Schrodinger's Cat

Help raise money for breast

cancer with Schrödinger's Cat

Admission is free April 19^th

7 to 11 Elk's Club, Epsom, NH

Free food, cash bar, raffles And lots of fun for a good cause

Mark your Calenders!

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer EXPO is coming your way!

Our annual EXPO is scheduled for Saturday, March 15th from 12 PM – 3 PM!

What can you do at the EXPO? Lots!

- Participate in a shoe fit clinic

- Learn about proper nutrition for training

- Take a yoga/stretching clinic

- Learn how to "have fun with fund-raising"

- Drop off any check donations (with coupons!) that you may have on hand

- Take part in a training walk!

And much more!

Our EXPO will be held this year at:

Boston University Fitness and Recreation Center

915 Commonwealth Avenue

Boston, MA 02215

It has been three weeks after going through my mastectomy and reconstructive surgery and I am feeling much better. I have been slowly returning to my routine but am still getting use to my new body part. I am sharing this with everyone with hopes of helping and give other women an understanding of what they might go through when dealing with a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. My breast is not as swollen and is beginning have a more defining shape. I was able to have my stitches and drain out last week. The stitches were easy but I will let you know the drain coming out was something I hope that I do not have to do again. I felt every inch of the two feet of tubing that was removed and after it was removed it burned for a minute and I could feel where the tube once was. It was not the most pleasant thing I have ever gone through and it is something I will never forget. Now that is behind me I see both my oncologist and surgeon next week to look everything over and see how I am healing. I think I am doing great but I do have a small amount of discomfort in one area that is slowly going away. Now I am going to be working on my benefit to raise money for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I will be doing the walk in Boston again this year and have to get going on this NOW! If you would like to donate to a cause to help in the fight against breast cancer please visit my home page. Your contribution will help to support medical research into the possible causes of and cure for breast cancer, education and early detection programs, and clinical care and support services for women with breast cancer in communities across the country. There is a special focus on helping medically under served women, the poor, minorities, the elderly, or those with inadequate health insurance. Please visit my home page.

Take Care,

Patty

I had a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery on Friday, February 1. I was in a lot of pain on Friday and it has slowly decreased everyday. I came home Sunday morning just in time to rest up before the Super Bowl. I fell asleep while the New England Patriots were winning then I woke upand was hoping I was still dreaming because of the score. My team the New England Patriots lost the Super Bowl what a sad moment but they are still a phenomenal team and is still a winner in my eyes! Each day after my surgery is getting better and I have friends picking Mary up to pick up to and from school. Chuck has been either making dinner or bringing dinner home. Mary who is my five year old daughter is going to be a nurse when she grows up because she tucks me in, asks me what she can do to help. She is not afraid of seeing stitches, drains and deals well with any part of the healing process. I would like to thank everyone for all the e-mails, phone calls, flowers and prayers they sent my way. It truly means a lot to me and helps me stay positive! My husband Chuck turned 46 and for the first time in our time together I did not have a present for him. I felt to awful but he looked at me and said I already have my present, "I have You". What a guy. I love him so much! Happy Birthday Chuckie...

Take Care Patty M.

How can a woman really prepare for losing a breast? Being diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time is emotionally draining. I am scheduled to have my mastectomy and reconstructive surgery on February 1st but my surgeons are trying to schedule the surgery earlier. I still am unsure of my treatment until my sentinel node and the rest of the cancerous breast tissue are tested. I am praying every day that all I need to have done will be the mastectomy. I have been snowmobiling and spending lots of time with my family to keep my mind off of everything. My husband Chuck is now a non-smoker! This is a huge accomplishment for chuck and I am very proud of him. This is truly the best gift my husband has ever given me. Tasha our new puppy is growing and bring us much joy. The cat is not too happy but hopefully will start to be more accepting but I am not holding my breath. I am very grateful for all the wonderful e-mails and phone calls I have received it means a lot to both me and my family. Let's all continue to pray for a cure!

It is never to early to join the Avon Walk for breast cancer. I asked my husband to pay for my registration fee's for a Christmas present. This year is going to be a more emotional year for my family. It is still sinking in that I have breast cancer again at age 37. I will continue to fight and look forward to the walk because it give me such a feeling of belonging. Got to the Avon Walk and register. It is a wonderful Christmas present for yourself or a friend that could join you. I hope to see you there!

Christmas is approaching quickly. One spirit of the holidays can be to provide the opportunity to give a life-changing gift. The Avon Foundation offers a Registry Tribute Fund which allows you to create your own Avon Breast Cancer Crusade or Speak Out Against Domestic Violence fund-raising web page.

