I met Cindy a few years ago through a friend actually a fellow Fem when I was trying to connect with a local breast cancer charity. We spoke for about an half hour and I knew that she was special. She shared her story of survival and the work that she continues to do in Miami and around the world for women affected by breast cancer. She is currently working on filming a documentary. We have been trying to meet in person for about two years but something always comes up. This year I made the extra effort to make sure that I could get to her annual fashion show at Bloomingdales. After attending Blogalicious yesterday and waking up feeling under the weather, I knew that I had to keep it moving and get my a$$ to Bloomingdales. I still haven’t given Cindy a hug in person because I had to rush off to my son’s basketball game (#momlife) but I am so glad that I made it to the show.
Cindy
The show wasn’t just fun it was educational. I learned that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. I learned that dogs can get breast cancer too. Did you know that most of the funds that are raised do not actually go to treatment or research? I also learned about METAvivor . METAvivor is dedicated to the specific fight of women and men with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. It is currently the only organization in the US dedicated to awarding annual stage 4 breast cancer research. Ironically, a friend of ours Lizzy is currently fighting metastatic breast cancer as I am learning about all of this. Lizzy is a beautiful mom of 2 that also needs our prayers and support. Her home was recently destroyed by Hurricane Irma. Her family has set up a gofundme page to assist with their unexpected expenses.
Lizzy
Throughout the fashion show, beautiful women (all breast cancer survivors) strutted down the runway. Most were moms just like us. Some were diagnosed as early as their late twenties. It was so amazing to see their strength and to hear some of their stories. It was inspiring to see them walk the runway with pride and radiate beauty. Watching them reminded me of my aunt Karen Pendergrass, who passed away at age 39 from breast cancer. She was a beautiful wife and mom of 2. She is the reason why I am so passionate about fundraising and finding a cure. I know that medicines are getting better and better but I pray that one day they really find a cure.
Yamilla
Preventative Tips
- Annual screening begins at age 40 unless your physician recommends it sooner
- Regular Exercise
- Limit Your Alcohol Intake
- Eat your fruits and veggies
- Consider taking the Brac Analysis Test
- Perform monthly self exams
- Control your weight
- Quit Smoking
Tamara & I
XO,
Sharonda
P.S.
Don’t forget to schedule your mammograms!!!!!
