KCW Resource Blog: June 2009: Featured Warriors

PAYING IT FORWARD / KCWs Chain of Love:

kidney cancer patients & their loved ones sharing personal journeys & information obtained along the way via this blog and our chat room to support one another and help bring awareness to this lessor known cancer.

Paying it Forward by providing support to those who will unfortunately follow our paths while also honoring those who are no longer with us.

KCWs Chain of Love: Reaching forward with one hand to those who paved the path before us, reaching behind us with the other hand to those who will unfortunately follow our journey.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

June 2009: Featured Warriors

It is with great honor I post the following two stories. Both of these individuals have made a huge impact on my life personally. I believe that the journies shared by both of these individuals will make an impact on the lives of many.

Mickeral is active with KCA Forums and posts frequently. He's always been a huge inspiration to both Allen and I. I've "nagged" at him for a very long time asking him to share his journey!

Aimee is a young kidney cancer warrior who has dealt with and overcome a great deal in her short life. Her faith and her positive attitude inspite of her cancer is truly a story that should be shared!

Thank you Mickeral and Aimee for your willingness to share your personal journey with me, KCW and all of those who read.

To read their journeys, please go to the following link: KidneyCancerWarriors

Aimee Dowell

kidney cancer Warriors: Monthly Featured Warriors

If you are interested in submitting your kidney cancer journey, please email KCW at kidneycancerwarriors@yahoo.com

There is a comment section after each story. Please feel free to make comments to each of these brave warriors. All stories remain in the blog starting with the first Featured Warrior March 2010. It is my hope that you will take the time to read each story, be blessed and inspired to help us make a difference!

MAY YOU BE BLESSED, INSPIRED, AND ENCOURAGED BY READING ALL OF THE FOLLOWING STORIES!

The KidneyCancerWarriors Blog: http://www.kidneycancerwarriors.blogspot.com

Please keep in mind that these stories have been shared with KCW for the sole purpose of being published on the KidneyCancerWarriors Blog. Please respect KCW and each of the individuals who have willingly shared their stories and do not copy any of these stories. Thank you in advance.

kidneycancerWarriors/Chat http://www.chatroll.com/kidney-cancer The KCW/Chat room is open 24/7; however, scheduled chat is as follows: We meet every Monday, and Wednesday 7p to 10p Eastern and Friday 8p to 10p Eastern We are a support group open to ALL kidney cancer patients and their loved ones. Whether you've just entered the kidney cancer community with a new diagnosis or you've been on the journey for a long time, each of us needs support from other individuals who can relate to our kidney cancer issues. Who better than your kidney cancer community? Individuals who are walking a similar journey as yourself! We hope that you'll come and be part of the kidney cancer Warrior Family! We gather together every week asking questions of one another, sharing experiences/concerns, and supporting one another. Laughing together and crying together! We rejoice as a family and we share one another's burdens. We talk ALL THINGS kidney cancer (and much more ~ topic often jumps from kidney cancer to grandchildren to what's for dinner.) We ARE the one and the only ~ KidneyCancerWarriors And We Are Family! We share because we care!

The unique concept of having a dedicated "committed chatter" ~ someone just like you on the kidney cancer roller coaster as a warrior or a spouse/family member ~ as opposed to a "host" is one we prefer here at KCW/chat; because we are all equal, we are all on the same kidney cancer roller coaster as a warrior or as a spouse/family member. None of us are "host," none of us "in charge or lead the conversation," none of us take "ownership over the chat room." It is and will always be a chat room BY kidney cancer warriors and their loved ones FOR kidney cancer warriors and their loved ones. There will never be a need to recall who started this chat room ~ what makes it special are those who currently attend chat. We will always honor those who have gone before us! It is in their honor, we will continue to support our fellow kidney cancer warriors. We trust that you will always remember this is NOT a professional medical site and that you will always check with your medical team before acting upon any of the recommendations given by your fellow kidney cancer Warriors. Also, please note that anything shared by individuals in the chat room are the opinions of that one individual and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire KCW Family! To join us in chat, click on the below link OR scroll up to the top of this blog. http://www.chatroll.com/kidney-cancer

Life Lessons - Always Adding New Nuggets of Truth

As long as you have Christ, you are blessed: even with the bumps in the road & some not-so-fun roller coaster twists and turns. God is good all the time! Hugs ♥

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift! That's why it's called "the present."

