Breast Cancer Awareness Line ACTIVE!

Good morning Campers!

I am so pleased, happy, and extremely excited to announce that the Breast Cancer Awareness Line is now ACTIVE! That means all the pins you got a sneak peak of last week are now available for purchase. And remember, a portion of that purchase will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, so you can look cute, show support AND give back all for under $5-yes!

For those Campers a bit late to the party-or who just adored certain pins-here’s a recap of the pins (complete with links to the store, to make shopping that much easier!):

The pins which started it all, “Hope Awareness Pin” and “Mom Awareness Pin.” I created them as a way to honor D’s aunt JoAnn, who just won her battle against breast cancer last winter! They had such a great impact on so many people, they inspired the entire line!

The “Cross Awareness Pin” and “Star of David Awareness Pin” I made for those who lean on their religion to help them through difficult times. It doesn’t matter which religion you practice or culture you are part of, Breast Cancer can strike anyone at any time!

I made the “Faith Awareness Pin” and the “Fairy Awareness Pin” in honor of my late Uncle David who lost his battle with lung cancer years ago. What helped him (and myself) through his battle was his intense faith in what he called the “Great Spirit of the Land.” I still feel his presence when I visit the Pacific Northwest and a warm breeze floats by unexpectedly. He would have loved the fairy pin-he always had a soft sport for cute things!

The Simple Pins with a clear, simple message in mind-Keep Battling! Many days, battlers wish they could take a day off from treatments and doctor appointments, but they can’t because cancer never takes a personal day. “Simple Awareness Pin” features two silver and one pink rose under a rhinestoned awareness ribbon, while “Butterfly and Pearls Awareness Pin” shows a crystal butterfly and multicolored pearled beads. Both simply beautiful!

Brand new for the line activation, I present “Buttons Awareness Pin” and “Candy Corn Awareness Pin.” Natural wood finish buttons give a cool, crafty vibe to the pin. And with the Candy Corn pin, you can show your love of Halloween and support the fight against Breast Cancer, all in one cute pin!

Fan Favorites: Little Helper Awareness Pins! “Little Helper Bear Awareness Pin” features a happy teddy bear with pink roses and a dangling pink rhinestoned ribbon charm. “Little Helper Mouse Awareness Pin” also has a rhinestoned ribbon charm, and a shy little mouse peeking out from behind a pink rose. Both little guys want to tag along to errands, doctor appointments and treatments! I created them in honor of JoAnn’s four kids, because every battler needs, and deserves, support and help!

Awareness Pins are a great way to show your support of the fight in general, or to honor those in your life battling every day! You can wear them on your fall jacket, fashion hat, bag, seat belts, dog leash…anywhere you can imagine!! New items will continue to be added to this line, so keep an eye out!

Please remember, I am more than willing-ecstatic even!-to create special orders. If the pin you love is sold out, or you want a special pin or wreath to honor those in your life (or just yourself!) simply email me at: Marelladesigns@gmail.com

Breast Cancer: Workaholic

Today is one of those days where I simply do not want to do anything! Well, that's not strictly true-I'd be willing to curl up with a good book or snuggle down with Gracie for a nap. Alas, there is always work to be done, people to see, gyms to avoid, etcetera etcetera.

I do not have the motivation cancer does. I would like nothing more than to bunk my responsibilities and commit the day to Anna Karenina. (That's right, bunk!) But cancer never takes a day off. Its like that guy in your office who wins the Perfect Attendance Award year after year-and seems happy about it! In fact, if cancer joined Match.com, its "Interests" section would only say 'work.'

Think about this made me realize exactly what it means when they say the fight against cancer never sleeps. I always pictured some Biochemical Army battling cancer in their camo lab coats, complete with chemical grenades, petrie dish parachutes and bunson burner bombs. And while this is sort of true, (yay scientists!), the fight is more personal for millions of people.

Everyday people fight the everyday fight. I am sure cancer battlers have many days where they simply do NOT want to keep fighting. Days they feel they cannot face another appointment or more therapy. Days they want to chuck it all, go back to bed and give up. But they can't, because cancer won't.

