40 Years and Counting

Blood cancers do not discriminate. They do not care about your age. They do not care about your gender. They do not care about your socio economic background. They do not care if you're a republican or a democrat. They do not care if you're gay or straight. They do not care about your race. They do not care if you are fat or thin. They do not care if you eat organic, vegan recipes or junk food. They don't care what language you speak or where you come from on Planet Earth.

There is absolutely nothing you can do to prevent leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. Anyone of any age can get blood cancers. I have seen newborns with leukemia. I have seen serious healthy athletes with lymphoma (my husband). I have seen rich people die of blood cancers and I've seen poor people die of them. I have witnessed first hand as people of all kinds of backgrounds suffer through the hell and torment of blood cancers.

For 40 years, I have been opening my mouth and my pocketbook to fight these diseases. The good news is that although I've been to way too many funerals, I have also been a witness to the incredible advances in treatments for blood cancers. Since 1977, when I first saw childhood leukemia as my baby brother fought for his life at Texas Children's Hospital, I have seen as the statistics changed from 90% chance of dying of childhood leukemia to 90% chance of living.

So, I am tired. But I gain strength when I see the graphs. I gain strength when I meet survivors. This gives me hope that my 40 years of warfare against blood cancers has been worth it. I have incredible hope that a decade from now, we'll see even more improvement.

However, if you are depending on the federal government to fix our cancer crisis, you will be greatly disappointed. Researchers work diligently to develop therapies that are less toxic and more effective for cancer patients, but some of them are at a standstill as funding runs dry. Thankfully, good hearted people donate to organizations like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). I am very careful about which charities I promote. I know the LLS and have been fundraising with them since 2004 when my own husband's blood cancer went into remission. Not long after, my mom told me that the LLS (which in 1977 was called the Leukemia Society of America) helped pay for my brother's chemotherapy. So, this organization has been a personal friend of mine for 40 years. They fund researchers who are developing therapies to save the lives of the millions of men, women and children who are diagnosed with blood cancers.

Every 3 minutes, another person in America hears the ugly words "you have blood cancer". It is always quite shocking. There are no screenings for blood cancers and there are no preventative steps you can take. It is very often diagnosed in advanced stages and it's extremely aggressive. Unlike some cancers with solid tumors you can see, blood cancer is liquid cancer and it can spread to any part of your body like wildfire.

We are all at risk. Please take a moment today to make a donation to my team's fundraising page for the Light the Night Walk, one of the fundraising campaigns for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In honor of my 40 years of fighting cancer, would you please consider donating $40 to our campaign?

Your donation is tax deductible and I promise you- the funds go into legitimate research. I have actually been in some of the labs and met the researchers. They truly desire to save life.

Thank you!

Donate Here: http://pages.lightthenight.org/txg/montcty17/TeamBCRR

Team BCRR

A few years ago, I heard a quote by Michael Douglas: "Cancer didn't bring me to my knees, it brought me to my feet." I only partly agree with Michael. For me, cancer brought me first to my knees. Without my faith in God, I could never have endured the many times that cancer has come into my life. Hearing that word "cancer" means falling on my knees and turning all of my fears and doubts and pain over to the Lord Jesus Christ.

But the next step is exactly what Michael Douglas said. After falling on my knees, I rise. I get up and I take up the sword and I fight. On my feet, I wage war against a monster enemy. And the good news... I have never had to fight alone. Through the years, God has brought family into my life. I call them family, not because we are necessarily genetically linked, but because we have an unbreakable bond. They are people who are willing to grab a sword and fight with me!

In October 2003, when my husband was diagnosed with stage four, incurable blood cancer, my family of warriors was the Sonkids crew. These ladies with whom I worked teaching school surrounded me and my family with love that strengthened us in our weakest moments. They showed me what true faith means. They did not love in word only, but in deed. I will never forget them. They took the sword and fought for my children and for me and made me believe even more in angels on Earth.

The sword is a huge symbol in our family. Not long after my aforementioned teacher friends gathered to pray for my husband one night, he had a very vidid dream in which God handed him a sword and he and God both took their swords and slaughtered his cancer cells. Two weeks later on January 26, 2004, we walked into an exam room and heard the words, "you're in complete remission". 

