Happy New Year

I wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a happy, healthy and wonderful new year in 2008.

LIVESTRONG!

- Brian Dowd

2008 LIVESTRONG Challenge Save the Date

About the LIVESTRONG ChallengeThe LIVESTRONG Challenge is the Lance Armstrong Foundation's (LAF) signature fundraising event. This annual series of cycling and running/walking events takes place in cities across the country, enabling anyone to support the LAF's mission to inspire and empower people affected by cancer. In 2008 the LIVESTRONG Challenge will take place in Portland, OR (June 29); Bay Area, CA (July 13); Philadelphia, PA (Aug 24); and Austin, TX (Oct 25 - 26). We're planning to welcome more than 20,000 participants across the country while raising significant funds for the fight against cancer. In 2007, The LIVESTRONG Challenge raised nearly $9 million dollars, and since inception in 1997, $40 million has been raised for the LAF. For more information, visit http://www.livestrongchallenge.org/.

- Brian Dowd

Cancer Killed 7.6 Million Worldwide in 2007

The following is from the American Cancer Soceity web site. Here in the US we will have an estimate 600,000 die from cancer. That is 8% of the world'd total. These are staggering numbers.

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Cancer will claim 7.6 million lives worldwide this year, and more than 12 million people will receive cancer diagnoses, according to Global Cancer Facts and Figures 2007, the newest edition to the American Cancer Society's family of Facts and Figures reports.

The report, based on data compiled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), reveals disparities in how cancer affects the developed and developing world. Infection plays a greater role in shaping cancer incidence in developing countries, where the number of infection-related cancers is 3 times higher than in developed nations.

In developing countries, stomach, lung, and liver cancer were named as the three most commonly diagnosed cancers among men, and cancers of the breast, cervix, and stomach showed up the most frequently among women. Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a type of bacteria, is thought to be a major cause of stomach cancer, whereas infection by the human papillomavirus (HPV) is known to be a strong risk factor for cervical cancer. Liver cancer is linked to hepatitis B and C infections, both rampant in Africa and East Asia. In the developed world, by contrast, the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men are prostate, lung, and colorectal, while breast, colorectal, and lung cancer were the three most common in women.

Survival rates are lower in less developed parts of the world, reflecting a lack of prevention, early detection, and treatment resources. For example, the IARC found that 5-year survival rates for children with cancer were around 75% in Europe and North America, but only 48% to 62% in Central America.

Global Cancer Facts and Figures 2007 also includes data on growing tobacco use in developing countries, warning that if current patterns continue, the number of smokers worldwide will reach 2 billion by 2030. In 2000, an estimated 5 million people died from diseases related to smoking, and of these, about 1.42 million were from cancer. Approximately 84% of the nearly 1.3 billion smokers worldwide live in developing countries, says the World Health Organization.

There are other factors at play, too. 'The cancer burden is “increasing as people in the developing countries adopt western lifestyles such as cigarette smoking, higher consumption of saturated fat and calorie-dense foods, and reduced physical activity," said Ahmedin Jemal, PhD, American Cancer Society epidemiologist, and co-author of the report.

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Access to Care Television Ad

Please take a minute to view this video!

- Brian Dowd

Pat Pedraja - CNN Heroes Viewers' Choice Award Winner

- Brian Dowd

PASSION and UPS & DOWNS

I found myself thinking of the feeling I have when watching sports and cannot help but to compare them to my cancer experience. Obviously, cancer is a horrible experience, but the feelings are comparable.

As a sports fan of basketball, football, baseball and golf I have PASSION for the game. I love these sports. When I began my fight against cancer I developed a PASSION to beat the disease. My hate for cancer and love for my life, family and friends helped me beat cancer.

I worked quickly with my doctors on getting tests, second opinions and surgery. I received 4 ½ weeks of radiation treatments (Mon.-Fri.) and worked throughout the entire process. Even when I started to get sick! Getting radiation treatments aimed at your stomach really makes you sick after a while, but throughout all the hard times I had a PASSION and determination to beat cancer.

As a sports fan we all go through our seasons filled with good and bad times (ups & downs.) One day you team is leading the division by 5 games and a month later they are 3 games back. When I was told I had cancer it was the absolute worst point in my life. There are down times in everyone’s life, but when you are told you have cancer and you are not properly educated on the disease you think of the distinct possibilities of death.

The cancer process starts off on a downward spiral and for people, like me, that are fortunate to get the treatment needed to beat cancer we start to experience good times. I am one of the lucky ones who have beat cancer.

I still have my PASSION and still experience good and bad times. I will never lose the PASSION. I have to be prepared as I still have several more years of 6 month checkups. I just got my doctors notification/reminder to make my appointment for January. I was not even thinking of it. Now it sits in the back of my mind. I always feel a little anxious when check up time comes. At least the holiday season will help keep my mind off it a little. Surely Sunday football will continue to for the next few weeks!


- Brian Dowd

Jimmy V Basketball Classic

This week I have been reminded of a great man, Jim Valvano. A hero to me and many other cancer survivors. I used to watch Jimmy on ESPN during college basketball and grew to admire him for his coaching and analysis.

This week the Jimmy V Basketball Classic has been on TV and I have been having fun watching the games and hearing how much the Jimmy V foundation is doing in the fight against cancer. I have always been a fan of Jimmy's good friend Dick Vitale. He has spent the last 14 years honoring Jimmy V. by leading the fight against cancer. He isn't "taking a TO BABY." He is non-stop and has done so much to help us beat cancer and for that I am forever grateful to him.

I still remember being a senior in high school when I watched Jimmy V. make what is now known as one of the most inspiring speeches of all-time. Please take the time to view the entire speech. I can assure you that you will be inspired.

