Could there be anything more absurd than this week’s news reports announcing that the rescue workers who were part of the 9/11 clean-up effort cannot receive treatment for cancer unless they can prove that their cancer was caused by being at or near the Twin Towers through the clean-up process?
These brave Americans sucked in millions of carcinogens at the site for weeks and months, and now we are going to refuse to help them with their cancer diagnosis. Where does the insanity end? It’s absolutely shameful.
As for the results of my MRI last week, it has been confirmed that there is a new growth on the bone in my neck. It is too soon to radiate because the borders need to be more clearly defined.
So we watch and wait and then radiate. I’ve had radiation twice before and actually had very few side effects. After my lumpectomy in 2001, I had radiation on my breast. The second time was in 2003 when it metastasized to my femur. I was lucky that when the breast cancer was found in my bone, it was only in one spot, and that seems to be the situation with my neck. We just have to continue to beat the sucker back – and so far we have been successful – actually 10 years of success.
Meanwhile, I am on vacation in paradise with my daughter, Madeline. Paradise would be the island of Maui. I have been coming to this island for 25 years. It's magical. It is the one place I can go and let all my worries slip away. We have been doing yoga on the beach every morning, taking long walks along the ocean, watching incredible sunsets and thoroughly enjoying our time together. In three weeks I will be taking her back east to college, so I am savoring every minute of our time together. She is one fabulous child.
I want to thank all of you who have sent short inspirational videos to the website Men for Women Now. It's wonderful to hear from men about what they are going through or have gone through during the process of caring for a loved one with cancer. If you would like to send a video (under 60 seconds) that shares tips or advice, all you have to do is upload your video to YouTube and send us the link at noreen@noreenfraserfoundation.org.
You can "Like" the Noreen Fraser Foundation on Facebook by clicking here.
Noreen Fraser is living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. She is co-founder of STAND UP TO CANCER and co-produced the TV show, which raised 100 million dollars for cancer research. Noreen went on to create the Noreen Fraser Foundation to raise money and awareness for women's cancer research. The 'Men for Women Now' program enlists men to ask the women they love to make appointments for their mammogram and pap smear. Noreen can be reached at noreen@noreenfraserfoundation.org
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