Weekly Round Up: The Pay It Forward Edition
Time for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just leave a comment below.
Our lovely friend Karen inspired us to join her in paying it forward in memory of her husband, Hugh. Elizabeth has taken this on lovingly and thoughtfully in her blog this week. There’s still time to pay it forward (there’s always time to pay it forward!) but if you are wondering how to take part, why not commit to commenting on some of these blogs today. We all love to read comments and know that our writing touches someone – it’s the spirit in which I set up the weekly round-up to acknowledge your efforts each week, even if comments are thin on the ground. And it would be a fitting tribute, not just to Hugh, but to Karen, who is a blog commentator par excellence.
Philippa is paying it forward by highlighting Mesothelioma, a complex cancer distinguished primarily by three factors: rarity, cause and aggressiveness, for Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
Ann showcases the requests she gets to promote pink in her annual hall of shame – this time focusing on a request to promote alcohol, a known link to breast cancer – for a similar theme read the Cancer Curmudgeon. Meanwhile Beth tackles Pinktober and makes the telling point that awareness is not education, a point also echoed in Britt’s latest post. Jodie lays out the “True October” facts for us, and Scorchy writes an open letter to Joan Lunden, urging her to “swim against the tide that will always pink wash this disease”.
Kate writes about the revolving cancer door in a post that will resonate with many of us, while Mandi writes of our old foe scanxiety and Uzma captures the anxiety in a brilliant poem.
Elsewhere in the blogosphere….
My Jewish friends are celebrating Rosh Hashannah this week and in the spirit of this holy season, Sara has a beautiful reflection on new beginnings.
Amy is honors the memory of her grandmother.
Healing thoughts go out to dear Jen as she recovers from her latest chemo round.
I found myself nodding a vigorous yes! at this great post on The Risky Body blog on the unspoken imperative to be pretty during treatment.
How do you bridge the gap between treatment and what comes next? Gai has some great advice this week.
So proud of Nancy who will be speaking at the Living Beyond Breast Cancer Fall conference this year.
For anyone who struggles with the insensitive, albeit well-meaning, things people say when it comes to infertility, read Justine’s post.
Margaret provides advice on dealing with the side effects of Tamoxifen.
How much is cancer connected to glucose and microenvironments? Read Medivizor to find out.
What will cancer genome sequencing mean for us? Dr Elaine Schattner probes the question in her latest Forbes article.
A nice reminder by Susanne on learning on accept help.
Was it worth it? Anne Marie answers the question in relation to her recent reconstruction.
A gorgeous reflection by Knot Telling on the true nature of beauty.
Flo has challenged herself to eat five superfoods in five weeks – see how she is getting on with the challenge.
Le Amazzoni Furiosa weighs in on the mammography debate.
Profile of a woman dying of breast cancer – a powerful read on Living Life Furiously.
A terrific post by Eileen taking a closer look at the exhortation to be positive through cancer.
Helen is supporting lymphoedema awareness week.
Catherine tackles the “lost their battle” and other irksome terms in her latest blog post.
An enjoyable post by Victoria on the trials of being a better reader.
Instructions for a body scan relaxation exercise at Beauty Despite Cancer.
Jackie is adapting to life after cancer treatment.
Jamie discusses phantom pain after a mastectomy.
Big shout-out and well done to Rebecca and Sarah who completed a 5K run for two breast cancer charities.
Yvonne shares information on breast cancer and exercise.
A fascinating look by Lisa Skelding at attitudes to cancer around the world, and the sociocultural factors that impact sexuality after cancer.
Finally this week, the trauma and pain of losing her mother to breast cancer is palpable in Jessica’s latest post. Please pay it forward by reading and commenting on Jessica’s blog in support of a courageously honest piece of writing.
Until next week,
DO remember to pay it forward.
Yours with love
Marie xxx
Some great reading for tomorrow … Thanks
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Thank you so much, Marie, for this comprehensive round-up! And thank you for including my post; I so appreciate all you do. I enjoy reading and commenting on as many of these Roundup posts as I can. We all like to know we are touching someone’s life in some way. And Karen is amazing at commenting. We, who have been fortunate enough to read her comments, appreciate her so much.
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Thanks Beth – your words mean a lot to me and what you say about Karen was beautifully put indeed.
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Marie, you’ve outdone yourself with this Round-Up. I’m itching to read each and every blog here. Thank you!
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Whew! Lots to read–I better get started. Thanks again Marie.
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Beth’s self-reflective tribute is a thing of beauty. Thank you for these Round-Ups (and for including mine). These are so thoughtful… you are the best example of paying it forward! xoxo
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Thanks, Marie, for another stellar roundup and for including my post.
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Thank you for including me and a call to action for comments….the women I heard from were so kind. You are the best!
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Thank you so much Marie for including Part 1 of the #fertilitycompassion survey results post! Much love friend! Justine
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Thank you, Marie! And some very good posts up this week…
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Wow – so many great blogs to read and catch up on. Thank you for including me among them.
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dear Marie and all our bloggy friends,
I want to let you know that our wonderful Yvonne, at her site, Seasoned Sistah, dedicated her blog post today to Hugh, the PIF tribute, and to me. she wrote a beautiful post about her dear neighbor/friend who is now on Hospice, and how Yvonne paid it forward with her weekly visit to deliver gorgeous flowers and a special card, and has often sat with her friend to offer companionship and comfort. please – go have a read. I only just became aquainted with dear Yvonne a short time ago when I discovered her site via the Round -up. Thanks Yvonne for such a kind and generous gesture – it’s truly heart warming!
much love,
Karen
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Karen, I missed that blog, even though I included Yvonne here in the round-up. Thanks so much for letting me know – what a wonderful way to pay it forward!
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What a lovely round up! Thanks for including me. 🙂 Now to catch up on all of these posts!
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dear Marie,
I am so happy to report that the PIF tribute launched that was set into motion by you facilitating me as a guest blogger after receiving the background information has caught on like nothing we could ever have imagined! just saying those three words has ignited a flurry of enthusiasm and the desire to perform random acts of kindness. and it’s making people shout, with big smiles on their faces, “I’M IN!’, and promising to grab onto any opportunity to help others, and not for just one day! PIF has no deadline, it has no rules – just the impetus to notice the plights of others – both small and large, then do something to assuage suffering, sadness, hunger, isolation, poverty and injustice. it isn’t how much money or material things are involved. it’s a vehicle to notice how much power we have to lighten the load for our fellow human beings, and for animals, too. it’s a way to notch up our everyday lives and enhance them with really observing, really caring, and taking action to change our thinking, and discover the joy and satisfaction that results from both the recipient and those who intervene by giving of themselves. the combination of extending ourselves and the results of doing so is a win-win situation. and it provides such a therapeutic response for both parties – called LOVE and GRATITUDE.
our family was given a legacy of unending love and gratitude, well aged and brought to perfection with Hugh, who understood, taught by example, and lived altruism, he lived it all his life with great humility and never, ever needed nor sought recognition nor thanks. the stories that have emerged of how he paid it forward continue to be told, many of them we never knew about while he was alive. to be able to share that legacy is a tremendous comfort, and to see it being nurtured, healthy, and most assuredly alive has been a privilege. our family thanks each one of you who have or will PIF and help our Darling husband, father and grandfather be remembered for teaching one of life’s most important lessons – namely, it simply boils down to LOVE.
with much love from our Sutherland family,
Karen xoxox
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