This is a wonderful opportunity to have your loved ones make a donation in Lieu of receiving gifts, allows you to tell your story and why you are supporting the cause and increases the power of awareness. In the United State another person is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes. I have been struck with breast cancer twice in my life and I am only 37. Breast cancer is a fight I will continue to battle with emotionally, physically and proactively to help find a cure for this horrible disease.

Give your friends and family the opportunity to change lives and contribute to a cause close to your heart. You can be proud to know that the money raised will make a difference and support the Avon Foundation's mission of improving the lives of women and their families by eradicating breast cancer and ending domestic violence.

Take Care Patty

I was looking at different items that could help support breast cancer research. This wonderful breast cancer travel case in my opinion is so cute and convenient. This purchase will help in the efforts to end domestic violence and breast cancer. All of the net proceeds are grants through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade and/or Speak Out Against Domestic Violence programs. This is a great gift to show your support whether or not you know someone affected by these causes or not. As a breast cancer survivor I am always looking at new ways to share breast cancer awareness through gifts. Please go to the Avon Foundation and see what other wonderful gifts they have to help in the support the breast cancer crusade and domestic violence programs. Take Care

I found this article about breast cancer research and how the Avon foundation is spending the money we all raise to help in fight to find a cure for breast cancer.

"Eighteen scientists investigating novel means for primary prevention of breast cancer by studying the natural impact of pregnancy on breast tissue met at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston on Monday, November 12, 2007 to share interim findings. All are part of the unique Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Prevention Research Initiative, one of many Avon Foundation funded programs seeking new directions in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure."

I often wondered if my pregnancy had anything to do with my breast cancer diagnosis. I was 31 years old when I had my daughter Mary and was diagnosed with breast cancer at 32. I know my body went through a tremendous physical change when I was pregnant. I do not have any family history and was wondering if it was a hormonal in balance due to my pregnancy. I am glad that there has been different types of studies done to help better understand breast cancer. The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer has helped me physically, emotionally and to make sure that the money I have raised is going to help in finding a cure. I hope you find this article informative and educational.

I just turned 37 on November 3 and wanted to do something fun and different with my family. We all went rollerskating and what a wonderful time. Much to my surprise I did not fall but watch everyone fall like bowling pins! My world came falling down when I was told last week that my breast cancer might have returned. I had a perfectly fine mammogram in June and now just 4 months later there is a mass in my left breast. My right breast was removed in 2003 followed by reconstructive surgery and then chemotherapy treatments. Now I am going to see my surgeon on Thursday to schedule a lumpectomy. I am shocked but relieved that I know what to expect if the biopsy is positive. I have learned to take one day at a time and that helps both myself and my family stay positive. I am thankful to have such a wonderful group of family and friends. I am staying positive that everything will be okay but I think it is important to be prepared if it not. I have my friends at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer to help me through what ever avenue I have to go through. Regardless of my outcome I know that once a survivor, always a survivor!

Please share your story's of survival.

Having breast cancer was the hardest obstacle I have ever had to endure. There were so many emotions that a person goes through after being told they have cancer. At first I did not know what emotional path I was going to go down. My mind and body were able to find a positive path and I was blessed to spend another day with my family and friends. I refused to let the life threatening cancer take my power to stay positive. It is important to stay positive with treatment, emotions, body changes and financial stress. It took me a while to come to terms with everything that was thrown at me at such an early age. The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer helped me understand how much this disease affected so many other people. How could I feel sorry for myself when there were other individuals who have lost their lives to this horrible disease? The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer was one of my outlets to help me to completely understanding breast cancer and allowed me to stay focused on the positive things in life.

Please share what your power to stay positive is.

I was 32 years old when I was diagnosed with cancer. My daughter Mary was a year old and full of life. I waited until December 26, 2003 to have my mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. I wanted to have a care free Christmas day with my family. The next day was a grueling 14 hour surgery. My mom and my best friend Diane Lewis came to my rescue everyday. My mom took care of me and Diane took care of Mary while my husband Chuck went to work. I will never forget the day the Avon Walk entered my life. Mary and my mom were spending the day with me. The television was on and there was a familiar song that was playing "A thousand miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

Mary and I started to dance, well my arms were moving but Mary was twirling and trying to sing and I looked up and it was the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer advertisement. My mom and I cried because that song was Mary and my song from the day she was born and I said that is our song forever. I was one week out of chemotherapy treatments when I walked in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. It was the most inspirational event with a positive atmosphere and incredible energy in the air that makes you feel good. I have met so many amazing individuals that are dedicated in the fight for breast cancer. Stacey and Kayla Harwood attend the Avon Walk with my husband and I every year. Schrodinger Cat's band donates their time to raise money through their music at my fund raising party. Since 2004 I have had a fund raising party to raise breast cancer awareness and money for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer has allowed me to stay strong and I look forward to attending the walk every year. It gives me a chance to celebrate life and makes me proud to be a survivor. I will continue to do the Avon Walk until I can not do it any more.

