For some reason, my writing and general email-bleating begging people to help support cancer research and treatment has tapered off this year. It's not intentional. In fact, I've been festering about this for a couple of months now -- feeling a little more guilty each day because I can't seem to come up with something that's not simply a re-hash of what I've already said, or (worse, to my mind) just a regurgitation of some PMC press release.A blog update from a friend of ours shook me out of that cycle.
Dan's been going through some pretty tough rehab after his last round of chemo -- lots of nasty side effects that I won't go into here. Over the last year or so Dan's been really faithful about updating folks on his treatments, etc though an online journal via caringbridge.org. About a week ago, Dan -- almost as an aside -- stuck in a quote from "The Lorax", a Dr. Seuss book about taking care of the environment. Toward the end of the book, the narrator (called the "Once-ler") finally figures out the meaning of the word "UNLESS", that the Lorax left carved in a rock for him. The Once-ler has this to say:
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
Now, depending on your personal circumstances (where you are, how you feel, what's on your mind) an awful lot of meaning can be extracted from that one little quote:
To the Once-ler, that statement was just his (belated) epiphany that unless some cares enough to do something, the environment will never get any better...
To Dan, (I think) the quote meant that unless he kept putting in the extra effort at PT, he wasn't going to get better...
To me, that quote meant that unless I stopped stewing and started doing, my PMC fundraising for cancer research and treatment would go nowhere -- worse still, I'd be abdicating my commitment to raise awareness (not just raise money).
Soon after reading Dan's journal post, I came to the conclusion that I do still care "a whole awful lot". So here I am: renewed, back on the bike and back on the stump pleading for your support to help in the fight against cancer. I really do wish every blog post or email I write could be something entertaining and informative, but here's the thing: we still need your help, and at the end of the day if I fail to ask you for your help just because I didn't think I could be creative enough, then I've failed -- missed the forest while searching for just the right tree...
There's more good news from Dana-Farber and other cancer research hospitals every day. The unrestricted funds that the PMC provides Dana-Farber enables them to continue research for -- and delivery of -- more effective and humane cancer treatments.
You can help fight cancer with your donation by clicking here, or go to http://www.pmc.org/donation.asp?eGiftID=DM0192
Please help us.
/doug
