Bloggin' & Billboards!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday dear Holy Moly Melanomy....Happy Birthday to YOU!

My bouncing, baby blog has turned one today!  365 days ago I launched this bad boy.  I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into or how it would turn out...the only thing that I knew at the beginning of all of this is that I needed to do this.  I needed to start this blog for myself (and my loved ones) because otherwise the stress from holding in my fears and feelings would eat me from the inside out.  I needed to shout my story from the rooftops in hopes to prevent anyone else going through the mental anguish. This blog was a complete necessity for my sanity.  I never could have imagined the impact that this silly, little blog has had on me.  

People that know me wouldn't think that I am not forthcoming with my feelings since I talk about everything else with no regard if the subject is appropriate or not.  I am completely, in every sense of the phrase, an open book - except when it comes to my feelings.  This blog has allowed me to open up in ways that I have wanted to, but never had the courage or strength to do.  Thank you to blogger for being there on days when I needed to vent and thank you to everyone who reads my silly ramblings.

With all of that said and done - I have another announcement to make and it couldn't come at a better time!  It is almost as if it's a birthday gift to my one year old baby, blog. 

On March 24th through April 20th a billboard for Melanoma awareness will be up in Grand Rapids, MI.  I did not think this up, I did not put this together - heck, I didn't even give any funds towards the billboard...but I am included on it and I couldn't be more proud.  I just found out about this a couple of days ago and I was so humbled and overjoyed to be included in such a huge effort.

Amazing Susan Hayes (affectionately know as mama bear in the Melanoma community) is the mastermind behind the literal HUGE WARNING SIGN!  She is posting this in time for spring breakers and prom go'ers in hopes to make these young people realize that Melanoma is serious.  I didn't know - seeing something like this on the way to the tanning salon in my late teens would have made me stop and think about it.  Even more so if I saw this leaving the tanning salon while smelling the scent of my burnt skin permeating the car. 

 

Our roar is getting louder...we will be heard. 

 

**If you want to read some of Susan's story about the loss of her beautiful daughter you can read here (http://jilliansjourneywithmelanoma.blogspot.com/)