Lawgirl and the Tour de Lance - Lance Armstrong Foundation

The LifeLab update

2005-10-07T16:57:00.000-04:00

Hello dear readers. I wanted to let you all know that I am no longer raising money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and will not be updating this blog in the future. However, I will be continuing to blog on The LifeLab's website and will be raising money for cancer survivorship programs there. Please redirect your browsers for updates.

Thank you so much for your support!

Getting Fancy!

2005-08-08T17:52:00.000-04:00

Well, my non-profit, The New York LifeLab has a brand-spanking new, fancy-type online donation system set up now. We are so excited, things are really taking off. The LifeLab is poised to launch in the Fall, and will be the first organization of its type in this country to offer comprehensive support services and programs specifically to young adult cancer survivors. I am really proud. :)

Check out our new donations page: Here.

Thank you for your support!

Congrats Lance! + Bonus survey

2005-07-25T20:12:00.000-04:00

Wow. It has been awhile. I have been very busy with my non-profit, The New York LifeLab. But I just had to pop in to acknowledge Lance's great accomplishment. A huge inspiration to all of us who are struggling to regain our fitness. Yay Lance. :)

And on the non-profit front, I would really appreciate it if any of you young adult (20s-30ish) survivors out there in readerville would participate in a short, anonymous online survey. It is to assess young adult survivors' interests in various program offerings - for use in connection with securing program funding.

Here is the link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=504481232298. Please feel free to pass it along to others.

Thank you for your continuing support!

Some Words from Steve Jobs

2005-07-08T01:39:00.000-04:00

I am preparing to transfer my blogging to a new blog I am setting up at The LifeLab site. It's not up yet, but I will link as soon as I get it finished. This is the one year anniversary(ish) of this blog, and it feels like time to devote all of my efforts to my new project, which shall include my blogging entries.

I wanted to share a quote I found in a speech given by Steve Jobs at the Stanford commencement ceremony last month. Steve Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year and given only a few months to live, but his cancer turned out to be operable and now he is fine. After "looking into the abyss" (which is what I call the experience that most cancer survivors have encountered when faced with their mortality prematurely), here is what he had to say:

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be
trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's
thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice.
And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They
somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is
secondary.

In my experience, this sentiment is shared by many survivors, yet often we become a little bit stuck getting to that place. One of the principal goals of my non-profit is to give survivors guidance hearing their inner voice, following it, and creating that "dream" life. Just in case you were wondering what I've been doing the past year or so. :)

Click here to visit The New York LifeLab.

The LifeLab

2005-06-19T22:16:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, I have been working diligently for over a year to get my own non-profit, The New York LifeLab off the ground. Well, the fruits of my labor are starting to pay off. We now have 501(c)(3) status, partnerships with among the best cancer support organizations in the city, and things are really starting to take off!

I believe I posted about this before, but The LifeLab is all about helping young adult survivors (20s and 30s) in the "re-entry" period after treatment. Our objective is to help survivors examine their lives after cancer and give them tools to get on with the job of living without cancer - via counseling, psychosocial support, an internship program, and lots of other really innovative and cool projects (if I don't say so myself. :)

We will be launching fully in the fall. For now, please visit our website - www.nylifelab.org for more info (and if you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation, you can do that there too, which would be wonderful!)

Lots of love,
Jodi

LiveStrong Day

2005-06-09T20:53:00.000-04:00

Just returned from an incredible day in DC where I got to participate as a cancer survivor advocate for The LAF. My head is still spinning from the trip, but here is the press release to give you some more information until I'm back to post details. Know that your donations are being put to use to do some really important work!

WEAR YELLOW, LIVE STRONG ON JUNE 8
Lance Armstrong Foundation to Raise Awareness in Washington, D.C.,
Asks Advocates Across U.S. to Wear Yellow to Support People Living with Cancer

AUSTIN, Texas - June 6, 2005 - On Wednesday, June 8, Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) advocates will be in Washington, D.C., to meet with Members of Congress and their staffs, asking for their commitment to eliminating cancer death and suffering by 2015 and to providing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cancer survivorship programs with critical resources to help people with cancer live strong.

LAF volunteers and staff will encourage their Members of Congress to sign the 2015 Letter in support of the Bush Administration's goal of eliminating cancer death and suffering by the year 2015, which was established by the National Cancer Institute.

