I was able to dig up the pictures of mom and I in the Guildas Club Fashion Show from 2008! The theme was "Surviving in Style"- and mom was a perfect example of what it looked like to survive in style- complete with her tossing her wig out to the audience at the end of the catwalk. I love looking at these photos for so many reasons. All the preparation that went into this fashion show- weekly meetings- trying on the outfits, practicing our "walk" - getting our hair and make up done on the morning... and even considering buying these crazy dresses (Mom contemplated wearing hers to my wedding, haha- and I wasn't going to stop her.- She actually wore an equally bright dress- but in blue).
I love that ovarian cancer brought out a side of mom we may not have otherwise seen. Mom was always philanthropic- but as soon as she got her diagnosis- she raised the bar- joined things like Guilda's Club, started a team for the annual Swedish Hospital charity run (Summerun), supported more friends and foundations by attending benefit luncheons, and just being a positive person that others could lean on when they were faced with tough news. She was (and still is) such an inspiration.
As I reflect back on what Ovarian Cancer has means to our family- I am flooded with emotions. Ovarian Cancer is a sneaky one- that has affected our family in many ways. Moms cousin died shortly before mom was diagnosed.. with ovarian cancer. Her sister tested positive for carrying the gene mutation known to cause ovarian cancer.. did you know they can test for these genes now? I ended up getting tested as well- and came back negative for carrying the gene mutation. Did you know ovarian cancer and breast cancer are linked by a genetic mutation? (
Moms mom (Grandma Nancy) died of breast cancer- her mom also died of breast cancer.. This cancer card has brought our family closer together in many ways as well- opening up communication lines between distant cousins and relatives- and spending quality time together as the disease slowly took over mom's life.
Today- on Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day- let's educate ourselves and be aware of the (sneaky) symptoms..full article here:
With early detection (before the disease has spread beyond the ovaries), the chances of surviving ovarian cancer are greater than 90%. Unfortunately, early detection is rare -- occurring in only a quarter of all cases. That's because, unlike breast cancer, ovarian cancer has no distinctive early warning signs. Its symptoms are often dismissed or mistaken for those of many other conditions. They can include:
- Abdominal pain or pressure
- Bloating or discomfort that continues and gets worse
- Painful intercourse
- Nausea, indigestion or gas
- Frequent urination, constipation or diarrhea
- Vaginal bleeding other than menstruation
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Difficulty breathing
Cheers to Mom! She would be so happy to know that we are paying it forward by spreading awareness and living life to its fullest!
And just on that note- it was so cute.. I have been talking to Dyllan about her Grandma Kerry (on a regular basis)- she knows that Grandma Kerry lives in heaven, in the clouds, she knows that Grandma Kerry can see her, she knows that Grandma Kerry is an angel who has wings and can fly around.. And yesterday when I was telling her that it was a special day to celebrate her Grandma Kerry.. she asked me if she could put her wings on and fly to the clouds and see Grandma Kerry in heaven. Its hard not to tear up when we talk about these things.. but its important for Dyllan (and Ellie) to know as much as they can about the most special mom in the world and for her to continue to be a big part of our lives.
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