Image taken from Blog of Dreams
And I have chosen to sponsor a blogger who picked a charity that is near and dear to my heart for several reasons.
Bug has chosen the American Cancer Society as her charity to donate all of her sponsorships too. If I were to participate in Blogathon 2006, this would be the charity I would want to raise money for. As staying up till midnight for me is damn near impossible, blogging for 24 hours straight seems a bit out of the realm of possibilities. So I’m opting for the next best thing, sponsoring a good friend, who chose the charity that would be my choice.
I cannot say enough positive things about this organization and all the good it has done, from education and research to community services and outreach. We NEED a cure for this nasty disease! BADLY. The American Cancer Society works hard to that end.
And my heart just wants to scream out PLEASE GIVE TO THIS WORTHWHILE CHARITY! I know most of our lives have all been touched at some point by cancer. We all have relatives and friends we have lost, or who have beaten it, fighting bravely to get thru the worst nightmare of their lives.
When I signed up my donation on Bug’s sponsorship sheet, there were four people who came to mind immediately. Four people that in my heart had me wanting to give so much more than I was able to.
My Mom, Dana, fought breast cancer, and had a double-mastectomy as well as a few lymph nodes removed. She also went thru a breast reconstruction surgery. This woman displayed such grace and bravery during one of the scariest fights of her life. She didn’t let it beat her; she didn’t let it scar her personality or her heart. She will struggle the rest of her life with lymphoedema, a side effect that happens a good deal of the time when lymph nodes are removed. It basically is a build-up of fluids that our lymph nodes remove for us. Instead this build-up will happen in the arm (or leg), causing swelling and inhibiting one’s ability to do a great deal of things we take for granted. She does her best to not let it slow her down and she lives life to the fullest. She continues to work, and go on trips with my father, who was by her side throughout this war with cancer, fighting with her. She is my hero, and I love her so much.
My husband, “Kevin,” as you all know, just went through a bout with prostate cancer. One of the scariest things my husband and I lived through. And yet we are well aware of how lucky he was, that number one it was caught early. Number two we had each other to go through it and number three he was able to beat it, with the grace of God, and many many prayers. Most of all, he didn’t have to go through chemotherapy and radiation treatments; those can take months and have several life changing side effects. Even without this, it was the hardest thing we have had to endure in our marriage to date.
Minerva, who writes the blog A Woman of Many Parts, this past year went through her victorious battle with breast cancer. She shared her struggle each step of the way in her blog. This brave and courageous woman stayed on my family’s prayer list throughout her battle with this wretched disease. Her struggles, her victories will stay with me always.
Kathy, my cousin’s wife and my friend, did not win the battle against cervical cancer. It took her life after a four-year battle that throughout she continued to live life to its fullest. She was in her mid forties when this rotten disease claimed her life, leaving behind two teen-age kids and a husband who loved her with everything in him. This woman touched so many lives with her grace, warmth, love and courage. She will always be missed.
These four people who have struggled with cancer are all people who have touched my life. I know all of us know of friends and family who have fought cancer. This disease has touched us all in one form of another, and we need to battle it however each of us can. This is an opportunity to give to a non-profit whose goal it is to eradicate this disease from the world.
And I’m asking, OK, close to begging all of my readers to go and sponsor Bug at An Indian Summer for Blogathon 2006. Even if all you can afford is $5.00, every dollar counts, every dollar helps! This charity, this disease, has so much personal history and emotions attached to it in my life. I know most of us have had experience in one form or another with this disease, which is why I am asking so fervently for everyone’s help.
It is along those lines that I have devised a (somewhat) contest. I could give this $30 that I’m offering up as an Amazon gift card straight to Bug, but I’m hoping it will somewhat generate more sponsorships instead. She has to date two sponsors, including me. I hope to see at least 10 more come over and sponsor her. If 10 more come and sponsor Bug, I will have a drawing with those 10 bloggers names in a hat, and draw one to receive a $30.00 Amazon e-certificate. The hitch is there needs to be at least 10 for the drawing. More would have me doing summersaults, but 10 would be fantastic! 
That means you get a tax write-off for the donation, and have the possibility of walking away with an Amazon gift card! The drawing will be done by LOL Tomboy with Kevin witnessing the drawing. The winner to be announced the day after the Blogathon ends.
I know all of us give of ourselves in many ways throughout our lives. But this is a way for Bloggers to come together and make a difference as a group. Our hobby, making a difference! I think the Blogathon has got to be one of the best brainstorms anyone has come up with, since the invention of blogging! And for those who read here at Stumbling/Grace, even if you don’t blog, if you donate, you go into the drawing as well. Every other post will be a list of those who have sponsored Bug, right up to the day of the Blogathon, July 29th, starting at 6:00 AM. Please, lets make a difference, and help to one day hopefully eradicate cancer from our lives and vocabulary.
As Bug blogs away 24 hours of her life, to help aid in the fight against cancer, I want her to know there are many people there cheering for her, and who have stood with her through sponsorship! Thank you Bug, for your sacrifice for this worthwhile charity, the fight against cancer!
Love Always,
3T
PS. Remember to drop by An Indian Summer on July 29th, starting at 6:00 AM to cheer Bug on! She will be posting every hour. Lets give her tons of comments to keep her going! Let me know in my comments that you have sponsored her, so I can add you to the list of Bug supporters.“> 