Saturday morning began the AVON Walk for Breast Cancer. We have a lot of pictures and stories from the entire weekend to catch up on, but I want to quickly share the story that kicked off the AVON walk.

If you're not familiar with the AVON Walk for Breast Cancer, let me tell you a little bit about it. The AVON Walk for Breast Cancer is a project of the AVON Foundation, and it supports the AVON Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade's mission of advancing access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. Funds raised at the AVON New York walk will be managed and disbursed by the Foundation to support five critical areas of the breast cancer cause, including awareness and education, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment, support services and scientific research, with a focus on the medically underserved.

More that 3,900 people are involved with the walk this weekend -- the largest number in AVON walk history. Additionally, walkers raised 10.2 million dollars!

The woman who started the opening ceremonies, Cara Kealy, had an amazing story. She was breastfeeding her 6-month-old son Harrison, and noticed a lump in her breast. She was absolutely devasated to hear the news that is was cancer. With tears in her eyes, Cara looked out on the crowd and revealed, "I was only 30 years old."

She couldn't bear to imagine a world where her son would grow up without a mother. As she began receiving treatments for her breast cancer, her doctor told her that the treatments would make her infertile. Cara feels absolutely blessed that she and her husband were able to have another baby -- through adoption.

By the fall of 2005, she felt that the breast cancer was behind her. Then she started getting really bad headaches behind her right eye. The doctor told her that she had stage IV metastatic cancer.

Metastatic breast cancer is the most advanced stage of breast cancer. Cancer cells have spread past the breast and axillary (underarm) lymph nodes to other areas of the body, where they continue to grow and multiply. Breast cancer has the potential to spread to almost any region of the body. Treatment of metastatic breast cancer generally focuses on relieving symptoms and extending a woman's lifetime.

"That's it. I'm going to die," Cara thought to herself. Would her boys remember her? Today, stage IV is no longer a death sentence like it used to be. Cara wants to remind everyone that she is living with cancer -- not dying from it.

Hearing these powerful words today ... so inspirational, so real, really gives a person the strength to keep on fighting. Have you ever met anyone with metastatic breast cancer? I found this to be a really powerful story, and a really wonderful way to start the AVON event.

Zenia Alicia Celis was chosen by AVON to present her survivor story during the AVON luncheon. Since I attended the luncheon, I listened to Zenia's beautiful words and took in the story. This strong survivor stood in front of everyone and retold her story -- no matter how painful it was to relive those tough times. I hope you enjoy this touching story as it was told at the AVON luncheon.

Zenia is a survivor from El Salvador. She spoke of her three children, ages 12, 11 and 6 years old with love in her eyes. Zenia said when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer, she didn't tell everyone. When she finally found the strength to tell her family, everyone was in shock. Her friends thought she was going to die.

Zenia spoke of her confusion. More than anything she could not believe that this could happen to her. She listed the reasons why she was so shocked. She had always taken care of her health by not drinking or smoking. No one in her family ever had breast cancer. Plus, she was only 33 year old.

One fact that was reported at the AVON luncheon was that 70% of women who are diagnosed have no known risk factors. Even if you're in excellent health and have no family history of breast cancer, you can still get the disease.

Her life was in absolute disarray. Her mother had just died, she was divorced and she was a single mother. She relied strongly on her brother and sister for support. There was one person outside of her family that really supported her though. This special person was her boss. (Of all people!) Her boss went with her to talk to the doctor. She was a bit embarrassed at first, but she was thankful. Zenia was treated at the Breast Cancer Institute in El Salvador. Zenia's relationship with her boss has changed and she now views her as a second mother.

Since Zenia has conquered her breast cancer, she sees a different person when she looks in the mirror. She urges others to believe in themselves and to understand that you can fight breast cancer and survive. You don't have to believe that you're going to die.

As Zenia's story drew to a close, she thanked AVON for giving her a second chance at life. Her wish for the future is that the light in her life will light the way for others who have breast cancer. She wants to share her love of life with everyone she meets, and hopes to promote the message of early prevention and detection.