~MAY Awareness~

~Each month various organizations and foundations join together to campaign for a variety of AWARENESS Projects.  The month of May has begun, and here is a list of campaigns which are currently under way:

May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month
(taken from the blog)

May starts National Skin Cancer/Melanoma Awareness Month campaign. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, with over one million people diagnosed each year!

Fast Facts About Skin Cancer

• Skin cancer and melanoma account for about 50% of all types of cancers diagnosed combined.
• Skin cancer is one of the more preventable types of cancer.
• More than 90% of skin cancer is causes by excessive exposure to the sun.
• Each hour, 1 person dies from skin cancer.

For more information about Skin Cancer, please visit this link:   
http://cancer.about.com/od/skincancermelanoma/a/skincanceraware.htm 

May is ASTHMA AWARENESS MONTH
(taken from the site)

Asthma is a serious, life-threatening respiratory disease that affects over 20 million Americans. Rates of asthma have risen sharply over the past thirty years, particularly among children ages 5 to 14 (read more Facts about Asthma)

In response to the growing asthma problem, EPA created a national, multifaceted asthma education and outreach program to share information about environmental factors — found indoors and outdoors — that trigger asthma. Although there is no cure, asthma can be controlled through medical treatment and management of environmental asthma triggers.

EPA's goal is to reduce exposure to indoor asthma triggers and improve the quality of life for 6.5 million people by 2012. 

For more information about asthma, please visit this link:   http://www.ginasthma.com/

May is MS AWARENESS MONTH 
(from the site)

The MS Society of Canada marks the month of May as MS Awareness Month. Across the country, our collective aim is to increase awareness about multiple sclerosis; inform the public about the MS Society’s services and mission; and to engage new and existing supporters in our efforts to end MS.

Read all 31 facts about multiple sclerosis and the MS Society for MS Awareness Month.

May is SPEECH & HEARING AWARENESS MONTH
(from the site)

May is Speech and Hearing Awareness Month, the one month in the year when thousands of professionals involved with the treatment of speech, language and hearing disorders come together to participate in a public awareness campaign that encourages early detection and prevention of communication disorders, and seeks to increase the public's sensitivity to the challenges faced by individuals experiencing them.

CASLPA Swallowing Awareness Day ~ May 9, 2011

Untreated feeding and swallowing disorders, also known as dysphagia, can cause serious health issues, child and family stress, social difficulties, and even life-threatening situations.
As part of a Swallowing Awareness Day initiative, CASLPA has developed a series of resources, available in both official languages, on youth/adult
and infant/child swallowing. Each package of materials includes a swallowing fact sheet, a swallowing issue checklist and an informational article.

As the days progress, I will come back and share more of May's AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS.  I'll be keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers, and send out strength & comfort to all xxoo

~March 13th ~ TRISOMY 13 AWARENESS DAY~

~Today, myself and many other families around the world took part in remembering and honouring our Trisomy 13 angel-babies and miraculous survivors.  The 13th day of the 3rd month signifies the addition of the 3rd COPY of Chromosome 13 which contraindicates Trisomy 13.

This is a beautiful commemoration of other Trisomy 13 families that celebrate and cherish the blessings that we share. Thank you to Micayla, Angel Faith's Mommy, for putting this together and sharing it with others.

Love, Peace, & Nimkee-Blessings to all on this special day and ways xxoo

I love you Bennett-Chadlen xxoo

~MARCH is TRISOMY, CDH, BRAIN INJURY, NUTRITION, & COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH~

~The month of March is significant to me for a variety of reasons.

It is the month that my father and brother have their birthdays.

It is the month for Brain Injury Awareness,  Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness, National Nutrition Month, and Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

The most significant of all is that March 29th, 2007 was the day that my youngest son Bennett-Chadlen Roy was born at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Canada, and spent his entire 8 day life at Sick Kids Hospital NICU.

Bennett-Chadlen was diagnosed with Trisomy 13 halfway through my pregnancy, in my fifth month.  I had no idea what it was, and what it meant for his life.  I just knew that it had to be something bad judging by the look of horror and  pain on my midwife's face as she tried to break it to me as gently as possible.

How do you tell someone that their unborn child is affected by a rare chromosomal abnormality which often results in death prenatally or shortly following birth?

March is TRISOMY AWARENESS MONTH.  It is the one month of the year when all families of children born affected with Trisomy can join forces and inform our family and friends what Trisomy is, and what it means to us.

What began is the worst possible nightmare that I could possibly imagine, has turned into an unbelievable journey of unconditional love, pure acceptance, grief, healing, and joy.  Why joy you might ask?

My son gave me the greatest gift imaginable.  He opened me up to the most intense feeling of love that I could never imagine without experiencing it firsthand.  There are no words for the wonder and depth of admiration that I felt for this tiny, unborn son of mine.  Every single moment of time, every tiny little heartbeat......was graciously celebrated within my womb.  I spent each day rubbing him through my belly, speaking his name as I described what I could see and what "we" were doing.  I spent countless hours rocking him in front of the fire at night, in a room lit only by the flames.  I celebrated every kick and prayed for many more.  I shed tears that I thought would never stop.

Through the gift of my blessed boy, I learned to live spontaneously and squeeze every amount of happiness out of each and every day that I can breath.  I welcome life, I rejoice in the ability to experience the rain, wind, snow, and sunshine.  I hug my boys as often as possible, and never allow a day to go by without them knowing how much they are cherished and loved.  The same goes for the special people and friends in my life.

Through the internet I was able to not only learn about the survivors and families affected by Trisomy 13, but I was also able to reach out and 'meet' others in similar situations and seek comfort and solace within their words of support which they so generously gave to me when I enquired or requested it.

As I near my sweet boy's 4th Heavenly Birthday I can't help but feel sentimental and think back to those final days 4 years ago as I was waiting for him to be born.

I can't explain it, but I can show you the beautiful photos which were provided to me courtesy of Heather Renee Morgan of Lifespark Photography.

Love, Peace, & Nimkee-Blessings to all my special Trisomy families today, and always xxoo

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