Disney World

Well, Kristy and I are no longer the only people in America who have not been to Disney World. We returned from our trip last night and I have to admit it was like being in a dream world in Magic Kingdom and we certainly - at times - felt like kids again.

Caroline and Annabelle we both very good on this trip and I must say that Annabelle did not have any crying issues. She was the perfect baby. Everyone we talked to before and during the trip was saying, "you should have left her home so you can enjoy your time here." The good news is we did enjoy our time in Disney. The kids were great. Of course at the end of a long day Caroline would get tired, but she remained good.....with a little over tired mixed in. I am glad we took the trip.

Caroline loved the entire trip. She is already asking "when are we going back?" She got the first class treatment (hair, dress, crown and makeup) and she looked beautiful.

I was glad to see Caroline having the time of her life. She deserves it! Remember, she saved my life! Kristy and I also had a great time. Yes, it is work with a 4 year old and 9 month old, but it was not bad at all. I would certainly do it again, but next time I would stay somewhere else.

We stayed at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort and the resort looks great, but the room we had was less than standard. All other hotels I have stayed at over the years were better than this resorts room. I am going to be calling Disney to put in a direct complaint on their room and a few other issue. Definately not what we expected from a moderate level resort. Even people I spoke with on the bus over to the parks said the same thing and they stayed at the value resorts and said it was much, much better. We also ran into an issues with the dinning plan we purchased - the resort did not give us what we paid for so we ran into issues one night at dinner (very embarassing.) You would think after you pay in full for your trip in April that you would not have these issues, but we ran into them. The resort room was the only down point of the trip.

The bad room did not take away from a great vacation! The Magic Kingdom's Christmas party/parade was magical. They had fake snow and it made you feel like you were in a dream world. Just awesome!

Next we will stay somewhere new. We cannot wait to go back - maybe next year. For more photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdowdtcsurvivor/sets/72157603348209188/

~ Brian Dowd

Too Sexy For My Hair - Lori's Cancer Blog

In the beginning of the year, when I started blogging I also became an avid reader of many cancer related blogs. One of them was too sexy for my hair - a blog by cancer survivor Lori Miller. I have not read her blog for a few months as she stopped writing. I knew she was probably fighting cancer, but I did not know how bad it was.

This morning I was reading Ryan's Blog and found out the news. On October 27th Lori Miller passed away. Lori's husband, Cary, wrote a note to all of the readers of too sexy for my hair. He wrote:

"In the end, my dear wife beat her disease by simply leaving it behind––in
the words of a beloved friend and teacher, her body couldn't hold her down
any longer."

"For Lori, the pain and fear have subsided now, and in that I take
great comfort."

When someone dies we have a run of emotions. I often see people feel relief/comfort that their loved one is no longer suffering. That is exactly how I felt when my gradffather recently passed away. We all feel sad too! It sucks, but we have to keep living and never forget those we lose.

I highly recommend reading Lori's blog. She shared her experiences on some issues most people would never tell anyone. You can tell she wanted people to share in her experiences and learn along the way. Hopefully Cary will keep the blog up as I know it will make a difference in other cancer survivors lives.

Thank you for letting us share in your journey Lori!

- Brian Dowd

"YOU HAVE CANCER" - What I was thinking

One week from today I will be in Disney World with Kristy, Caroline and Annabelle. Tonight I was sitting here thinking about when I was told "you have cancer" and after I hung up the phone how many thoughts were running around in my head. My first thought was I was scared for Kristy and Caroline (Annabelle came a little later) and their future. Here are a few of my thoughts right after being diagnosed.

There were the day to day items I thought about: (just to name a few - I will list more on a later post)

• What about Kristy?
• How will she take this news?
• Did we have enough in life insurance?
• Is my health insurance enough to cover what comes next?
• How will it affect my job?
• Will I need to quit my job?
• Will Kristy need to quit her part-time job?

Then there were the future things I thought about: (just to name a few - I will list more on a later post)

• Will I see Caroline grow up?
• Will I see Caroline play a sport?
• Will I get to take to places I have never been?
• Will I be able to see her graduate high school and college?
• What about her wedding day?

There were so many things I thought of and did not know what life had in store for me. So many unknowns, but now I get to see some of them answered.

Kristy was a ROCK. She helped me get through the worst time of my life. She will never really know how much that means to me. A lot of people treated me differently after being diagnosed, but Kristy treated me the way I wanted. Like nothing happened! The worry was always there in the back of our minds, but we stayed focus on beating it.

Neither of us had to quit our jobs. Other than my time off for surgery and a week of healing (doctors orders) I never missed a days work throughout my radiation treatments. Yes I got sick towards the middle and worse towards the end - you try getting radiation treatment aimed at your stomach for 4.5 weeks :-) I thought I would not be fazed. Obviously I was wrong and I got through it!

I was lucky that my health insurance covered it all. I did not have the life insurance which was equal to winning the lottery, but it was a few hundred thousand so I was lucky to have at least that. Since my diagnosis we had a little miracle, Annabelle, which has given Kristy, Caroline and I a lot of joy since February. I have been able to watch both Caroline and Annabelle grow fast. This FALL I was able to get to see Caroline on a soccer team. I even got to see her score her first goal. I have to admit - I was one proud dad.

Now we are off to Disney World in a week. As a kid growing up, my mom, sister and I never went there. We did not have much money so we did things in the TRI-STATE area. It was always a dream of mine to one day go to Disney World and now the dream comes true. The best part about it is that I get to do it with Kristy, Caroline and Annabelle. Something tells me next week I will be a kid again and have the time of my life. Not to mention how Caroline will be living her own dream of being with the Cinderella and the rest of characters.

Just another thing checked off my "to do" list. It is my way of showing cancer I KICKED IT'S ASS!

Brian Dowd