Last Monday I posted a blog about a client and friend of ours that was undergoing breast cancer surgery. She is 30. Many of you tried to email her and the emails came back. I had the email address incorrect in the original post which has been corrected now. Here it is again: beverlybarr2@gmail.com
Please take a second and email them both. I kept every email, card, note and letter from my cancer journey and have them in a note book. When I am having a challenging day - I still go to these for inspiration. You really do not know how much a few seconds of your time will mean to them. Even if it is simple five word email - "I am praying for you!" this will touch them and encourage them by knowing that hundreds of people - even strangers are pulling and praying for them.
Here is an update directly from her husband Dustin: "Hey guys, we got the pathology report back from the hospital today - Overall I was pleased with the news. First of all, the report confirmed that the cancer did not spread to the lymph nodes on either side. So we’re definitely thankful for that. We also learned that due to the size and the grade of the tumor, it is very likely that she’ll have to undergo Chemotherapy at some point in the near future. We really won’t be certain about the treatment plan until we have our first appointment with the Oncologist.
Bev needs to do some recovering before that happens though. These past 4 days following her surgery have been tough on her, but she’s hanging in there. She’s been woozy, light-headed, very sore and tender, and has had some bad headaches. Hopefully over the weekend some of these symptoms will start fading away and she’ll also start eating more.
Also, I know it’s always an awkward situation when someone’s in bad shape and you think, "If i visit them, i’ll be a burden, but if I don’t visit them, they’ll think i’m a bad friend." So I’ll make it easy for you (at least for the next few days) - give Bev some air until i send out an email giving you the ok that she’s up for visitors. It means a lot whenever anyone offers to sacrifice their time and come over, but right now she needs uninterrupted rest all day every day until she gets better.
Finally, even though she’s had to give the computer a break for a couple of days because reading worsened her symptoms, Bev has not been deterred from enjoying all of her email and regular mail and all the other cool stuff that’s being sent. So thanks again, all of you." Her email again is: beverlybarr2@gmail.com
Tonight the Savannah ABC affiliate WJCL TV named Lori a “Champion of Change.” Lori was nominated and selected because of her cancer advocacy. Lori has become internationally recognized for her efforts to raise awareness for cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine. In fact if you Google Lori I think even you would be stunned at how sought after she is as a spokesperson for cervical cancer.
Casey Jones the anchor for the ABC affiliate did a masterful job in telling Lori’s powerful story. There is so much more to be accomplished. Thank you for your continued interest and support of Lori and this wonderful cause.
Click here to see the story. You will see the text and on the right you can click the play button under the video on demand bar to see the story.
She has a MAJOR interview coming out very soon with a HUGE media outlet. She has already taped the interview and we are waiting on the Executive Producer to let us know when the interview will be used. Stay tuned!
Every day the when the phone rings - we continued to be stunned at how God is using Lori in such incredible ways. Your emails, call, letters and contributions to Lori’s fight have become the inspiration that Lori continues to draw strength from.
We will be forever grateful for your friendship and support!
DeWayne and Edie Grace
Last night DeWayne and I accepted an invitation to join Senator Hillary Clinton in Atlanta as she made a stop over there for a political event. She graciously gave me the opportunity to share my passion about cervical cancer and the importance of addressing this issue at a national level. We have a wonderful opportunity to attack this deadly disease in an incredible way through the HPV vaccine, education and early detection. Senator Clinton shared with me her passion for all women’s health issues to be brought to the forefront - including the HPV vaccine.
She and her staff really reached out to us. There were thousands of people attending a dinner that she was speaking at. She met with us and a small group of her friends just prior to speaking to this large group.
Regardless of where you are politically in the presidential campaign - I hope you at least recognize how special this opportunity was for me. More importantly I hope you are as thrilled as me that the leaders of our country are reaching out to advocates such as us - for all issues affecting women. It is a remarkable time in history when we could possibly elect a woman or an African American as our President.
I also had an opportunity to visit with several legendary civil rights leaders last night. Congressman Charles Rangel who authored one of my favorite books “And I haven’t had a bad day since.” and Congressman John Lewis who is one of the most dynamic speakers you will ever hear. He lived history working as a close friend and lieutenant of Dr. Martin Luther King in the civil rights movement. We also visited with Ambassador Andy Young, former Mayor of Atlanta, Congressman and leader of the civil rights movement.
We spent time with so many others who were all very receptive and supportive to our fight against cancer.
January is national cervical cancer awareness month. My calendar has been busy for the last several weeks with speeches and interviews about my journey surviving cancer. A centerpiece of my advocacy is education and reassuring women about the importance of taking control of their personal health. The best ways to survive cancer are through early detection and prevention.
