In Loving Memory of Courtney Clifford

In loving memory of our Court (Courtney Clifford, 1982-2011)

"Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death."

~ Unknown

Cancer stole another beautiful soul and a strong & tireless cancer advocate: Rest in peace, Courtney! We'll miss you tons... your soul & inspiration will live on!!!

Comforting thoughts & prayers for Courtney's family & friends and everyone whose lives got changed for the better just because they've met Courtney! I met Court at the LIVESTRONG summit in Columbus, Ohio, and she sure changed my life just by the way she looked at life, the way she made everyone feel better (even in tough times), and the way she faced her cancer battle head-on!

The following blog post from my friend Crissy will provide comfort & wonderful memories to those who've met Courtney (and it will probably make you smile or laugh out loud while reading). If you haven't met Court, you'll get a pretty good idea about her awesomeness =>
http://www.crispyteriyaki.com/blog/2011/02/10/courtney-clifford-1982-2011/

If you want to help honor Courtney's life + support LIVESTRONG, please consider a donation in her memory/honor and I will match it (http://philly2011.livestrong.org/henrike) ... such a small and insignificant way to honor her life, but all I can do from the other side of the pond.

Jamie's skydive (Orange ROCKS)

I met Jamie at the LIVESTRONG summit in Columbus, Ohio last year. He was one of our track leaders for the Orange grassroots and advocacy track (Orange ROCKS, Livestrong), and a constant source of energy and motivation.

Jamie's father passed away after battling brain cancer for twenty-two years. Jaime himself was diagnosed with Stage 4b lymphoma in March of 2007.

He celebrated his 2 year cancerversary by jumping out of an airplane. It's his return to life...


Watch A Journey of Hope in Aktivismus & Nonprofit | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

FIGHT ON

1 HUGE reason we'll need to 'FIGHT ON' - remember Ryan Davidson of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin: read his story here He'll be missed (and not only as the Trojan's good luck charm)!

Congratulations, Michael, on finishing your cross-country trek!

Paul Newman & Team Hole in the Wall

Actor, director, activist and race car driver Paul Newman died yesterday after battling cancer. He was 83. I really loved Paul Newman as an actor. I mean it's a rare thing for me to pretty much like every movie of an actor, but that was the case with Paul Newman, probably because he had a large repertoire of characters he portrayed: from the heartthrob to rebels to losers. Just think about his movie career: 10 Oscar nominations, 3 Academy Awards, more than 50 major roles, the list goes on and on.

He was different from so many people in the industry. He had one of those rare long-term marriages with Joanne Woodward, and once told Playboy magazine: "I have steak at home, why go out for hamburger?" when being asked about any temptations to cheat on his wife.

But most of all he had a heart for underdogs, people who are challenged by life.

His food company Newman's Own donates all profits and royalties after taxes for educational and charitable purposes (with over $250 million dollars given to charities worldwide). "Shameless exploitation in pursuit of the Common Good" is a motto more companies should follow.

Over 20 years ago, he founded the "Hole in the Wall" camps, the leading global family of camps for children with life-threatening illnesses.

I have to admit I've never heard of those camps before my friend Michael wrote about his cycling adventure. He spent a week at camp as a volunteer counselor this summer and only had great memories to share. Those children really impressed me (and I wasn't even there).

Right now, Michael is on a 3392 mile (!!!!) bike ride across the sounthern part of the US (from Disneyland to Walt Disney World). I'm pretty amazed whenever I watch the Tour de France and their 3 week race across France, but those are professional cyclists- and they have 2-3 days of rest during those 3 weeks. Now Michael and the other riders accomplish an average 106 miles a day... without any off-days to rest. Now, that's impressive!

But what's even more impressive is that he's not doing this for himself (although it's been a big dream of his and he seems to enjoy it immensely), he's doing the ride to support his mother-in-law's continuous fight against cancer and to raise money for the "TEAM HOLE IN THE WALL".

