NEW Breast Cancer Support Group in Utah County... Sister Survivors

For anyone who still reads this blog (sorry about the lack of posting), here is the new blog for our breast cancer support group... Sister Survivors (it's what I've been working on instead of this blog):

SisterSurvivors

That blog is updated daily - Monday through Saturday. Here is the schedule...

Monday Memoirs - writing through cancer is very therapeutic. Each Monday we'll post a question for you to think and write about. So, grab a beautiful journal and a pretty pen, and let your thoughts spill out.

Tuesday Tidings - we all want to know the "latest" news on the breast cancer front. On Tuesdays, we'll post something about research and development, or things you can do to stay healthy, or even just suggestions for getting through treatment.

Wordless Wednesday - the posts on Wednesdays will be photos. What inspires you? A cancer patient's smile, a beautiful summer morning, a new nail polish color? We'll find a picture of something beautiful to look at, and give you a treat every Wednesday morning. Want to add to the fun? Email a photo to us at sistersurvivors@gmail.com

Thursday Thoughts - This will be a day for sharing our thoughts about cancer, strength, faith, sisterhood... anything that gets us thinking and will help others. We'd love to hear your thoughts about the post, so speak up in the comments section.

Friday Fare - This is our healthy recipe day - guest blogger, Shannon Stahura, will share a yummy recipe with us each week. Shannon does a lot of research to find the best, most healthy foods to use in these recipes.

Saturday Strength - Physical exercise is so important in reaching and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is also important in healing. Look for an exercise tip here each Saturday.

It is my hope that this blog will become a place where breast cancer survivors can come together, learn things, and discuss things. I'm hoping to figure out how to put a discussion feature on the blog soon.

The new survivor group is going well, I think. We've had two meetings so far. We've had about 31 survivors show up to these meetings. After all the hard work we've done to get this up and running, it's nice to see that it will be of some benefit to others. I love the other two survivors on the board - Bethanie Newby and Colette Harris. I hope you'll take a minute to visit the group's blog.

Have a great day.

A New Group of Women...

Last Tuesday I went to the support group at the cancer center for the first time. I'm not sure why I haven't taken advantage of this before now. It's weird, really, that I've waited until right after my last treatment to start going. Hmmm. Well, I had a good time, met lots of wonderful women who are in all stages of their cancer journeys - from diagnosis to several year survivors. In a way it was hard, because it's always hard to hear about other people who have been touched by this terrible disease. Especially those who are on their second round with cancer. This is a scary thing to me. I don't ever want to have to do this whole thing again - and yet, that thought is always in the back of my mind.

One of the women in the group brought a gift for everyone. Her dentist bought, and had sent to her, several copies of a book she read in his office. I wish I had my copy here with me (I'm on vacation and the book is at home) - it's an inspirational book with lots of wonderful pictures, stories, and quotes. It was a beautiful gesture - this giving of something that touched her. I'm so glad I got a copy. I plan on sharing things from the book with you, my dear followers of this blog.

Shelly - the social worker at the cancer center - is the one who hosts this support group, and I'm really glad I met her. Early on in my chemo, she introduced herself to me and encouraged me to write about my cancer journey. It was about 2 week later that I started this blog. It has been a wonderful, therapeutic thing - writing.

I'm really glad I met all of these wonderful women. I pray that God will bless every one of them in their struggles to overcome the beast.