Through this journey I have met a couple of wonderful cancer advocates at Emory’s Winship Cancer Center in Atlanta. Jennifer Daly who hails from Savannah is a key player in helping secure funding and spread the word about the great - I mean PHENOMINAL - work being done at Emory’s Winship Center. Partnered with her at Emory is Dr. Kevin Ault. Dr. Alt is the public face of the HPV vaccine Gardasil. He ran the clinical trials for the vaccine and spends a tremendous amount of time trying to dispel the myths of the vaccine.
Through these two wonderful champions - many incredible doors have been opened for me allowing me the opportunity to reach a broader audience with my story.
Recently I was interviewed in Atlanta by Dr. Gregg Orloff who is on staff at Emory. After his wife’s diagnosis and survival from breast cancer he founded CancerQuest.org. CancerQuest is a web site full of information on cancer. It is a one stop shop for information regarding cancer.
One of the new features on this web site is streaming video testimonials from victims of all types of cancer. DeWayne and I were fortunate to be interviewed and have the opportunity to tell our story on the site.
This is a tremendous step forward in winning the fight against cancer. I wish this amazing resource was available when I was diagnosed!
You can click the link below to see my entire interview and hear my story first hand. Hopefully my story will help encourage other cancer victims and give them hope for survivorship.
http://www.cancerquest.emory.edu/index.cfm?page=2823
This link takes you directly to the media page. Under the heading Caner Quest Interviews - there is a drop down menu “choose an interview” - scroll down to Cervical Cancer Awareness Advocates - Lori and DeWayne Grice
WOW! What a day!!! My alarm clock woke me up this morning at 2:30am and I hit the road to Atlanta at 3:30am. I had to be set up at 7:00am before the State Immunization Conference began. It kicked off at 8:00am but most of the attendees arrive early to visit the exhibits. I was very excited when I got the call inviting me to be a part of the event. The event organizer, Angie, had been given my name by someone in Savannah that had been keeping up with work promoting the HPV vaccine. (Thank you to that person!)
The event had 480 registered attendees. Most were nurses who were there to learn more info about the new vaccines available and any new data. There were many speakers including Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer. You may remember her as our 1976 Miss Georgia. She had wanted to be a doctor since she was only five years old. When she was a contestant at the Miss America pageant her question was, “Miss Georgia, what makes you think you can be a doctor?”. At the time, she was only the second contestant in Miss America history to list being a doctor as her career goal. I am amazed by how much she and Kara look alike and that they are BOTH past Miss Georgia’s, past Miss America contestants, internal medicine doctors, and both practice at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.
Sandra not only became the doctor she had dreamed of becoming, she also became the youngest president of the 115,000 member American College of Physicians - American Society of Internal Medicine. She was only the second woman to hold that post.
It was great to meet yet another person working to promote the HPV vaccine. She delivered the keynote address today and dedicated her speech to one of her client’s daughters that had recently lost her battle with metastatic cervical cancer. I think everyone was really touched by seeing photos of one of the 10 woman a day that lose their life to cervical cancer. The family was so kind to share their story and photos with permission in this time where HIPPA has to keep everyone’s identity private.
Our new cervical cancer posters were a big hit. These posters explain why I am one mother who will vaccinate my daughter when she is nine. My prayer is that these posters will save just one life. I understand that not everyone will share my view and I respect each person’s opinion. All I ask is that you will give me about five minutes to share a few things that the media has forgotten to mention. That way, whatever your decision is for your daughter, it will be made with complete information.
As you probably remember, last month I celebrated my five year anniversary of cancer freedom. Driving up to Atlanta this morning I reflected on the gift of life and how precious it is. This weekend do something to celebrate your life! You deserve to!!!
One of the greatest parts of my job is traveling with clients to fun and exciting locations.
I captured this image of Edie Grace at the Atlantis in the Bahamas while working on a commission for a local family. Before visiting the Georgia Aquarium, this was the largest Aquarium I had ever saw. Edie Grace “wandered” up to the glass and peered through in shear “wonderment”. Hence the title “Wonder”.
What a fascinating experience. Simply one of many, many experiences Edie Grace has shared with DeWayne and I as she has explored the wonderment of childhood. I have included this image in my Master’s and Healing Art Collection.
Last Monday I posted a blog about a client and friend of ours that was undergoing breast cancer surgery. She is 30. Many of you tried to email her and the emails came back. I had the email address incorrect in the original post which has been corrected now. Here it is again: beverlybarr2@gmail.com
Happy Birthday Blog! When I launched this blog last year I had no idea how popular it would become. Thanks to you in just one short year my blog has become one of the most widely read photography blogs in the world! Is the internet amazing or what? I really appreciate all of your comments and suggestions. Yes I know many of you are addicted and I promise to make next year's entries even more touching and exciting. Hope to see all of you in the studio SOON!