Stand Up To Cancer

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Abdul-Jabbar, who played in the NBA for twenty years and earned six championships and six MVP awards, recently went public with his battle with chronic myeloid leukemia. Abdul-Jabbar first learned he had the disease last year. "I think that someone like me, who has a public presence, because people pay attention to what's going on in my life, can help save some lives," he said. "I want to get the message across: this condition is treatable. I want to get people to go to doctors, take the medication. This disease can be managed and you can continue to live a very meaningful life."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/sports/basketball/10rhoden.html?_r=3&hp

Barbara Gray
Diagnosed with breast cancer was diagnosed with breast cancer around this time last year. Initially after completing treatment, Gray had a hard time embracing the term "survivor." Now, in a story in her local paper, she talks about recovering from both the disease and its after-effects - and learning to reach out to others to move forward with her own life. "I would just really urge people to do their annual mammograms," she said. "If you catch it in the early stages, then your prognosis is much better . . . This has been an exciting year for me. It hasn't been a year out of my life. It's been a great adventure."
http://www.theolympian.com/living/story/1029347.html

Nancy Thompson

This uplifting piece out of the Berkshires tells the story of a group of local cancer survivors who use humor to, in one member's words, "thrive and not just survive." The group's uplifting and educational events have grown from about 80 people in attendance to over 300. "There were just hundreds and hundreds of people there," said Thompson of the event that inspired the group. "And they were all having a good time. They were talking and laughing and eating. I saw that cancer doesn't have to take away from you."
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_13744726

Robin Pelka

In a comment on last week's "With You, We Stand" entry, Denis J. Lanza shared his story: "My amazing, beautiful, loving and unique fiance, Robin Pelka, died on Saturday, September 19th at the age of 34 of brain cancer. I had already begun writing a blog in her memory at the time of her death. It is an account of the woman who changed my life forever. She is my soulmate and the love of my life. Please stop by and read about my angel. Thank you and God Bless you all."
http://denisandrobin.blogspot.com

As always, we welcome you to share your stories in the comments below.