Crystal Clear Observations

I just participated in my first "tweet up" as a media expert on a discussion about Race and Media. An Honors College graduate of The University of Houston in Radio & Television, I don't recall coursework or classes on this very important topic. When I was growing up, I wanted to be on the news. I was fascinated with the women on television who always appeared poised and polished and full of intellect. Problem was I didn't see many, if any in the early years, of news reporters who looked like me. In fact, in my senior year memory book I wrote that I aspired to be like Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters or Paula Zahn. I hadn't met the Melanie Lawson's, Mary Benton's, Minerva Perez' or Soledad O'Brien's of the world yet! Getting pregnant my sophomore year threw a monkey wrench in my plans. Even though I interned in Houston and worked briefly as a news producer after graduation, my obligation to parenthood was more important than working in media....

I've been wanting to get something off my chest for a long time....besides breast cancer. There is a disturbing trend in the survivorship community of self-motivated breast cancer survivor "rock stars". When I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35, I was devastated but took full accountability that I waited 8 months to see a doctor about my lump. Since my incompetent oncologist at that time made me feel that I only had a few years to live, I decided to embark full fledge on an awareness campaign, particularly in the African American community, so that no one else would have to endure a late stage diagnosis like me. My desire to save other women was my single motivating factor. If this could happen to me, this could happen to anyone. Over the past 6 years, I have met some wonderful and inspiring survivors. Many of these women also share my desire to raise awareness and encourage healthy lifestyles and early detection. But there is a disturbing trend of surviv...

I had a conversation last evening that will probably stay on my mind a long time. I called a woman for a work related discussion and after getting the project out the way, we began talking about our daughters. I told her how much I missed my daughter, who is away at college, and how hard it is living here without her. She paused and replied "At least your daughter is in college. My daughter died of cancer when she was 17." I was stunned. Searched for the right words to say but all I could muster up was "I'm sorry." Her daughter had been accepted into a prestigious university and wanted to be a pediatric oncologist. She planned on attending college because she never planned on dying. This mom started a nonprofit to help other families through a difficult time. Normal Moments, Inc. is devoted to supporting parents with critically ill children in the home, in the hospital, and via web resources so that they can spend as much time as possible sharing the most norm...