My name is Kim. I’m a 40 year old married mother of two beautiful children. I dedicate this site to them and their healthy future. I have had breast cancer and because of early detection and excellent medical care, I was cured. Not everyone is so lucky.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation inspires and empowers people affected by cancer through their SurvivorCare program and the LIVESTRONG Resource for Cancer Survivors, their support of scientific and clinical research and their national advocacy initiatives.

Consider this:

* 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime
* 3 out of 4 families will help care for a family member with cancer
* More than 10 million people in the U.S. are currently living with cancer
* 560,000 people in this country will die of cancer this year
* 1/3 of these deaths could be avoided by applying what we already know about preventing and treating cancer (if only we spent the money to screen and treat those who fall through the cracks). It is just plain wrong that people are dying of cancer because they didn’t have the money to be screened.

What can you do? One of three things. Just one!
1) Live
2) Act
3) Give

LIVE: Have you had cancer? Do you know someone with cancer? Just be there for them. Offer your support, love, encouragement, quiet presence or share your story. Attitude is everything! How do you LIVESTRONG??? Check out the LAF website for amazing survivorship materials available for free to anyone. Make sure everyone you know who has cancer has access to these resources!

ACT: Be an advocate! You don’t have to go to Washington DC to make a difference! Please, please join the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LIVESTRONG army by going to the LAF website and providing your contact information. Please, if you do nothing else, just join. Watch the videos which are incredibly moving. You will be notified about important votes in Congress which will impact this disease and you can make a difference just by hitting the “send” button. Your vote is the most powerful tool you have to offer to make a difference and while it is free, it is priceless. Ask your elected officials and presidential candidates where they stand on the cancer issue! We need to fund a cure for this nation’s biggest killer!

GIVE: If you can or feel moved to go that extra step, go ahead and give a financial donation to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. While I don’t like to ask for money, I would be honored to have your participation in my personal fundraiser for the LAF. I am registered to run the Chicago Marathon on October 7, 2007 on behalf of the LAF and I have committed to raising $3500. This is a big step for me having never run a marathon before! If you would like to make a tax deductible donation please visit my personal fundraising website and make an online donation (Just click on the link at the right of the screen entitled “Chicago Marathon for LAF”). Thank you so much in advance!

LIVESTRONG,
Kim