To celebrate that date, five years later, I created the Bill Crews Remission Run (BCRR). Again, surrounded by family (the men, women and children who have been bonded to me for life), we raised many thousands of dollars for cancer research. More importantly, however, we honored the people who deal every day with a cancer diagnosis. We pulled out our swords and we fought together.

From my blood related family to my family at Team In Training to my family at the Hurricanes Swim Team and Happy Feet and everyone who helped me organize our beloved Bill Crews Remission Run, I have witnessed the great things that happen when people come together with a sword and fight.

From the moment you get up off your knees and RISE, you change the world. When you RISE, you find your strength. When you RISE, you save lives.

The mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is to cure leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Cancer patients, young and old, endure great pain and sickness. Fortunately, we are seeing more and more people win their war on cancer. But the truth about war is that it can leave you feeling exhausted on the other side. That's why we love the part of the mission of the LLS which includes improving the quality of life of patients and their families. After you RISE to fight, you must find time to RESTORE.

The dictionary definition of the word "restoration" is "the action of returning something to a former owner, place, or condition". When a family is struck with cancer, it changes things. Health, safety, peace of mind, and even life can be stolen. For years, we have fought to bring cancer to an end and one of our new goals is to lead these families who have beaten cancer, to restoration.

The 23rd psalm of David reminds us that "He restores my soul". This tells me that sometimes, it is not well with my soul. When the agony of living through a traumatic experience leaves us with constant fear and pain, it's time to RESTORE.

BEAT CANCER. RISE. RESTORE.

Friends, you are my family. You have been there in the good times and the bad. You have been there in sickness and in health. You mean more to me than words can describe. Some of you have moved far away, but we are bonded. We are family. I want a reunion. But I don't want just a typical reunion. I want us to go out and do what we do best- pick up those swords! Let's BEAT CANCER. Let's RISE. Let's RESTORE. Let's do this in honor of the men, women and children who have had to endure cancer. And let's have fun while we do it.

Please join Team BCRR for the Light the Night Walk in The Woodlands, Texas on October 22, 2017. It's free to join the team. When you join, you will create your own page within our team page. If you raise (or just donate) $100 to your personal page, you will receive the food and lantern at the walk. Here's how the walk works: you show up at Town Green Park and if you've raised $100 or more, you receive a wrist band. With that wrist band, you get a LTN t-shirt, food and a lantern. There are 3 colors of lanterns. White lanterns are carried by cancer survivors. Gold lanterns are carried by those walking in memory of someone who died of cancer. And red lanterns are carried by those who are walking in honor of someone. As it gets dark out, the two mile walk begins. We light our lanterns and walk those two miles together as a TEAM! As Bill Crews always says, our enemy, cancer, comes like a thief in the night to steal, kill and destroy. But we will LIGHT THE NIGHT and conquer that enemy. That's right, y'all. We will BEAT CANCER. We will RISE. We will RESTORE!

Instructions for Team BCRR (Beat Cancer. Rise. Restore):

1. Click on the team page: Team BCRR
2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the red "JOIN" button
3. Create a new account with the LLS using your email. You will also create a password.
4. Once you have created your page, you can personalize it. Add photos of the cancer patient you are walking in honor or memory of (maybe there's more than one!). Donate to your own page and/or send out the link and get friends, family and co-workers to donate.
5. Every donation you receive on your individual page will be added to our team total as well as to your personal page. So, basically, it's like swim team- it's an individual sport and a team sport in one. You're earning points for yourself and our team!

*I would love our team to raise $17,000. If that doesn't happen, I'll be ok. Seventeen is my favorite number. Long story, but I love 17. Also, this is the year '17, so I think $17,000 is a good goal. If you have any contacts to businesses who would be willing to donate, please ask if they'd be willing to be a corporate sponsor for Team BCRR. I can send you all a corporate sponsor packet from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society if you need one.

Last thing... in addition to the LTN shirts you'll receive if you raise $100, I would like us to create our own team shirt for Team BCRR. I'll work on that design ASAP and let you know the price. The night is only one small part of being a LTN team. There is a kick off party. There's a post walk party. There's all kind of fun stuff along the way. This really will be a blast.

Love y'all and look forward to Team BCRR and our family reunion.