In addition, LAF advocates will encourage legislators to support the CDC's Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, which aims to reduce cancer incidence, morbidity and mortality through prevention, early detection, treatment, rehabilitation and palliation, as well as the National Cancer Survivorship Resource Center, which helps people with cancer address the physical, emotional and practical challenges of their survivorship experience.

The LAF is asking all Americans to wear yellow on June 8 to show support for the advocates on Capitol Hill and all people living with cancer. For Lance, yellow is the color of hope, courage, inspiration and perseverance - as well as the color of the leader's jersey in the Tour de France. On June 8, LAF staff, board members, supporters, cancer survivors and advocates across the country will wear yellow to raise awareness for the 10 million Americans living with cancer today.

Supporters can wear a yellow item of clothing or purchase a $1 yellow LIVESTRONG wristband. As a tribute to Lance Armstrong's inspirational fight against cancer and his historic attempt at a sixth Tour de France win last year, the LAF and Nike launched the Wear Yellow Live Strong campaign in 2004. To date, more than 48 million wristbands have been sold. All proceeds support the LAF's advocacy, education, public health and research programs.

2005 LAF Fundraising goal: $30,000
Raised to date: $1,455

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION

Get Well Soon Kylie!

2005-05-17T22:15:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm still here....just really, really busy and tired. You all are so lucky that I'm a Gawker addict. It has just been reported by BBC News that Kylie Minogue has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Wishing Kylie a quick recovery...

That Feeling

2005-04-20T22:57:00.000-04:00

I had forgotten "that feeling" until I had it today and remembered I had the same feeling at the same instant last year. The first warm day of the year and it all comes flooding back: the smell, the stickiness, the energy in the air...all project me back to summer 2003 and being on treatment. I almost got sick when I walked outside today and it didn't occur to me why...until I remembered "that feeling." And then of course it made perfect sense.

Off to Washington

2005-04-18T21:15:00.000-04:00

I am very excited to report that I have been invited to go to Washington D.C. as a cancer survivorship advocate in June on behalf of LAF to take part in LIVESTRONG Day. Woohoo.

Here is the information from LAF:

The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) believes that in the battle with cancer, unity is strength, knowledge is power and attitude is everything.

Join us in Washington, D.C. June 6-8, 2005 to participate in LIVESTRONG™ Day and raise awareness on Capitol Hill about the challenges facing people living with cancer.

On LIVESTRONG Day, the LAF will lead a unified group of advocates to Washington, D.C to encourage lawmakers to address the health policy concerns of people battling with cancer and their family members.

I am also going to be travelling to Washington in May to get sworn in to the D.C. Bar (long story), and possibly for one other event in July. Looks like I'll be spending a lot of quality time on the Acela this summer.

Check Ups

2005-04-08T05:37:00.000-04:00

Well, today was CT scan day. It really doesn't get that much easier. I think I need to go and re-read my Being Fearless post.

2005 LAF Fundraising goal: $30,000
Raised to date: $1,455

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION

Being Fearless

2005-04-04T21:50:00.000-04:00

Part of this past weekend I spent at a conference with a spritual bent, the topic of which was how to live fearlessly. There were many well-known speakers of the "new age" persuasion there, such as Wayne Dyer, Caroline Myss, Julia Cameron, etc. A very interesting mix of people. It occurred to me though, and this is not the first time, though I forget sometimes, that I have already experienced the scariest thing that could happen to a person - being told that there was a good chance they were about to die, and fighting against that. So not that much scares me now. Well, a lot less than before, and it is very liberating when I keep this in mind.

I remember right before my resection surgery I had come to terms with the fact that I might die. And I was okay with that. Once you are not afraid to die, there are few obstacles in your path. During this week I went cross-country skiing and would spree down hills far above my skill level with little regard for the consequences (also because I figured if I died skiing into a tree I could forego having the major surgery I was scheduled for the following week.) There is definitely something to be said for living in this state.

"Life is a daring adventure or nothing."

2005 LAF Fundraising goal: $30,000
Raised to date: $1,435

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION

I Promised I Would Elaborate...

2005-03-30T20:06:00.000-05:00

I didn't anticipate that it would take over two weeks, but here goes.

