A celebration of my sisters 5 years!

Few things mark milestones in your life more than your siblings.  I've been blessed with a crazy and diverse family.  Many of my childhood memories are sprinkled with laughter and sunshiny days, and my brother & sisters.
Together, we faced the loss of our mother.  It was as if someone sucked all the oxygen out of the room. In many ways, you are prepared to lose a parent.  But, I was never prepared to face the possibility with my sister, with someone that I grew up with and shared so much.

In 2008, on the heels of a shocking diagnosis of my nephew, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Breast cancer.  I doubt there are scarier words ever strung together.  I was there when the doctor said to her "we will do a biopsy, but I can tell you that you have breast cancer."  I was supposed to be there to listen and gather information, but in that second I recalled a warm summer day, driving the back country roads in one of Annie's Chevy Camaro's.  I had my hand out the window and the music was playing loud.  I remembered the smells and the warmth of that summer day.  I knew that no matter what, I was going to be where I was that summer day, right next to her.

Of course, we all know that Annie conquered.  This year marks her 5th year since official remission.  I've always known that my siblings, all of them, are incredible survivors each with their own strengths and weaknesses.  Annie survived with such grace and fortitude that I have carried a deep sense of love and admiration for her.  So, this year I want to mark this fantastic milestone by giving back in her honor.  I've started a fundraising campaign with the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  They provide education and mammograms to women in all sorts of different situations.  I can't imagine a better way to honor a woman that takes brownies to her local police department just to say thanks.

If you would like to join me in honoring her, and so many like her, you can donate here. And, if I raise some money (preferably my goal of $2000 but any amount will work) I will spend the month of October with pink hair, and sharing her story to anyone that asks why I'm walking around with pink hair :)