So I will complete my daily responsibilities, and I will even go to the gym. because there are millions of people going through tougher times than I can imagine. And they will soldier on. They may complain, but they have a right to-I do not. So here's a simple message to all of you soldiers, you Cancer Battlers-keep fighting!! For this simple message, I present the Simple Awareness Pin and the Butterfly & Pearls Awareness Pin. The design is simple, but the message is deep.
 

My Uncle David

Today’s post is very difficult for me to write, yet I think it is very pertinent to the topic of the week (Breast Cancer Awareness, if you haven’t been paying attention!)

When I was still in middle school, my mother married my step father. Not too terribly long after, his brother, Uncle David, came to live with us because he was “having problems.”

Uncle David was a depressive who liked to stop taking his medication when he was feeling better, which would cause him to slip back into terrible pits of depression that lasted for months. While in these pits, he would sit at the table, muttering to himself, chain smoking.

He wasn’t always a depressive. When he was feeling good, he would play his guitars and sing old rock n’ roll songs. In fact, as teenagers, he and my stepdad formed a band that was mildly popular in Nowheresville, WA in their day. Uncle David loved gardening; he would completely landscape the yard only to rip it up and to do something else. He was always watching either John Wayne or the Three Stooges, chuckling to himself. He was also fond of picking up our shitzu and carrying her for walks around the neighborhood, since she didn’t like to walk herself. (It seems the bratty gene is prevalent in my family’s dogs…)

His depression began when his son died in a tragic accidental suicide at the age of 13. Understandably, that is something which one never truly recovers. But as time went on, he tried, day by day. After a while, he had more good days than bad ones, more music and less muttering.

My favorite memory with Uncle David was when a traveling opera group came to our town, playing Carmen. My music teacher hooked me up with tickets. I was so excited; I love opera but had never seen one live! The four of us got dressed up, went out to dinner and then headed to the local high school for the show. The whole time my Uncle David kept nudging me, sticking his nose comically in the air, saying “Marella, we’ve made it now, we’re off to the OP-era!” It made me giggle all night.

Eventually, Uncle David was doing fantastically-he had held the same job for over a year, bought a little red Ford Ranger and a small house. But he had never stopped chain smoking. My step dad tried to talk him out of cigarettes, but Uncle David joked that he could never quit his “cancer sticks.” As you can figure, he contracted lung cancer. A bad, but short, bout with pneumonia, and he was gone.

Uncle David was part Native American, on his mother’s side, and held a lot of belief in what he called “the Great Spirit of the Land.” He told me he believed that when a person dies they join their ancestors and become one with nature. It was not until years later, upon talking to my mother, that I realized Uncle David did not fight his cancer. He not only let it happen, he actively invited it with his years of chain smoking. When I asked her why, she replied that he had never been truly happy since his son had died, and that he wanted to be with him again.

I know he did not die of breast cancer, but I want to take today to remind everyone that all cancers are they same. And when they claim someone you love, the pain is the same for all those left behind. Even more, though, I want to highlight an important fact: not all cancers are physical-some are of the soul. Just like malignant cells, cancer of the soul can eat away at a person for years until it is no longer strong enough to fight it.

What helped me deal with Uncle David’s death was the same thing that helped him through the darkest parts of his life: his faith. His faith was practically palpable; he did not believe, he knew. He was so sure, it made me sure. The less believing of his family placed a tombstone for him in the ‘family cemetery,’ but I have never been to visit it-that’s not what he wanted. He said, “you can place a stone if you like, but that’s not where I’ll be.” I like to believe that his spirit soars over the Pacific Northwest; whenever a Chinook wind blows up the gorge, in my heart, that’s my Uncle David.


In honor of my Uncle David and his strong faith, I present this breast cancer awareness pin with the word “faith.” Faith in whatever you believe, you simply must have it! I also present for featuration the Fairie Awareness pin, simply because he would have liked it!

I thank you for allowing me to tell the cancer story that touched my life most, and forgiving that it is a bit off this week’s topic. It simply felt right to honor my Uncle David during this week. Thank you again. Now go hug your family members!