Michael's goal is to raise enough money so that 10 children will be able to go to summer camp free of charge and "be able to experience the absolute magic [he] has seen for himself [...] It is amazing what these campers accomplish in one week; just as amazing are the obstacles they overcome on a daily basis, for these children suffer from serious illnesses such as cancer, sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS, and hemophilia. Camp helps keep them going – throughout the many challenges of serious illness. "

I know I pretty much begged people to donate to the LAF through my fundraising account during the last few weeks, but if there's even a small amount of money you have left to give to an inspiring and important cause, please consider donating to the "Hole in the Wall" Camps (just click here and you'll be redirected to the fundraising page).

If you need any extra motivation or incentive, please take a moment to watch this video and/or read Michael's blog (it's worth your time, I promise- lots of inspiring stories from the road, beautiful pictures, and a guy who has a heart of gold).




Let's remember Paul Newman's legacy and follow his and Michael's example. I know some people get sick of hearing it, but I'll say it again: Children are our future and laughter really is the best medicine out there!

Stand Up to Cancer

We're spending millions and millions of dollars/euros/pounds
inventing new things to kill one another-
we need to get our priorities straight.
If we do, we can beat this!

Together, we can be the starting point to end cancer-
it doesn't take much
but we need to start acting now,
because "one day is always one day late".

Please take a moment to look at the survivors in the Errol Morris video. The extended version can also be downloaded for free on itunes.

Stigma & Silence: Global Perceptions of Cancer

One-on-One Cancer Support: Imerman Angels

Jonny Imerman was relentless in trying to talk to everyone present at the summit- and yes, I do mean EVERYONE- to the point where he almost lost his voice after the first day. Once you met him and listened to his story, you just couldn't help but be inspired by his story and the way he turned his own experience into something positive for so many people. Here's part of what he told me:

At the age of 26, Jonny was fighting cancer. Although he had the support and visits from his family and friends, he always hoped to meet a cancer survivor who had already beaten the same type of cancer in order to talk about their experiences- someone who'd just get it because he was in the same situation.

He also realized that not everyone in that hospital had visitors or even the support of their family. He went into other patients' rooms and started talking to them. He soon realized that it is a very important step of fighting cancer, to be able to talk with someone and find some kind of enouragement through successful cancer survivors. If they saw and talked to people who were in their shoes and made it, that would be a huge inspiration for them in their own fight.

Instead of going back to his regular life after surviving cancer, Jonny went to work and founded his own not-for-profit organization, called Imerman Angels. Basically, they connect cancer fighters with cancer survivors who have beaten the same type of cancer, so that this one-on-one interaction gives the fighter the chance to ask questions and receive personal encouragement from someone who's "uniquely familiar" with that situation. They also connect caregivers, so that the families and friends of a cancer fighter can talk to other caregivers who will get what they're going through because they experienced the same struggles, fears or challenges.

Based in Chicago, the organization connects cancer fighters and survivors as well as caregivers throughout the US and even worldwide. Sometimes they pair up people from the same city, but it is more important to find similar stories, than it is to find people living in the same geographical region.

Please visit their website to find out more about the organization Imerman Angels.

Thanks for reading!

... and sometimes those who inspire us do win medals!

The men's 10k open water swimming event took place yesterday. 7 1/2 years after his diagnosis with ALL (Acute Lymfatic Leukemia), Maarten van der Weijden took home the gold medal. After his race, he said: "When you're lying in hospital, being tired and in a lot of pain, you're not thinking about next week. You're thinking about the next hour. You're getting patient, lying in your bed, just waiting. It's the same with the race strategy today: being patient, staying calm and .waiting for your chance to come."

On his webste, he's being introduced as world champion and cancer survivor- now he'll be able to add Olympic Champion. He'll hopefully continue to spend a large amount of time raising awareness to leukemia and telling his story.

But that wasn't the only story being told in this race. Thomas Lurz of Germany finished third. He didn't cry because he wanted to win gold or because he got into a struggle with the Brit and thus lost a few seconds . He cried because he was thinking about his dad Peter (German coordinator of long-distance swimming) who died of a heart attack during a cycling tour last year. Thank you for an exciting race and showing us that some things are more important than winning.

Sometimes it doesn't take a gold medal to be a real champion!

Natalie du Toit was a very promising talent in South Africa's swim team, training hard to make it to the Athens Olympics. Those plans changed abruptly in 2001, when she had a terrible accident with her motor scooter, which resulted in the doctors amputating at the knee.

