Lucy and I participated in 2011 and I did it alone last year. This year I have at least eight people joining me and would gladly welcome more! There is still time to register or donate. Please take the time to do so. Ovarian cancer strikes 1 in 74 women. This doesn’t sound like many, but for far too many women, their diagnosis is either in late stages or after they are metastatic. The cancer forms deep within the abdomen and is difficult to detect. There is no accurate single test to detect ovarian cancer. The CA125 test, named after Cancer Antigen 125, is better used as an indicator of how a cancer battle is progressing rather than as a diagnostic aid. CA125 levels can be influenced by other abdominal organs, like a kidney infection, for example. Abdominal ultrasound exams may prove beneficial, but there is some disagreement on how effective the ultrasound is at detecting cancer in its early stages and if annual ultrasound exams pose any long-term health risks. Lucy showed absolutely no symptoms other than some abdominal tightness that appeared to be a result of a new exercise routine. Her body was hiding several pounds of tumors and untold millions of cancer cells slowly infesting her abdomen. Ovarian cancer is truly a silent killer which is why we need to be Silent No More.
We might grumble about the unseasonable hot and humid weather stifling the Twin Cities area, but I have relatives living very close to the Rim Fire in northern California. As of this writing, the fire has affected over 301 square miles. This would have burned the entire county St. Paul, MN is in plus about ΒΌ of the county Minneapolis, MN is in. Other articles have indicated the fire area is about the size of Chicago, IL. For all the dominion humankind supposedly has over our planet, we keep getting humbling reminders of how small we really are. Thousands of people are risking their lives to fight this conflagration, and thousands more are in harm’s way if the fire suddenly grows and changes course. Please pray for the fire’s quick end and for those affected by the blaze.
Give your loved ones an extra hug and try to keep cool!