I stopped off at the memorial garden for Squint the other day. I have been thinking about Squint (Squinternet Larnia of Donna Flora) a lot lately. I agreed to organize Fashion For Life, the fashion fundraising event for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. I am sure I was asked because of my role organizing Love Donna Flora on her behalf last year. Like most of us, cancer has impinged on my life in many ways and continues to do so.
Right now, my niece is struggling with a particularly virulent form of cancer that has her driving 340 miles to the Mayo Clinic several times a month. A friend and former colleague is flying from Portland to Philadelphia for an experimental cancer vaccine treatment. Who knew cancer came with frequent flyer miles? Another friend’s father just learned Monday that his prostate cancer has not responded as they has hoped and he must try another treatment regimen. Last month yet another cousin died of cancer and I won’t even begin to count the losses in my extended family. My cousins number in the hundreds – so yeah, I don’t even want to start counting.
I do not know how senior citizens do it. I am far away from that demographic and already my calendar is changing from one that was almost nothing but birthdays and wedding anniversaries to an ever-growing collection of anniversaries of loss. And too many of those losses are due to cancer.
That is just one of the many reasons why I support Fashion For Life and through it, the American Cancer Society whose programs not only research better treatments, but advocate for prevention, early detection, provide support to people living with cancer all while focusing on the long term goal of ending this global scourge that takes over 8 million people a year. Whether as a designer or a shopper, you can make a difference. Please go to the Fashion For Life web site and mark your calendars for June 7th – 20th.