Did that stop her Olympic dreams- not even close. She had a sensational comeback in both disabled and able bodied swim events and qualified for the Beijing Olympics. She carried South Africa's flag during the opening ceremony, and finished the 10k open water swim event on Wednesday 16th (after having some problems with her cap and thus skipping drink stops).

She wasn't satisfied with her result, but already plans to be back at the 2012 Olympics in London. Plus, she'll compete in the Beijing Paralympics, where she's a heavy favorite, trying to defend the 5 gold medals she won in Athens.

Her coach gave her a poem prior to the accident, that didn't mean much to her at that time, but now serves as an inspiration:

"The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goals;
The tragedy of life lies in not having goals to reach for.
It is not a disgrace not to reach for the stars,
But it is a disgrace not to have stars to reach for."

A great motto to live your life. Natalie is a true inspiration as an athlete and a survivor, showing everyone that you don't have to be treated differently just because you're different in some way. Please visit her website to read her story and be prepared to get inspired!

Oksana Chusovitina

Oksana Chusovitina, a 33 year old gymnast, won the silver medal in the vault event final, yesterday. That's pretty amazing, when you think about the fact that her career in gymnastics has lasted for twenty years. Early on in her career, she competed for the Soviet Union and later Uzbekistan- now she's a member of the German team. The Beijing games are her fifth Olympics, she also competed in 10 World Championships and won a record setting eight World Championships on the vault.

Her son Alisher was born in 1999. In 2002, he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. She went to a local hospital and was told that in order for the doctors to save her son, she would have to pay an enormous amount of money. She didn't have the money, but she did have some contacts to coaches of a Cologne Club. With their help, prize money and donations from all around the world, she was able to send her son to the University of Cologne hospital to start treatment and Oksana started training in Cologne.

In 2006 she received the German citizenship and started competing for Germany.

Not only is she the oldest female gymnast to ever win an Olympic medal, she's also a very inspiring person. She recently said in an interview that she planned to continue competing in the vault events and I hope we'll hear a lot more from this remarkable athlete and strong women!

Robert Müller

He's one of the best hockey goalies in Germany, has been one of the goal tenders of our national team at the world championships in Canada, and led the Cologne Sharks to 2nd place in the German league last season.

28 yearl old Robert Müller is also a husband and father and a brain tumor survivor. He had a successful brain surgery two years ago, returned to professional sports and made a sensational comeback only 2 months after his surgery. However, he was aware of the fact that cancer never leaves you completely.

Now, the Cologne Sharks announced that Robert will be back in hospital and is scheduled for another surgery on Monday to remove a tissue sample.

Our national team coach Uwe Krupp said it all: "He's done it once, now he'll need to cross the hurdles once again. With his attitude, he'll make it!"

3X Young Adult Cancer Survivor & friend nominated for Glamour’s woman of the year

"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional!"

My friend Rachel Baumgartner Lozano made the top 5 of Glamour's "Woman of the year" award. She's a 3-time survivor of Askin's tumor of the spinal cord (a malignant sarcoma that is a small-cell tumor of the soft tissues in the thoracopulmonary area). The doctors' prognosis after her relapse weren't very good (what an understatement). Quite honestly, she was given months to live. Everyone else who ever had Askin's Tumor and relapsed after a transplant had died within weeks. Click here for more of her story!

People say that there are 2 ways to react once you got diagnosed with cancer:

1. survive and then try to ignore you ever had cancer and try to live your life just like you did prior to the diagnosis
2. fight like hell, survive, and then become active in the fight against cancer. Telling your story so that others can benefit from your experiences, advocate on a local, state or national level to improve cancer research and early detection, etc.
   

Obviously, Rachel chose the second option. Not only did she survive (which is a miracle all in itself), she became actively involved in seven cancer charities. Rachel is an advocate and a great role model for young adult survivors and warriors, an artist, a university student following her dreams (Yahoo!) and just a very inspiring young woman. There are still lots of ups and downs emotionally and psychologically and physically, I won't tell you her life is a piece off cake now that she's a survivor, because it's not, but does she ever impersonate the quote mentioned above.

