Becoming a Sponsor

Going through my daily website rounds, facebook, gmail, uvlink, ksl, I came across the story of Maddie Slaughter. I have seen her in the news before.

From diagnosis, it took Maddie's cancer less than one year to claim her life. This makes me believe that there is something that needs to change about our outlook on cancer. I have to admit, that I was one of the ignorant people that see cancer as a 'old' person disease and it becomes their way of dying. I didn't think I would be sitting in the waiting room of the oncology clinic at Huntsman Cancer Hospital. Cancer was something foreign to me.

After thinking of the steps that some people have taken to fight this disease, I think of all Lance Armstrong Foundation, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Huntsman Cancer Foundation, National Foundation for Cancer Research, and many others. Where would all these Foundations be without the generous donations of people affected by cancer.

Lance Armstrong Foundation was donated one million dollars and one million LiveSTRONG wristbands by Nike. It was an instant success to raising money for the new foundation. When I saw the bands I thought that everyone was jumping on a bandwagon of fashion. There was no emotional connection to the cancer patients that would benefit from the sale. My ideas have since changed. Not every person that I saw with one of them I actually spoke to. I didnt know their reasoning for wearing it.

After finally tracking down the location for the bands, RadioShack (Lance's Bike Sponsor), I bought one for me and Jacqui. We wore them every where. Everyone asked me what they could do to support me. I have heard numerous times, 'If there is anything that I can do, tell me.'

I have something for everyone to do. Buy a LiveSTRONG, Breast Cancer, or AIDS/HIV wristband. Its a small contribution($1-$5) that you can make to help move along the research to find treatments and preventions. Please do not stop there. Wear it. Remember everyone that has been affected by cancer. In the US, there are 7,000 new cases of TC every year. That is small in comparison to breast cancer. 1.3 MILLION WOMEN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER WORLDWIDE THIS YEAR. The numbers are too numerous to add for HIV/AIDS. We need to help find a cure. By wearing the wristband, you show the emotional support that every cancer patient needs, no matter the severity of their cancer.