All things are possible with God.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.....It's about learning to dance in the rain."-- author unknown

Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. Napoleon Hill

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves. James Matthew Barrie

The dew of compassion is a tear. Lord Byron

Laugh, love and live life to its fullest!

Live and let live!

Never explain. Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe it anyway. ~ Elbert Hubbard, A thousand and One Epigrams, 1922

Hurting people, hurt people!

We can not control others; all we can control is our reaction to others! Life is far too short to waste on worrying about what others are doing. Focus on your own mission in life - your passion! For me, my passions are my Lord, my husband, our kidney cancer warrior family, kidney cancer awareness, and a kidney cancer cure! Allow others to focus on theirs - even if that passion is a similar passion!

Mickeral

Cancer - It's All The Same Disease, Is It Not?

A "knotty" question. Just as all trees are made of wood, there are a lot of differences in the characteristics of the wood. Then there are the different types of trees ... there are Pine Trees, Oak Trees, Maple Trees and lots more. Then, among the same type of trees, there are many different species of that tree (for example, there are many different species of a Pine Tree). And when the same species of the same type of tree is planted in different environmonts such as soil types, moisture, heat, shade, standing alone or among many other trees ... they will grow quite differently even though it is the same type and species of tree. Cancer is the same way -- the more that is learned, the more differences are discovered even in the same cancer family. Kidney Cancer has 5 basic subtypes -- but then... slowly we are finding within those subtypes are different characteristics as well. Then when a cancer metastasizes, a kidney cancer met in the liver does not respond in the same way as a met in the lung. Even though we are all 99.9% alike in our DNA components... it it that 00.1% that makes each of us different. Also, it is estimated that there is one gene mutation for every 15 cigarettes that a person smokes -- while we have gene mutations ocurring all the time, the body takes care of and eliminates most of them.

Written by: Mickeral
With some editing by: Leigh

A WARRIOR REFLECTS

Dear Fellow Travelers:

Recently in our community a home caught fire. Visiting next door to the house engulfed with flames was a man who grew up in the area. As he stepped outside to witness the fire, a lady arrived, and screamed – “My Husband’s Inside!”

In a matter of seconds, the former resident of the community had kicked in the door, saw a hand waving frantically through the smoke and flames, and dragged the man outside to safety.

The occupant of the house was an invalid, trapped by the flames, unable to call the fire department or to summons help; he was sitting in his wheelchair, attempting to keep the flames away from him with a small fire extinguisher.

The man that had grown up next door to the cripple when asked about his thought process during the rescue had little to say. He knew the man was confined to a wheelchair and immediately took action.

Had the young man died in his attempt of rescue, he would have still been called a hero.

By the same token, those that are facing kidney cancer or one of the other roughly two-hundred types of cancer are involved in a situation very much like the man trapped in a blazing inferno. Sometimes with very limited means or abilities, they are using a fire extinguisher to hold the fire at bay till help can arrive. Sometimes the fire extinguisher runs out and no help arrives. At other times, just as defeat seems imminent, help bursts through the door and carries the victim to safety.

In the dozen-plus years of survivorship, I can honestly say that I have learned that I am not so much a mighty warrior in this battle as I am a person who has flames all around me and a tiny fire extinguisher to ward off the approaching destruction.

I deeply appreciate the opportunity to share my “Cancer Warrior” stories, but I have few to tell. Instead, my story would revolve around the husband of a lady I met a year ago, a man who died of kidney cancer when I was just beginning my journey. He had no real options available for him – no fire extinguisher to prolong his survival. He died leaving behind information gathered by doctors that would be placed with other bits of information to develop “fire extinguishers” for someone who would find themselves in a similar situation.

I am one of the nameless ones that have been blessed to have survived for as long as I have. My face and my name is not important so much as the fact that I am here because of others who travelled before me – some who fought and died for “the cause,” some who suffered tremendously, some whose fire extinguisher lasted long enough to be rescued.