Rachel is an advocate for the LAF (she was invited by the LAF to be one of the two delegates from the state of Missouri in May 2007 to address members of Congress in support of increased funding for cancer research), she started her own blog after attending the 2006 summit in Austin: http://iamobsessedwithlife.blogspot.com and recently, she served as an honorary ambassador for The Wellness Community walk.

If you know anyone who might like to vote for her, please pass along the link- and don't forget to vote right now. You can vote for her once a day:
https://secure.glamour.com/magazine/sweeps/woman_of_the_year_2008/entry/long/

From one hypothyroid girl to another: You ROCK, Rach, and I'm glad to know you. Even though you couldn't make it to the summit this year, we'll meet some other time!

Back from the LIVESTRONG summit

After getting back from Columbus on Tuesday, I had some minor problems (most of them due to the high humidity and my thyroid issues), but I'm doing okay now, so no worries.

First of all, I can't tell you how amazing the summit was. Not only because we got to hear some amazing speakers and had some good training sessions, but most of all because of the other delegates and their stories. Even prior to the opening reception, I met some very inspiring people- most of them cancer survivors, but some co-survivors and care-givers, too. The stories all sound familiar in some way, but they're also very unique in other ways and sure broadened my "cancer horizon".

It was amazing to meet so many people that I only knew from other blogs, websites or forums. Some of them even happened to be on the same track as I was. Just to mention a few people: L, Sarah, Gail and Ang (fellow crazy sexies)- it was absolutely amazing to meet you all. I know we all wished that Callie could have been there with us, but you all are amazing women. Your stories, your strengths and weaknesses inspire me on a daily basis, you're not pretenders, but the real thing and I appreciate that. I'm so glad I got to meet you in person and share a wonderful experience and quite a lot of smiles!


I also (finally) got to meet my truely wonderful friend Kate. I got to know her through some blogs and it's funny that we considered ourselves "friends" even before we met- guess in this electronic age, things like that just happen. Kate is the local LIVESTRONG Army leader of Utah, and also helped me with a couple of blog problems and fundraising (even though she probably would say she didn't do much- wrong, she's amazing and a true friend). We met at the reception, but when we went back to the hotel to change into the "vote yellow" LAF shirts (did I mention we were roomies?), there were all these cute little gifts she brought me from Utah, including a lovely necklace, some fun t-shirts and some sweets/honey/salt from Utah. I brought some small gifts, too, to thank her for all her help over the years, and fortunately had the right idea, cause she really liked my German Gnome and the LIVESTRONG Army Utah bag I made for her. Yep, that's the gnome in the picture...


I also got to meet Scott (fellow mentor and LIVESTRONG Army leader), Brian Dowd (cancer advocate and fundraiser), Dee (a fellow LIVESTRONG Army leader), Christina (Greater Miss Las Vegas and fellow LIVESTRONG Army leader), Sarah (a LAF grassroots coordinator)- the list really goes on and on, so don't be mad if I didn't mention your name ;-)

Oh, and definitely one of the highlights of the weekend: meeting Doug, the LAF's president, fellow cancer survivor and soccer player! I know there were a lot of people who were a little star-crazed over getting to see Lance Armstrong, getting a picture or an autograph. Well, that's not really my thing, but meeting Doug was really special. Every time he went on stage and talked about fighting cancer you just felt that he's really passionate about it and in it to win... also, he wasn't afraid to wear a yellow tie (not like some other people I won't mention here).

I met Doug at the Columbus Zoo dinner and he was kind enough to talk to me for a few minutes- mostly about the new ideas to take the Livestrong idea and movement and apply those strategies and some programs internationally. Hopefully I can make a tiny impact in helping them build a stronger base in Europe by forming a LIVESTRONG Army Europe. Apparently, someone standing very close made a rather funny comment, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it was ;-)


With all those amazing people I met, there are also a few people who were planning to attend and had to cancel at the last moment - all had some pretty good reason to cancel. But we missed you, anyway: Rachel, Michael, Patricia, Callie. You all ROCK!!!

More on the summit to come soon- so check back! And thanks for reading!

