My first exposure to the devastating effects of cancer was during my on-the-job training as a nurse’s aid in the mid 1970′s. Winslow has a very small hospital. The patients come from the surrounding area. Since I lived there as a child and then our family moved to the nearby farming town of Joseph City, I knew many of the people who came to be treated. I returned on summer break while attending nursing school. One of the most dramatic impressions was from a nurse who had been part of my training as an aide, and died the summer before I graduated. The profound sadness I felt still wrenches my heart.
Since that time I’ve treated numerous patients with cancer. As a home health nurse I developed close relationships with those I cared for – they became as dear as family to me. Occasionally I’ve been privileged to celebrate with them as they reached remission. More often than I care to remember I’ve mourned with their survivors at their funerals. The hardest ones are always the children.
Currently I have a cousin (in-law who I consider to be my dearest friend) who is suffering from Ovarian Cancer and is now being treated with yet another kind of chemotherapy. I have an aunt and an uncle who are cancer survivors. I’ve lost one uncle to kidney cancer. So yes, my life has been greatly influenced by cancer.I recently completed the Crafting the Character Based Novel Courses taught by Pamela R. Goodfellow PhD. Her instructions and mentoring have helped me bring Save the Child to the point of production. This novel with be included with several others in the Goodfellow Publishing book launch on September 25th, 2010. The subject of Save the Child is a family dealing with their daughter, Sharon, who is diagnosed with Cancer. Several of my personal experiences are weaved into the storyline, as well as events from current news regarding parent’s rights to choose the healthcare for their child.
I am honored to join with the other authors who will be in the launch event to focus on fighting cancer. One of the GPS authors – Lisa Finder is the founder of White Lions Foundation – a non-profit organization that focuses on research and education in alternative cancer therapies. One of their main goals is to provide individuals with information about the availability of treatments, doctors, supplements and clinics and to assist them in gathering the information they need to make the best decision for their particular situation. White Lions is one of only a few organizations in the country that helps cancer patients with direct supplement assistance.
White Lions is collecting the funds donated to Writers Unite to Fight Cancer via our on-line site, through checks, and at the Invitation only RSVP Book Launch where we will host a silent auction and 50/50 raffle. 100% of net proceeds from contributions will be given to the American Association for Cancer Research. I as well as the other authors will also be donating a portion of our books sales on that evening.
The American Association for Cancer Research : AACR
See my new website: http://margaretlarsen.com Words&Works by Margaret for blog post that has a Power Point Presentation on Social Networking to Increase Your Customer Base with tips for Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In and Blogs and Poll on how you use social networking applications.
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