On the day of my two year "cancer anniversary" I planned to meet my good friend Joan, who works in management at the hospital at which I was diagnosed, at the hospital to go and eat. This wasn't subconscious, but it wasn't exactly well thought-through either. I think I wanted to test how immune I would be to the surroundings.

I didn't know exactly where Joan worked in the hospital, but since she works in oncology, I went to the oncology floor, where I spoke to my original oncologist and even asked in the infusion suite if they knew where my friend was. I finally found her office - on the cancer inpatient floor.

Well, I didn't collapse from an anxiety attack or anything dramatic, but going to the hospital and seeing all that stuff was not pleasant. I'm not immune to it yet. I guess I proved that to myself.

But Joan and I managed to have a great time once out of the hospital.

And on a really exciting note, my non-profit, the LifeLab, was officially granted 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the IRS. The application was approved in only two weeks. I understand that to be some kind of record.

Wow, whoever drafted that application must be some kind of genius. :)

If you want more info on The LifeLab, please visit the site here.

Two Years

2005-03-10T23:10:00.000-05:00

Today is my two year remission anniversary. A big day for me. More on this later, but I wanted to be sure to mark the day with a post.

It's not WE it's Me.

2005-03-06T12:25:00.000-05:00

I need to vent here. There is something that aggravates me to no end. I have been reading some posts this weekend and saw this coming up in many instances, so it struck a nerve.

When a cancer patient is undergoing treatment for some reason the people arround them (be it caregivers, family members, etc.) feel compelled to describe what is happening collectively. As in: "we underwent radiation treatment" or "we are halfway through chemo." YOU were not halfway through anything. It is ME this happened to.

Somebody in my family said this to me during treatment, and I almost clocked him. Cancer may affect the whole family, but unless you are the person who has the cancer in your body it is NOT happening to you. For those of you facing this, please refrain from characterizing the cancer experience in this way. It is insulting to the person who actually has the cancer.

Thank you for indulging me. As always I just love a good rant. lol.

2005 LAF Fundraising goal: $30,000
Raised to date: $1,425

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION

The Breast Cancer Sites Needs Clickers

2005-02-27T17:03:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine passed this on today, from the Breast Cancer Site. Apparently they are needing some traffic to help support their sponsor-funded mammograms:

Please tell ten friends to tell ten today! The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman.

It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "donating a mammogram" for free (pink window in the middle). This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know:
www.thebreastcancersite.com

Go and give a click.

This is relevant to LAF since it's about TX, right?

2005-02-22T21:12:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

2005 LAF Fundraising goal: $30,000
Raised to date: $1,425

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION

Healthy Living

2005-02-20T16:44:00.000-05:00

I don't want to be dissentive (well, actually I love being dissentive however that's another topic for another day :) but this site is really damn funny. And, as a copyright lawyer, I of course feel the need to throw in my legal 2 cents and add that this is a great example of parody vs. satire (this is parody and thus would be deemed a fair use.) Have I lost all of you now? :)

And in continuing my theme of commenting on trends in healthy living (see Caffeinated Beer, below) I need to say that the new Ben and Jerry's "Healthy" ice cream is not only an oxymoron, but tastes really frigging bad. Kind of like ice cream without enough sugar. Which, I suppose, is exactly what it is.

Please remember to sign up for the LifeLab mailing list to be notified of the launch of my non-profit organization.

Thanks and here's to healthy living!

2005 LAF Fundraising goal: $30,000
Raised to date: $1,425

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION

Launch of nylifelab.org

2005-02-17T03:06:00.000-05:00

And just when you thought it couldn't get any better than caffeinated beer...

I have officially launched the nylifelab.org site. I'm programming it myself, so it will take a little while to get it all up, but please stop by so that you can have a look and sign up for my mailing list to be notified of my organization's official launch (i.e., when the money comes. :)

Thank you, thank you!

It's Official! Budweiser is Caffeinated!

2005-02-16T18:51:00.000-05:00

Well, my post for today was going to be about how I discovered on my walk home that Budweiser is releasing a beer with caffeine added...but I have some very exciting news that pre-empts this discovery.

