Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Statement

This is my one and only statement regarding the events of this week. I will stand, as I have always stood, with Lance Armstrong in his global fight against cancer. This man, and the foundation he began and built, has stood by me and my family, when I needed support the most. He instilled an amazing devotion in the employees, volunteers of Livestrong and his Livestrong Leaders. While his title may have formally changed, to me, and many others, he will always be "Boss" in our initiatives to support and raise awareness for cancer survivorship.


Thursday, October 4, 2012

I have a second chance. Cancer isn't always as kind.

Some of you know that I had a deadline the other day to meet a $5,000 goal for my LIVESTRONG fundraising. I didn't make that goal. As it prohibited me from being able to fulfill a promise to my daughter, I was pretty disappointed.

On a personal level, and please do not take this the wrong way or as me being ungrateful, it was most disappointing to have worked so hard this year, while fighting cancer actively, running 2 major events that beat last year's numbers, and to have still fallen short. Previous "angel" donors weren't able to give me a boost this year, and I'd made the mistake of thinking that one of my events would have been bigger than expected, and I didn't run with a couple of smaller events.

In the past, I would have beat myself up into a pulp, cried my eyes out, and second-guessed every decision I made that caused me to fail. I'd have then turned my self-loathing into anger and lashed out at every single individual like a petulant child.

You do realize that when I say, "In the past," I'm referring to just over one year ago, right?

Don't I look like myself?
That bratty single child in me is, at this moment, lying face down in her bed, kicking and screaming, tearing at pillows, refusing to come down for dinner and making the lives of all around her a living hell. But she's a much smaller part of me.

Well, maybe not. This goal was a big one. I was resigned to the fact that $25,000 was going to be out of reach and gave in to the $15,000 goal. As time ticked away, and the donations just didn't come in the way that they did last year, I started to panic, but LIVESTRONG set a special incentive at the $5,000 mark that made it "ok" to "settle" for $5,000.

I assumed, making an ass out of you and me, that the money would just come in effortlessly. Until the deadline passed, and I was still short.

Unlike cancer, which rarely gives second chances, LIVESTRONG gave an extension to those of us reaching for the $5,000 mark.

I now have until 5pm Friday, October 5, 2012, to finish raising $5,000.

As of right now, I am $1,500 away from the mark. That seems like a lot, doesn't it? But, here's the way I see it.

I have 1,716 Facebook friends. I have 678 connections on LinkedIn. I have 1,212 Twitter followers. Of course, there is quite a bit of crossover, so let's figure that there are 500 "real" people all told.

If I do the math correctly, if all of the 500 "real" people I presume are, in fact, "real," that means each would only have to donate $3 in the next 24 hours in order to meet the goal.

That's it. It's totally do-able.

So, now, I just have to figure out how to reach those 500 "real" people.

Are you one of the "real" ones?



Monday, October 1, 2012

Why do I want you to support LIVESTRONG? Read on...


First, the kind folks at the Journal News ran an article as a follow up to our October Breast Cancer Awareness program last year... It's a really lovely read - thank you.

This weekend, my friend from Boston, Lynda Beaulieu-Fresolo, came down. After a late start, we hit the road in Norwalk and rode a little over 22 miles. A twitchy left ankle and a left knee that wasn't feeling great prompted me to suggest that we turn back instead of continuing forward, reaching 40 miles. We averaged just under 11.5 mph - my goal was 12-15 mph.

There was a time I'd beat myself up about it, but Lynda told me to just keep working, and LIVESTRONG has taught me that no fight, nor victory, should be considered too small to be a success. My tush hurts, my legs are stiff, and I know I have a lot of work ahead of me.

But I'm doing it.

I wish I could say my fundraising this year was just as successful. I've scaled back my goal from $25,000 to $15,000, and now I'm hoping to hit $5,000.

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I need to meet that $5,000 goal today so I can be a part of the LIVESTRONG 15th Anniversary Celebration Gala in Austin, TX. It's the least amount I've raised for LIVESTRONG since I started fundraising. It's just been one of those years.

I'm more than halfway there. I have a check en route that will help. But I'm still not going to make it with that check alone. I need your help.

By my account, if each of those that reads my blog today could donate $25, I'll meet the $5,000 goal today.  It only takes 2 minutes. But your donation wouldn't just help me with my goal, it will help thousands of people like me, my mom, my aunt, my friend and so many others fight and find the strength to keep looking forward.

Please consider donating today by clicking the link to my personal page below. The funds we raise together allow LIVESTRONG to give survivors the services, information and direct support they need to tackle cancer on their terms. And 100 percent of what you donate for the LIVESTRONG Austin Challenge will go directly to these vital efforts.

Thanks for your support.
LIVESTRONG,
Rica
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