May 5, 2007

Last week I had an awesome opportunity, as a member of the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, to participate in their 2007 Annual Advocacy Conference and Lobby Day. From April 28th to May 1st, over 600 breast advocates from the United States and eleven other countries convened in Washington, D.C. for the NBCCF conference. It was amazing, for the first two days, we attended meetings and workshops were we were educated about breast cancer and walked away knowing how to be more educated, informed and better advocates for breast cancer. The women I met there were amazing. They were filled with such passion for the cause… The men were too. At the conference, I met my first male breast cancer survivor. On Monday, as we walked the halls of Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and their Staff, lobbying for support for key breast cancer and health legislation, I walked beside women – survivors and those who had been affected in some way - who were fully informed, doing something with that information and utilizing their personal power; that had a tremendous impact on me. They were so strong and purposeful. Each had a personal story of triumph. Members of NBCCF held over 400 meetings. At the end of the day, the reward was the addition of 49 new House Members and 10 new Senators committed to co-sponsoring one of NBCC’s top legislative priorities – The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act. This is how people change the world – by each of us taking up a cause and making a difference – one word at a time, one step at a time, and one day at a time – together. People often ask me, “What do you think you’re trying to do, save the world?” And I tell them “Yes”. Then they say, “Well, you can’t do it all.” And my response is, “No, but I can do the best that I can do; and if we all work together, we can make a better world.” Each of us, whatever strikes our fancy, whatever our gifts are, challenges, hopes and dreams, we can make a difference, and not in an esoteric sense, but in a real sense. If you do the thing you feel most passionate about, that feeds your authentic soul and brings you true joy, and you do it well, you are creating a better world - whether it is painting, gymnastics, writing, building, fighting heart disease, lung cancer or just being a good daughter, son, mom or dad. Do what you have to do, be informed, put your heart into it and do it well; that passion can and will create change. For me, what was personally touching about the days I spent with the NBCC was that it was a year ago, that week, that I had one of my first chemotherapy sessions. The session was on April 28th, to be exact and my birthday was the following Saturday, May 6th. It was one of the worst weeks of my life in many ways, and on my birthday, I felt horrible. I could barely sit up straight. Now, only a year later, I spent 8 or 9 hours walking around on my own two feet, with vigor, all over the Capitol, lobbying for legislation that might eventually help to eradicate breast cancer. The next weekend, on my birthday, I was awakened with a kiss by the sun. I opened my eyes. The room was filled with light, bright and warm. I felt like a thousand angels were surrounding me. I thought of my grandmother who had passed a few months ago and said out loud, “It’s my birthday Granny. I know you’re here and I love you.” A year had passed and that other birthday was long behind me, but I didn’t want to forget it, lest I forget to be thankful and grateful for my life and for all of my experiences, the good, the bad and the ugly. Anyway, I lay there with tears of joy in my eyes and thanked God for his wonders. Later that day, my daughter, Noelle and I were at the finish line of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, where my Cousin Desepe Vargas walked 26 miles for me, Noelle, her daughters and all the women and men who will be affected by breast cancer this year. When she crossed the finish line, Noelle and I ran to hug her. We hugged and cried, so grateful that we were there together, with all the other thousands of women, alive, fighting this thing, making a change. It was the best birthday. It was a wonderful week and it is a wonderful life. That is why it is so important to use yours, so that we keep it that way. Remember, a woman is diagnosed every three minutes; and this year alone, over 40,000 women will die. Get off your butt and do something. Love ya, Maimah