Thank You for allowing me to share this – Warmest Wishes - Mickeral

W A R R I O R S W I T H W I N G S

In Loving Memory of our Warriors With Wings ~ Those Who Have Passed On Their Torches & Earned Their Angel Wings

November 20, 2012 - Allen Reese
October 24, 2012 - Nelson "Butch" Marino
September 17, 2012 - Gary Layden
September 13, 2012 - Sue Guenther
September 5, 2012 - Taylor Filorimo
September 1, 2012 - Charlie Montelone
August 14, 2012 - Brenda Haralson
August 2,2012 - Ruth Stoner
July 7, 2012 - Alan McCone
April 26, 2012 - Steven Richter
February 25, 2012 - Julie Wood Campbell
January 27, 2012 - Robbie Edwards
December 10, 2011 - Rich Smith
December 1, 2011 - Linda 'Dywane' Fugett
October 6, 2011 - Rich Kroecker
September 22, 2011 - Dee Clayton
August 28, 2011 - Jose Maria Buendia Guzman
August 23, 2011 - Bill Cook
August 4, 2011 - Bill Gaugh
July 13, 2011 - Darryl Livingston
July 7, 2011 - Richard Fenster
June 28, 2011 - Steve Brown
June 14, 2011 - Aimee Dowell
June 11, 2011 - Mike Field
April 28, 2011- Pam Fiesler
April 17, 2011 - Sylvia Keener
April 7, 2011 - David Veasey
March 30, 2011 - Rich Jumbeck
March 20, 2011 - Dick Wheeler
February 20, 2011 - Manuel Lopez
February 19, 2011 - David Herin
February 18, 2011 - Jay Zwerling
December 30, 2010 - Evelyn C. Maselli
December 22, 2010 - Doug Kidd
November 22, 2010 - Phillip Lamar Hembree
November 10, 2010 - Steve Wright
November 5, 2010 - Raymond Myers, Sr
October 17, 2010 - Patricia L. Jones
October 15, 2010 - Jeff Booth
October 8, 2010 - Angelo Kontaris
September 9, 2010 - Tom Russell
August 15, 2010 - Linda Hickey
August 12, 2010 - Joey Choran
August 8, 2010 - Joan VanBoxel
August 6, 2010 - Ellen Fuseler
July 26, 2010 - Chris E. Jewart
July 7, 2010 - Colin Martin Brayshay
June 9, 2010 - Lior Dangoo
June 1, 2010 - Barbara Marie Tremain Crowe
May 30, 2010 - Jane Thompson
May 14, 2010 - Joanne Thorson Yoder
May 1, 2010 - Robert Eugene Wisehart
April 29, 2010 - David A. Cavanaugh
April 24, 2010 - Mike
April 15, 2010 - Tony Clark, Chair of Kidney Cancer Canada
April 15, 2010 - Don
April 4, 2010 - David Nerad
March 31, 2010 - Robin aka Izzy on KCA
March 28, 2010 - Sal Rossie
March 4, 2010 - Thomas D. Russo, Sr.
February 15, 2010 - Russell Steig (KCA)
February 6, 2010-John Haworth III
January 25, 2010 - DebsDan (KCA)
December 18, 2009-Jeff Hall
December 8, 2009 - Sally House
October 31, 2009 - Katherine aka katymine
September 30, 2009 - Jason Rodhouse
September 23, 2009 - John Formanowicz
September 6, 2009 - Rick Harvey
September 6, 2009 - Sarah Konieczny
August 22, 2009 - Dan (wife: Irishme on KCA)
August 20, 2009 - Mike Claiborne
August 11, 2009 - Karl
October 28, 2008 - Burrell Allen Moore
September 16, 2008 - Jennifer McCartney
April 15, 2008 - David Foster
May 11, 2007 - Myra Sanchez
January 18, 2005 - Lori Ann Shew

Dates Unknown To Me

Jeannie Gallager (KCA) - 2008
Keith (KeithH20 - KCA)
MaryAnn aka Bangormom - KCA)
Doug (Chrisb's husband - KCA)
David R - (Kathi's husband - KCA)
Tom - (Chrisnj's husband - KCA)
Debbie Reeves' Dad (KCA)
JenniferK's mom (KCA)
Nicolejonesti's dad (KCA)

KCW Resource Blog

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

June 2009: Featured Warriors

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