52 People You Need To Meet

With 2013 drawing to a close, I have been wondering what I can do to make 2014 really stand out as a year we draw attention to brain cancer. My son was diagnosed in 2010. He passed away in 2012. And here we are, almost to 2014, and virtually nothing has changed. I mean, I know that my circle of friends is hyper-aware of brain cancer now, but the world at large still isn’t. No new treatments have come along that are helping patients beat this disease. Even today, a little boy is being laid to rest from “Stage 3” brain cancer. I know all cancers are bad. I know. But it is somehow more insidious when it is in their head. When it can’t be touched by surgery or most other treatments. When you can’t see it growing, but it is killing you all the same. I can think of few things more horrible than brain cancer, and since it is the one I’m most acquainted with, it is the one I’m charged with changing. So back to my pondering… How do we make a difference in 2014?

The first thing is make a more regular effort to bring awareness. As you can tell from my posts, I don’t feel inspired to write blog posts every day. Regular posts, however, are the best way to keep brain cancer awareness as a “top of mind” topic. So I had an idea. Why not get some of my friends to help by writing guest posts? It occurred to me that in my caregiver support group, we have over 200 people, so even if they were the only ones who responded, we could fill each week with people to spare. I tossed the idea out to them and the response was overwhelming! So we are on!! Each week in 2014, we will share something with you from this writing prompt:

“What I wish I knew before my_____ was diagnosed with cancer.”

It might be their husband, daughter, best friend, or cousin. It might even be someone they never met!  We want to raise awareness for brain cancer research, but in the process, we think these stories can give families and friends the tools they need to fight together as a team. To ask the right questions. To offer the right comfort. To be on fire for a cure.

These people are all passionate about helping others and raising awareness for cancer research. There will be at least 52 different people with different perspectives who have a message for you. I’m really excited to see what 2014 will hold! I hope you will join us on this journey, and share these posts with your friends.