Cleaning For A Reason

I haven't revealed much in my blog about my family. Many of my own friends don't know how my family has been affected by cancer. I lost my Uncle to Melanoma in 1992. He was only 33 at the time and I was a few days from turning 13. As I'm about to turn 31, I realize that his life was barely able to unfold. Since 1992, my family has been extra careful about the sun and we use a TON of sunscreen. I had a "rebel" phase that I went through a few years ago where I used a tanning bed, but it was so much work and my skin just doesn't tolerate it well. My skin is just naturally pasty white. In 1996, I lost my Grandfather (my Uncle's dad) to throat cancer. I was just a senior in high school and to this day, I wish I had been more proactive in getting to know him. I think there's so many things that I could have learned from him. As a kid, I just didn't realize how important it was to find out about my family history. Not too long after he passed away, my Grandmother (his wife) was diagnosed with breast cancer. My Grandmother was a very healthy woman...especially after losing a son and husband. Even though a lumpectomy was recommended, she decided to have a mastectomy instead. It was the choice that saved her life. She recovered and lived many more years after that. I currently have a great Uncle who is paralyzed from the waist down from an inoperable tumor on his spine. Watching someone fight cancer is hard. There isn't much you can do other than offer your support. It never feels like enough.

I think every one of us knows someone that has been affected by cancer both indirectly and/or directly. I received this email from my Mom. It was meant to go to a friend of mine who is currently battling breast cancer. It's about a service for women suffering from cancer. The service will clean a woman's house once a month for 4 months while they go through chemotherapy.  I forgot it was in my inbox until tonight. And tonight, I sent that email to every woman on my email list. This is exactly what the email read, including my note:
__________________________________________________________________________________
Subject: Cleaning for a Reason

Sorry for the mass email, but this is such a neat service. I think all women know someone who this could help. Please pass along if you wish to do so. I hope that 2010 has treated every one of you great so far and that this email reaches you in great health. Even though I don't see or talk to many of you often, I still think of you. Thanks for being there!

Steph

Cleaning for a Reason  
If you know any woman currently undergoing Chemo, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - 1 time per month for 4 months while she is in treatment.  
 
All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service.   http://www.cleaningforareason.org
Please pass this information on to bless a woman going through Cancer treatment. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. It's our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.
____________________________________________________________________________________

I received a reply just a few minutes later from a friend telling me that I had impeccable timing. Her mother had just been diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer. My friend lives several states a way from her mother and she said it was hard to take care of things because of the distance. She was thankful for this service because it would be one thing her mother wouldn't have to worry about while going through this.

I was truly touched that this could help someone. I know that most of you probably got the email I sent, but just in case there are a few of you who read this blog who don't know me, I would appreciate it if you could pass this on. If it helps just one person, it's done some good. Thanks so much for reading!