Cancer Research Institute Partnership
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season! Over the break, we were met with a series of sicknesses in our household followed by the loss of cherished family member (Brian’s Grandma, or “Gigi” to our kids). These past couple of months have been challenging, but ultimately they make me and my family all the more grateful for the blessings we’ve received, one of the biggest being family.
All too often, we as humans can fall into the habit of taking our family for granted. (By family, I really mean the people closest to you, whether they are blood or chosen.) They are always there, so we expect them to always be there. It’s not possible to spend 100% of our time with family, but making the time we do have count is the key to ensuring you don’t have regrets, you let them know how much you appreciate having them in your life, and you create memories that will stick with you.
About 8 years ago, I was getting ready to leave my office to have lunch on the 3rd Street Promenade when my phone rang. It was my Dad. It was unusual for him to call during the work day, so I immediately knew something was wrong. I can still remember standing in my office and hearing him say, “I have prostate cancer.” My heart broke. What ifs began swimming in my head and I tried to battle them with prayers and affirmations that he’d beat this.
His diagnosis changed from “you’ll die of old age before this kills you” (lovely wording, doc) to “this is extremely aggressive, we need to get it out now!”. He had surgery followed by some traditional treatments and went into remission pretty soon thereafter. Big sigh of relief. Then a few years later, it came back. My dad participated in clinical trials and various treatment options that seemed to keep it at bay for a while. He’s definitely experienced some ups and downs with some scares in between, but as of recently his numbers are continuing to drop, closing in on remission (I pray).
My Dad is one of the main reasons I am so excited to be partnering with Cancer Research Institute. My family and I have been donating to them over the past few years, primarily because they are dedicated to funding research for immunotherapy treatments for various types of cancer. The treatment that has my Dad nearing remission again…immunotherapy.
How it works is that for each book purchased here ($24.95 + shipping), I will donate $7.49 to Cancer Research Institute. So, if you haven’t gotten a copy for yourself or as a gift for a family member, friend, mentee, etc. order from this link and know you’ve contributed to an amazing non-profit organization.
Until next time, wishing you health, happiness, and a spirit of gratitude!