My non-profit, The New York LifeLab, has officially been granted status as a non-profit corporation by the State of New York effective 2/15/05. This is big news. Some might say even bigger than beer with caffeine...

Oprah, Melissa & Knock off the Spam

2005-02-15T21:21:00.000-05:00

I was gently reminded the other day by my dear friend D. that it's been over a month since I updated my blog. Yes, it's true. I think I needed a bit of a blog vacation. I'm back now.

In some great news, I just learned that there were over 900,000 LiveStrong bracelets sold in one day as a result of Lance's appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show, which translates into $900,000 for the LAF. That's obviously great news.

Did any of you see Melissa Etheridge on the Grammy's on Sunday? She was bald from her chemo, having finished it a month ago, but looked absolutely radiant. I know that feeling. Finally getting out in the world after it's "over." Well, it's never really over, but you get the idea...

Finally, I have had it with the spam being left in my comments on this blog. If you spammers have enough time to fill out a comment, take the time to send a donation. Grrr.

More soon. Promise.

2005 LAF Fundraising goal: $30,000
Raised to date: $1,425

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION

On the mend

2005-01-05T22:41:00.000-05:00

I have had my stitches removed and am feeling much better now. I will be back up and about soon...while I have been convalescing though, I have had a lot of time to watch tv (and knit). So, I'm still kinda watching tv (and knitting) even though I probably should get out of bed. Anyhow, I had the Unicef telethon for Tsunami relief on, and just heard that Sandra Bullock pledged $1 million. That is really awesome. Go, Sandra.

(Back) Covergirl

2005-01-03T01:20:00.000-05:00

Have you received the latest edition of the LAF newsletter? Check out the back cover and you'll see me in the group photo with Lance, which was taken after our "Conversations with Lance" presentation in Austin.

I look awful in the pic! However, you all know that I love publicity in any form. :)

2005 LAF Fundraising goal: $30,000
Raised to date: $1,305

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION

Very Best New Year's Wishes

2005-01-01T01:09:00.000-05:00

I am so very excited that it is 2005. The promise of new opportunities is thrilling. I want to wish you all health and happiness in the coming year, and thank you once again for your continued support of me and my do-gooderism.

Tomorrow I will be posting about my new project, The LifeLab, which is something about which I am so excited and for which I feel there is a big need...so please come back in the next few days to read my introduction.

I am trying to remember a quote that I read this year which I really liked. I'm afraid I can't remember it exactly, but it was something to the effect of "One is not measured by how much one has done, but by how much one has done for others." I think that the quote is by Eleanor Roosevelt. In any event, I joke about my "do-gooderism" with my other friends who are involved in philanthropy and charitable work. I honestly think though that helping others helps me just as much or more. I'll just say now that my life feels much more full than it did when I only saw lawyering as the path for my future.

As promised (and also because I know pics spice up the blog a bit) a picture of my achy abdomen. Those of you who are squeamish might want to click away now. :)

2005 LAF Fundraising goal: $30,000
Raised to date: $1,305

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION

Aiding Tsunami Victims

2004-12-30T20:17:00.000-05:00

It's a little bit off topic, but when it boils down to it, this blog is about my (small) efforts to try to make the world a better place, so I would like to offer a list I found of relief organizations accepting donations to aid quake/tsunami victims. The list can be found here.

Also, since I work a lot in music, I would like to say big kudos to the band Linkin Park for donating $100,000 to the relief effort. There are many who can, but not so many who do, so I feel that this is pretty outstanding.

I am continuing to feel better, but still feel pretty icky.

Thank you for checking in on me, good people! Pictures tomorrow. Promise!

Home Again and $35M??

2004-12-29T18:40:00.000-05:00

I am home from the hospital, albeit in pain, but all went well with the surgery and I'm good (actually better!) than new. Because I'm bored and strange, I think I'll shoot some pictures of my new brand new scars and post. The great news, and I don't want to jinx anything, is that I am still cancer free, almost 2 years now.

I feel wrong going on about myself (well, this is my blog, but still) with all of the horrible suffering and loss sustained in Southern Asia. I have been thinking a lot, even in the midst of all of the pain and suffering at the cancer hospital, how lucky I feel to be safe and secure in my home and dare I say country (geographically speaking.)

Which brings me to my final point, $35 million?? Give me a freaking break...