Cheers,

DS

crewsds17@gmail.com

Our First Book Signing

Summer 2007, our first book signing- our hands were tired, but it was fun!

It was the summer of 2007 and our book had recently been published. We flew in late from a trip to the Bahamas and the next morning we were at our very first book signing. The Houston Chronicle came out to cover the event and interview us about our story. Morgan and Dylan were becoming quite the little experts at being interviewed by the press by then.

This event was in The Woodlands so we got to see lots of our friends. Cherry Evans from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was there with materials about their patient programs and fundraising campaigns. We ended up donating all of the proceeds from sales of the book to the LLS to further their mission to cure blood cancers and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

It's fun to look back at photos from the past. Kids grow so fast! Us grown ups don't quite look the same either.

They have grown up since then, but they still love their daddy.

Shaving Your Head

Today we met with a lady who is now a 7-year breast cancer survivor. She is strong, confident and filled with passion for life. As we were talking, we got on the subject of going bald. It's something that still happens to many cancer patients as we are still forced to prescribe chemotherapy to many of them. Our hope is that as newer therapies are developed, we will see more targeted therapies that don't cause hair loss.

Meanwhile, people ask us a lot about Bill's hair loss. I think for men losing the hair on their heads is not nearly as troublesome as it is for women. But the truth is, it's not just about being bald. That's not the troublesome part. It's that something as ugly as cancer caused you to have to take a poison that wiped out your hair! It kinda makes you mad no matter your age or gender.

When Bill woke up after his very first treatment, his hair was all over his pillow. As I began dusting it off, I flat out asked him, "Do you want the chemo to take your hair or do you want the kids to do it?" Nervously, he chose the kids.

Dylan was 3 years old and Morgan was 5 years old. I got out the clippers and let each of them shave one side of his head. We were out back on the deck and we made going bald a family affair. In some ways, that made it a fun event for us all instead of a sad one. The day we did this we were laughing, but when I think back to it, I get teary eyed. A young daddy with his kids enduring this is quite an emotional experience.

Every patient does this in their own way. It's so interesting to hear the many stories out there. If you drop by the blog and have one of your own to share, let us know.

Talking To Kids About Cancer

When a parent or grandparent or close relative, friend or neighbor or even a sibling is diagnosed with cancer, the time comes to decide about revealing the news. Some adults worry about talking to kids about a cancer diagnosis and wonder if and how to do so. Here are some helpful ideas for those of you trying to decide:

Can kids handle the truth about cancer?
Nothing is easy about cancer. It's not easy for grown ups and it's not easy for kids. The decision to talk about a cancer diagnosis with your kids is yours. You should not be judged for your decision. Only you know your family and what is best for you. Following are some considerations to make in your decision:

• Sometimes the truth is impossible to avoid. Many cancer patients will change physically while undergoing treatments. Parents with small children may need to hire babysitters or let their kids stay with friends or relatives while they undergo treatments. Telling the kids might just not be an option.
• Interestingly, kids really do see and hear more than most adults realize. They might just sense that something is going on and have a lot of questions they are afraid to ask because they have been kept in the dark. If they begin to show signs of fear, it might be a good idea to tell them that something is happening.
• Kids can be a part of the fight against your disease. They will feel much safer and confident if they can be included in the cancer diagnosis. Let them do things like fetch you a warm blanket or help shave your head. Make this a family bonding experience, a time for you all to join forces against a terrible disease.
• If you are open and honest, kids will tend to ask questions. They have these questions whether they feel comfortable asking or not. If they feel like you'll be honest, they will ask. So, it's important to be honest even if they ask the hard questions. If a child asks about death, it's best to say you don't know if you'll die, but then remind the child that many new and wonderful therapies have been developed to help get rid of your cancer.
• Sometimes, depending on the age of the child, it's important to find someone other than yourself for the kids to talk to. A school counselor or clergy member or a trusted friend are good options.
• When talking to your kids about cancer, they might want to know what cancer is. There are many great resources available to help explain cancer to children. Be sure to ask your doctor or hospital staff to help guide you to the right place.

A few years ago, I partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, MD Anderson Cancer Center and Dr. Fredrick Hagemeister to create a Children's Cancer Program. Children ages 4-12 attended the program which was held on four different occasions. A 40-minute video of one of those programs can be viewed HERE.