Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Dust off your Soapbox

We all have at least one cause, thing or subject that we are passionate about. Today we will dust off our soap box , climb up on it, stand tall and give our passion a voice. We will write about the thing we are passionate about and then we will write about WHY we are passionate about it. Explain your reason. This will help clarify and it will also help you articulate your passion the next time you have a real opportunity to stand firm and have courage of convictions. Hmm..and one more thing..if you are REALLY that passionate about it (whatever it is).write down what you are doing to help the cause. Nothing you say?..then brainstorm and come up with at least one thing you can do because every voice and person counts.

Have a fantastic day!

Susan

2 comments:

  1. I am Passionate about SEPTEMBER GOLD!

    Did you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? Did you know that GOLD is the Awareness Ribbon? Not Support the Troops Yellow (which I do and is another passion) but GOLD. Children are Golden.
    Did you know that there are 12 cancers that are specific to children only? Did you know that according to the National Cancer Institute (from 2007 mind you, because they can't spend the money on a more recent survey) that 10,400 children per YEAR are diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 1 and 15. Then there is a whole other group aged 15 through 29 called the "yound adult cancers" that know one has even heard about.
    The American Cancer Society is the worlds wealthiest NON-Profit organization. The CEO of ACS made over $900,000 last year in salary. From all the funds collected last year for the ACS, only 16 percent went to direct cancer care. Isn't cancer suppose to be their main focus?
    St Jude's Children Hospital is a wonderful RESEARCH hospital for numerous ailments of children. However, they will NOT accept you for anything related to childhood cancer once you have been treated for cancer at another hospital. Yet, they tote they'll help any child, even if they can't pay for the care. I know of children who lost their battle to cancer...their parents begged St Jude's to help them.
    The National Cancer Institute is way off on their projections from 2007. Because we know that Childhood Cancer is on the Rise...quickly and steadily. We know that by the year 2020, that one in every ten young adults will be a Childhood Cancer Survivor.
    In June 2004 when my daughter was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma..within a 3 month window, there were 9 other families diagnosed with a form of childhood cancer that we became friends with. My child is the ONLY one still alive. Why? I don't know why. I don't know how or why she got cancer to begin with.

    Parents should not bury their children, especially from a disease that gets little attention from the world in regards to their future, doctors, lawyers, mothers, fathers and buisness leaders.

    My advice to you is not to give your money to the BIG boy/girl organization...but keep your money at home. Help those in your own community. That is why I support through volunteering and financial donations, Columbus Golfers Against Cancer (focus is Osteosarcoma Research), Project Ed Bear (Akron Children's Hospital), Cassidy's Hope Foundation (Akron/Cleveland area) and morethanacure.org (spritual and emotional support). I've started petitions for a childhood cancer awareness postage stamp 3 for three years,to get turned down. But Elvis and Hello Kitty have had stamps during that time. I belong to online support groups for newly diagnosed families. I've been involved in a documentary on childhood cancer that will be released this year. And...I will talk to anyone that will listen about my passion for this cause.

    It's more than caring about children...it's about the injustice to these children and their families that know one is paying attention.

    Climbing down now...on to the next person who has a few minutes to get enlightened on Childhood Cancer.

    Remember to wear GOLD in September!

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