a personal commitment to me and mom and be there with us. You do not have to attend the event in Victoria, although, it will be a rewarding journey, you would greatly help me, and I encourage it. If it's just not possible, you can still be heard and help us in the following ways :

                     ♦   Sign up as a member of this organization online (only takes 1 minute from your life but will add precious time to the life of a person with cancer) Here you can learn more about this incredible organization and this vital event.

             ♦    Write a letter to your own MLA and MPP in your area. ( Don't live in BC or Canada? It doesn't matter.)  Write your letter addressed to the BC government. Tell them where you are from, and that you are looking to them for leadership. Let them know the eyes of the world are watching. Progress, innovation and knowledge gained here in BC does not remain just in BC or Canada. It drives a global war on cancer.

            ♦   Sign the petition I am creating one demanding the government act now to fight lung cancer.I challenge each of you to gather at least 25 signature's.  I have set my personal goal to 500.Please include the proper information required for each individual. It's asked for should the authenticity of the signature be challenged.Red Tape in other words. No info will be given to anyone outside the organization, except the appropriate government officials.

         ♦   Write a few words in a letter and share your voice or your story and add a picture. Cancer is about people not numbers.

         ♦   Get your network of family and friends to step up to the plate.
          
    Get them to participate in the same ways I have listed above. If you believe in me, if you believe that  cancer can be controlled if people take charge, I need you to show it. Control over cancer is finally being handed back to all us of. It's up to you to make the choice and take it. Even if you have never done anything like this, I  haven't.

    I'll post additional info on facebook, my blog, and website to provide further resources on how to go about this by Wednesday March 5th-ish. I will provide access to tools to help your voice be as effective as possible. Please email me using the address below.  The links at the end of this page can answer all your questions. We need every person you know to jump on board for this cause. Your small business or large company, your Work friends, life long friends, the kids friends parents from school, hockey, soccer...etc.

≈ Encourage these people to get their friends and companies involved too ≈

    Cancer affects us all. It is a great way for me to honor my mom's life. A great way you can honor those who you know who have been or may be affected by cancer in the future. Participate and leave our kids with this legacy.

This event is unprecended. It will directly affect the health care you receive,that your children will receive and the health care that your children's children receive. I know I'll hear from you. Please join my team.

    Please email me for the petition. You may send or email your story's and letters (addressed to the BC government) to me, as well as completed petition forms. I will get them where the need to be. You must include your postalcode/zipcode, province/state and country of residence on your letters, and beside each signature on the petition so I can ensure it get's to the right government representitive.

 Let's control Lung Cancer. Less Cancer. More Control. 

 Contact Me : womanofrespect@hotmail.com   (email)
                       www.hopehelps.tictacwebsites.com ( my website)
                       http://ca.360.yahoo.com/rhondamckelviefoley (my blog)

Visit the Campaign To Control Cancer (C2CC) Organization's Website     www.controlcancer.ca
                     

       Visit the Day of Action Event Page    

      www.cancerdayofaction.com

                                   
       MAY 14th 2008
      ( Making Lung Cancer History) 
               

  I was one of the most pessimistic people out there before mom was diagnosed with NSCLC stage IV  December 28th 2006. We had just buried my father 4 weeks before and my great aunt 2 weeks before that.

     I witnessed my mom's sister's battle with lung cancer 6 yrs previous, a battle which she too lost in 2000. Marking the mid point in that six years between them, my mom's other sister was diagnosed with lung cancer by accident. She was able to have it surgically removed and we are awaiting the 5 year mark.

     My mom's tumor was the size of a fist by th time they found it. A long history of chronic lung and respiratory infections weren't investigated even when treatment with antibiotics failed and failed and failed again. Mom was short of breath especially after exertion, she had lost at least 25 lbs and had terrible night sweats. Given her history and family history she should had a chest CT or at least an Xray months earlier. This would have at the very least bought her more time with us. Time she deserved every second of.

    She decided on intense treatment, to pursue the slim chance of a cure but also to add quality and time to her life. Unfortunately we were not aware just how stereotyped lung cancer was, even in the medical community. Very few people on her medical team even wanted to bother, and at many times she was treated less than humane.

    With the help of a few great DR's and other medical professionals we discovered hope in a hopeless situation. No, we weren't in denial as most seemed to think. We were keeping our eyes on the stars and our feet on the ground. We could and would NOT fit my mom, a human being, into a lung cancer template, and no doctor out there could tell us for 100% that she couldn't beat it because they just don't know. If they say they do, they are ignorant and need to down size their ego. They can say they know 99% and I would not argue. The 1% was all we needed. We would make our journey focused on the next step, not a final one.

    This was the point in my life that I learned to hope again, like when I was a child. The way my mom handled her diagnosis and treatment redefined my definition of a champion. It impacted me so much I can honestly say I still carry great hope for the lives of all lung cancer patients. Even the stage IV "don't bother" ones. I felt we were that close.

    Hope is why I blogged our entire experience and why I continue to speak of it now. I feel there were things within human control that could have been done differently, and would have made a huge difference. Why on earth would I not speak up about my concerns if they can give someone else a heads up at the beginning of their own journey, or their loved ones journey with lung cancer.

    All I can offer is my experience. Every situation is different, with different variables and complications. You cannot make decisions about your health based on someone else's case. I don't want anyone to think that. I just think the lung cancer community needs to come together and speak up more to use our collective experience to make progress in detecting, treating and preventing lung cancer. I say preventing last, not because it's less important but because it seems that most of the efforts for change and improvement with this particular cancer, are not geared toward those who fight it now.  I believe it is the people and health professionals who are fighting it now that will propel positive change in the future of lung cancer. We need to take control and demand change for the better, as individuals and as a community.

 Don't ever give up. Hope has many meanings and those meanings are allowed to change in one's journey. You are not a hypocrite if your view of your situation changes during a journey, you can still keep hope. If you decide on no treatment, you can still have hope and support from others in your community. My mom knew I would be by her side either way. My mom has passed now, and I still carry a great deal of hope. That is only one of the gifts she gave me in life. I wish to share it with you.

   I'm an everyday person, sometimes my spelling and grammar are poor, and I may not have time to edit as I don't get much time on here many days. Life doesn't wait for any of us, so live it.

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