Right here with you

Two of my favorite singers, both cancer survivors and very much active in the fight against cancer, Australian superstars Olivia Newton John and Delta Goodrem teamed up for this song, that I meant to post for quite some time. Today, I listened to Delta's most recent album - and remembered the video.

Delta, now aged 24, is a Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor and Olivia is a breast cancer survivor of 15 years. The song is a contribution to Olivia's fundraising event called "The Great Walk to Beijing", an amazing event that challenged participants and supporters to change the way the world treats cancer.

On her website, she stated: "Olivia Newton-John and a team of celebrities and everyday cancer survivors faced one of the toughest physical and mental challenges of their lives in April 2008, trekking 228 kilometres over 21 days with the Great Walk to Beijing to raise funds for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre Appeal."

Leading to the summer olympics, it's a song to motivate and empower cancer survivors, their friends and loved ones and anyone affected by cancer. It's about the fight against cancer and remembering that we can't give up and need to continue all the efforts to win this fight in the near future.

If you missed the walk, but would like to take part in the active fight against cancer, please consider to join our team of "Cancer Warriors" for the Livestrong Challenge Austin

If you don't want to participate, but are willing to donate and make a difference in the fight against cancer, please visit my fundraising page: http://austin08.livestrong.org/henrike

Thanks for reading.

Un-(bleeping)-believable!

This was supposed to be a different post, and I know that most people who read this have no interest whatsoever in baseball, but quite frankly, this kid is amazing and it doesn't get much more inspiring than this! (Never mind that he's playing for the Red Sox, he's also a fellow capricorn and cancer survivor- how's that for similarities ;-))

Jon Lester was diagnosed with a treatable form of lymphoma in 2006, got back to spring training in 2007, and won the series-clinching Game Four for the Red Sox in the World Series. After that game, fellow cancer survivor and Red Sox player Mike Lowell had this to say about Lester:

"He’s obviously a fighter and he got presented with an awful thing and he never complained and never said, ‘Why me?’ He just went about beating it. And then to come back in baseball shape and have to develop himself as a pitcher on top of it, I’m telling you, I can’t wait to see this kid and what the finished product is because it’s going to be exceptional!"

Well, we got the first glimpse of that last night (which got me to stay up really late or rather quite early), when Jon Lester added a no-hitter to his stats. He already came close late April against Toronto, so we all knew he could do it, but to actually see him do it, watch the team and the whole crowd at Fenway cheer for him, was just a very emotional experience.

Jon Lester often said that whatever happens to him from here on out, whatever challenges he’s given, he can persevere. Let's just take that attitude and stick with it, why don't we!?

Congratulations, Jon, you're Un-(bleeping)-believable!

Cathy Bueti: Breastless in the City

"Life can be a wild ride, taking us places we'd rather not go. What differentiates us is how we handle the bumps and jolts, and what we learn from them."

I first got to know Cathy Bueti through her myspace page- we became friends through the side and exchanged comments and thoughts. When the Crazy Sexy Life Forum was introduced, I found her profile there as well, so we started communicating again. I always meant to read her book, but somehow couldn't buy it (long story), and she was kind enough to send me one.

The moment it arrived, I dug into it and couldn't make myself stop. Her story seems to be a never-ending series of challenges, starting with her dad being an alcoholic, her becoming a widow at the age of 25, and being diagnosed with breast cancer around 30. She leads us through that part of her life, about the struggles to make the right choices about her treatment options, not feeling comfortable with your own body and having low self-esteem, loosing your hair... and in the midst of it all, starting to date again. You wouldn't believe the guys she met- unless you read about it, of course. Let's just say, this book will probably make you cry at times, but it'll also make you laugh out loud when you read about experiences you've gone through, as well.

Cathy shares her own fears, weaknesses, and triumphs. The reader follows her to everything from doctor appointments and her blind dates to her first day back at work as an OT, when suddenly she is not the patient anymore.

Today, Cathy is inspiring young cancer warriors, raise awareness for Breast Cancer and is involved in the I'm Two Young For This! Cancer Foundation

If you would like to read more about Cathy, please go to her website CathyBueti.com
and check our her book!