They Call Me Galvez

10/25/10 is International Tumors Suck Day. It is a day for everyone to show support for someone dealing with an annoying tumor mass.  Large/small, malignant/benign, no matter the type or location, they are all life changing occurrences. International Tumors Suck Day is a day to unite everyone touched by these horrible diseases.   A brain tumor patient and a thyroid cancer patient may not have the same survivorship experiences, but we share a common disdain for tumors.  On this day, we can all UNITE to battle all tumors with a little attitude.  The loved ones of a tumor patient can also share this disdain.  TUMORS SUCK DAY was created to unite EVERYONE touched by a tumor mass.

All that this day involves is making sure the TUMORS SUCK! logo is visible to show support for someone dealing with a tumor. No matter the type, size, or location they ALL SUCK! You can print-n-post the TUMORS SUCK logo, wear a TUMORS SUCK sticker, or wear a TUMORS SUCK t-shirt… just let people know that you think ALL TUMORS SUCK!  Breast cancer, brain tumors, prostate cancer, testicular cancer… they all SUCK!  Just take a picture with the logo and post it on the Tumors Suck facebook page.   ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO SHOW SUPPORT IS DISPLAY THE TUMORS SUCK LOGO! We just want to unite all those touched by an annoying tumor mass.  Please show support for someone dealing with an annoying tumor mass like “Lumpy the tumor mass” by posting the TUMORS SUCK logo on 10/25/10.

The next day, on 10/26/10 at 6PM mAss Kickers Foundation is hosting our first official fundraiser as a federally recognized tax deductible organization.  We are holding our first fundraising event at JR Seau’s Restaurant in Mission Valley San Diego 6-9PM on 10/26.  The funds raised from the event will go to mAss Kickers Foundation activities in 2011.

We have very ambitious plans for 2011.  To give you an idea of some of our plans:

1. develop stronger partnerships with Stand Up to Cancer and The LiveStrong Young Adult Alliance
2. collaborate on events with organizations with similar missions
3. become more active in the Oncology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association
4. strengthen our voice in the brain tumor community

We need funds to even start thinking about doing this.  mAss Kickers Foundation is taking a unique approach on attacking ALL tumors and cancer.  We have developed the TUMORS SUCK! awareness campaign and the USE THE K.U.R.E. action campaign as a strategy to fight an intimidating new tumor diagnosis!

Here is the link to our first official fundraiser in San Diego.  Space is limited to 150 seats, so please reserve your ticket on the event site!
http://www.stayclassy.org/events/detail?eid=3413

It would be great to see you on 10/26 at Seau’s Restaurant in San Diego.  However, if you cannot attend, you can make a tax deductible donation to mAss Kickers Foundation here https://www.stayclassy.org/checkout/donation.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS SO THAT WE CAN UNITE TO FIGHT ALL TYPES OF TUMORS!  For more information, email info@mAssKickers.org.

Ahhh, Fall is my favorite time of the year.  It is also becoming the busiest time of the year for me.  I’m still trying to recover from all the traveling that has happened the past few weeks.  Things are getting a lot more serious with mAss Kickers Foundation.  I’ve been getting involved with things much bigger than me.  It is kind of intimidating, but it is what needs to be done.  I’m realizing that if this is going to get done, I can’t do it alone.  I’m not worried anymore about finding a new direction in life, the question now is which path should I take?  Do I take the path that is paved or do I pave my own path?  I constantly think about which direction I will take:  Writing, teaching, advocating for brain tumor research, advocating for young adult brain tumor support, physical therapy activism.  Part of me still wants to use my DPT degree so all that tuition doesn’t go to waste, but there is a very large need in the young adult brain tumor community that needs to be addressed.  I’m still trying to figure out how to combine them.  I have a loose idea, but I have to work out the details.  Doing this puts the rest of my life on hold, but I figure that my life is moving in slow motion anyways.

After I got back from Houston, I was exhausted!  I flew back to Michigan to stand in a close friend’s wedding.  I’m now officially one of the last of my friends to get married.  Am I sad about being the last?  Nope, I don’t have time to worry about that stuff.  My friends have a tradition where we get together and play basketball and compete for the coveted championship dollar rings in these 2-on-2 (insert groom’s name) Basketball Classics.  I have missed participating in the last 3 basketball classics. It has been getting harder each time watching my friends compete without me.  I’ll start worrying about winning a dollar ring when I can compete in my own “basketball classic.”  I can still heckle though…  hee hee… Each wedding I have improved physically (wheelchair to walker to crutches), but I’m still not at the point where I can compete with them yet.  Next Fall I will be the best man in another wedding.  I really wonder where I will be in rehab by then… don’t know if I’ll be ready for Basketball, but I expect more improvements.  Next month I go to Austin then Chicago, but for now I’m trying to set up the first official fund raiser for mAss Kickers Foundation as a tax exempt organization in San Diego… look for updates soon…

It has been a hectic two weeks!  I’m still trying to catch up.  Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go to Houston, TX to attend the MD Anderson Survivor Conference.  The weekend marked many firsts for me.  It was the first time speaking at a cancer survivor (not brain tumor conference), first time sleeping in a nice hotel room by myself, and my first time hanging out on my own away from home with my mobility scooter (which I dubbed the “mAss Kicker Mobile”.)  The first night I met up with some other young adult survivors at the hotel bar!  Was great just hanging out in an atmosphere that wasn’t sterile like an organized group setting.  mAss Kickers Foundation had an information table at the conference which we shared with the Young Survival Coalition.  It actually affirmed for me how young adult survivors really stick out in the survivor population.  There is an immediate bond when you find out a person is also a young adult survivor. There were a few young adult volunteers that created our “science project” display, passed out brochures/Tumors Suck stickers, and spoke with people about what we do.  Our booth was constantly surrounded by laughter.  We were always cracking up about something… not something you usually see in the survivor world.  Anyways, we all stuck out and it was great!  I think everyone got to take a spin on the “mAss Kicker Mobile”!  Always good for a laugh…The workshop I was involved in went well.  Dr. Anna Franklin and Rhonda Armstrong Trevino were on on the panel with me to talk about Adolescents, Young Adults and Parents: Becoming the Best Health Care Advocate. It is funny, public speaking is getting easier now that I have something to say.  I still don’t like being in the spot light.  I’m like Statler and Waldorf. Anyways, The conference ended with a very cool drumming session… On a side note, I think drumming could be used in my personal OT rehab. After the conference ended, a buddy of mine from college picked me up and we planned to go out to grab a bite to eat and then grab a drink.  The mind was willing, but we ended up ordering pizza at his place and watching football while I struggled to keep my eyes open!  10 years ago, we prob would have gone out to eat and then went out… things have really changed… hahaha.  I hope to come back to Houston and participate in another MD Anderson event!   After Houston, I went back to MI for the wedding of one of my best friends. It was a great time!  to be continued…