My cousin Lynne Brown was diagnosed in February 2006 with breast cancer. See her survival story here.

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poem:
it only happens to a woman

I never thought about it
I mean, I never thought I'd have to deal with it
being it only happens to a woman
but when she stood there
beside the hospital bed
my wife of five short years
I knew I'd have to deal with it then

I told her it didn't matter
that nothing would change
but when she undressed before
me that night
I hated myself for what I thought

how could things be the same
how could I touch her
now that part of her woman
was cut away
and I hung my head in shame

as I watched her
look at herself within the mirror
I felt the burning trace
of a tear
leaving a crevice in my cheek
that would permanently scar

her eyes looked into mine
and I saw her soul
struggling, while she stood strong

and she cried
but her tears were of joy
while mine were of disgust
in myself

I walked to her
and held her in my arms
while she exclaimed
"I'm so glad just to be alive"

I trembled as my anger grew
with my selfishness
and I thought
"my God, I am so very glad
she is alive"

and I know this malady
that has taken a fragment of
her physical being
will try to work its' way into
her spirit
while I standing with yellow feet
can do nothing

and I felt her heart beat
in unison with mine
as we held each other
and I realized
her strength and valiantness
were enough for us both
and I took it in

I kissed and caressed
her scarred and bruised body
and I knew then
how a real woman felt

9.
©1990

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When you purchase stamps, PLEASE, don’t forget to ask for
BREAST CANCER STAMPS!

The U.S. Postal Service breast cancer stamp was printed and promoted to raise funds for breast cancer research. To date, the stamp has raised more than $30 million for breast cancer research. By law, 70 percent of the net amount raised is given to the National Institutes of Health and 30 percent is given to the Medical Research Program at the Department of Defense.

The cost of each stamp is only 8 cents more than a regular stamp. Just think what 8 cents can do in the fight against breast cancer.

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Pink around the World...
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month every year. In support of this, the Estee Lauder Companies pursued the lighting of famous landmarks around the world in pink lights, including Graceland!

.

Yearly Mammograms:
Pinky does it so why don't you?

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LOCAL CANCER PROJECT 2004 Crawfordsville, Indiana

Artist Nina J. Smith, Designer Marlene Simonds and
Home Owner Ashley Hanna

Redesign of local home - proceeds of open house to cancer research.

Preview Party was fabulous. Good food, folks and fun!

Kitchen/Dining area with two shutters hinged together and hung from ceiling.

Rustic Bakers rack. Originally walls were to be a Granny Smith green. Home owner chose a deep, richer green instead.

Myself at fireplace with my painting "The Concealment of My Likeness"

Room between Living room and Dining room. We painted the fireplace black and painted the border chocolate brown with a pinstripe of black.

Guest Bedroom, Safari theme, Chocolate Brown Walls. Painting "Trace of Zebra".

Living room. Peanut Shell Paint.

Back Porch. Red on walls. I painted the rug on the cement floor with every color we used in the house.

Breast Cancer Sculpture. "This Alliance" Check out my funky pants!

Here we are again. Nina Smith, Marlene Simonds and Ashley Hanna

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This Alliance
If anyone is interested in purchasing, please make an offer and I will consider. All monies from the sale will be donated to breast cancer research. See stages of cancer here.