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Give Thanks, Give Back
 'Twas a holiday eve (which one? doesn't matter)
And a feast had been readied, platter upon platter
The candles were placed throughout every room
To warm human hearts and scare away gloom
The children were antsy, unable to sleep
Imagining gifts near the top of the heap
And Ma in Vicky's Secret, and I in BVDs
Had just cuddled up to watch Letterman on TV
When out of our widescreen there arose so much chatter,
We were snapped from our comfort by quite weighty matters
For there on the set was "The Year in Review"
Events worldwide and at home, both happy and blue
The Middle East grew far more fractious each day
And we worried about crime in a very big way
There was hunger and homelessness and worrisome gas prices
Peacekeeping problems and nuclear crises
But there was also good news and generous souls
Warren Buffet gave billions and set high giving goals
Education's improving; our kids need to know
That we're all here to help them surpass status quo
Then onto our screen there appeared a wise soul
Who said, "Don't be daunted; set one simple goal:
Sit down with your family, hone in on one need,
Then pick a pet project and do a good deed."
As Oprah reminds us, help others in need
Be thoughtful, be generous, eliminate greed
Matching passions to giving provides personal pleasure
Find joy in contributing time, talent, and treasure
We sat all a-tingle at our holiday feast
And we prayed for good health 'fore we carved the roast beast
Then we said "Thanks is good, AND we want to give back"
And we spent most of the day plotting our attack
We picked a good cause that had meaning for all
We searched on the Web and we made a few calls
We found just the thing and then outlined our scheme
Some less fortunate than us would soon realize a dream
We spoke not a word, but went straight to our work
We filled out our checks, and then threw in some perks
And driving along toward our charity of choice,
There was joy in our hearts, a time to rejoice!
The folks we helped out were excited that day
Their lives were improved, in not a small way
As for us, we exclaimed 'fore retiring that night,
"'Twas the best holiday ever; giving back suits us right."
A modern rendition reminiscent of The Night Before Christmas that Mary "Dubbie" Buckler, Executive Director of Y-ME Indiana modified from a version she received from the Central Indiana Community Foundation.
The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation would like to thank all of you who join in supporting the mission to provide information and support to those facing inflammatory breast cancer so that no one has to face this alone. Happy Holidays to ALL, and to all - You are star-bright!
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Quick Links for ibc Patients and Caregivers ...
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1-877-786-7422
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NEWS FROM THE SAN ANTONIO BREAST CANCER SYMPOSIUM
December 13-16, 2007
The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, SABCS, was held on December 13-16, 2007. This was the 30th year for this annual symposium and was attended by more than 8,000 physicians, researchers, and patient advocates; with 83 countries represented! There were many presentations and posters of interest, but one especially of value to the IBC community was the one presented on Saturday morning at Plenary Lecture 4 by Dr. Robert Carlson representing the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, www.nccn.org.
The NCCN Guidelines are updated annually. In the latest update for 2008 Breast Cancer Guidelines, there is now a specific Guideline for Inflammatory Breast Cancer. At the SABCS it was announced that the updated Breast Cancer Guidelines would be online at www.nccn.org this week including that for IBC.
On behalf of ibcRF,our executive director Ginny Mason, has been working with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network for past two years impressing upon them the importance of a specific IBC guideline. Having NCCN develop a treatment guideline for IBC helps establish that IBC is an individual disease, not just a subset of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC.) This change will have impact beyond just treatment (although that is important.) We learned that this distinction for IBC will have positive impact for new drug development. For too long, IBC has been over-looked in clinical trials and lumped with locally advanced breast cancer. The NCCN guidelines are also used in the education of medical students, so this new guideline will have an impact on the education of those coming out of medical school now.
Ginny Mason and Owen Johnson, President of ibcRF, were invited to a private NCCN luncheon on Friday, December 14th, where the first announcement was about the new IBC guideline. Dr. Carlson gave Ginny a "Thank You, Ginny" for her persistence.
A big thank you to the Breast Cancer Committee for NCCN for listening to the pleas of the advocacy community!! |
The slide show for NCCN presentation at SABCS on the new 2008 Breast Cancer Guidelines may be viewed at:
http://tinyurl.com/yqyfjf
Click on Presentations, Day 3, Plenary Lecture 4
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Reflections from our Volunteers
Back nearly ten years ago, I met Lee Smith via the internet site. Along with Marilyn Kirschenbaum, the three of us became fast friends. In fact, we decided to spend part of the 2000 Christmas holiday with each other.
Lee and Marilyn met me at the airport with flashing red noses and reindeer ears. This was going to be a great three days.
Among other things we did, Lee took us to see the hospice she had chosen. It was a lovely place but very hard to know that Lee was planning for her death even as she valiantly fought to live. As part of our gift exchange, Lee gave us a pin from her hospice.
Fast forward to Thanksgiving 2002. Lee was desperately ill and in the hospital in Ottawa. I put her hospice pin on my coat and went shopping with my sister, Claire. It was Black Friday and we traditionally spend the day at the outlet mall.
I kept feeling for my pin, afraid that I might lose it and wanting to feel a connection with Lee. As Claire and I were leaving the bookstore, our last shopping site of the day, I reached up and felt for my pin. In that instant I knew Lee had died. It was 6:10.
Lee died at 6:10 on November 28, 2002
It was an amazing gift. I felt like she'd come to kiss me goodbye. I am thankful forever and thankful for it.
Rita Kate VanOrsdal
Vice-President, ibcRF
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Kathleen Livingston, Volunteer
Named to NBCC Board
The National Breast Cancer Coalition Board met and voted on new Board members. ibcRF received a unanimous favorable vote and will "have a seat at the table" on the NBCC Board starting in Jan. 2008!
Kathleen Livingston will serve as the primary Board member, with Ginny Mason serving as the alternate. Both will attend the first Board meeting of the year, Jan. 27 & 28 in Washington DC. Congratulations Kathleen and thank you for your hard work on behalf of the ibcRF! |
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Update of ibcRF Brochures
Since its beginnings in August 1999, the IBC Research Foundation has relied upon its tri-fold brochure to help educate the public about IBC. With the help of volunteers all over the globe the brochure has found its way into a variety of settings. Folks enclose them when paying bills, leave them along with a tip in a restaurant, put a stack in their local gym or beauty shop, fill the brochure rack in their doctor's office or mammogram center;...and the list could go on and on!
Periodically the IBC Research Foundation Board reviews the brochure and makes changes to update the information and to address common questions. A number of changes are evident in Version 6, which arrived from the printer earlier this month. One panel contains "Thoughts from the IBC Community". Here you'll find comments from patients, a caregiver and various medical professionals. The "Frequently Asked Questions" page has been updated with a few minor changes for clarification.
We decided to go back to a white background with black and red print, using some shades of red for contrast. As before, the front panel shows the ibcRF logo and the reminder "You don't have to have a lump to have breast cancer", boldly printed at the top of the panel.
Becky, our web-wizard, is working to put the new brochure onto the website in place of the previous version so it can be printed on your home computer. Quantities of the brochure can be ordered from the website or by contacting our literature volunteer, Rita Kate. (information@ibcresearch.org). While we don't sell the brochures, we do suggest a donation of 15 cents per brochure be made to help cover the cost of shipping and printing.
Thanks to all the volunteers who have helped raise awareness of IBC by sharing brochures and bookmarks. People ARE reading and learning! | |
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