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| Receiving the 2013 Maureen Thomas Jordan Spirit of Survivorship Award. |
On Sunday October 6, 2013 it was my pleasure to attend the Susan G. Komen Triangle to the Coast Annual Pinkfest Event. This year Pinkfest was held at the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel where survivors and our
friends and family were invited to enjoy an afternoon of spa and beauty
treatments along with drinks, door prizes and of course amazing sweets. Tabitha and I grabbed our share of desserts, claimed our table and made a bee line to sign ourselves up for the spa treatments. Then we set down to listen to the ceremonial portion of Pinkfest where the high light of the event was the introduction of sisters Diane Burnette, and Kathleen Thomas who in conjunction with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure NC Triangle to the Coast affiliate presented the Maureen Thomas Jordan Spirit of Survivorship Award.
This award is given in memory of their beloved sister Maureen
Thomas Jordan. Throughout her 9½ year
battle with breast cancer, Maureen never lost her hope, courage, strength or
faith. She was an inspiration to all who knew her. The award is given to a breast cancer survivor
who like Maureen represents the spirit of true survivorship: someone who faces
this disease with grace and courage, who provides service to breast cancer
survivors and is an inspiration to others.
The sisters began their presentation with a quote from this
year’s recipient. One I recognized because
it has been on Nutcracker Publishing Company's website since the publication of Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy led to my first public speaking event in 2001. “A
victim fears tomorrow, a survivor lives life as if there is no tomorrow-
despite her fears.” - Amelia Frahm
As soon as I heard it I realized I was going to be the 2013
recipient of the Maureen Thomas Jordan Spirit of Survivorship Award. I cannot adequately put into words the range
of emotions I felt at that moment.
I nudged Tabitha and asked her if she had known about
this. To which she replied, if she had
known she would have insisted I wear the pink dress I had debated on instead of
the jeans I was wearing.
If I had known I would have been recording the entire ceremony
so I could replay it anytime I am having a bad day or feeling rejected. Yep, it would get a lot of play. My take on life is you don’t accomplish
anything worthy of an award without first experiencing humiliation and
rejection.
To experience the opposite was humbling. I sit there trying
to think of what I should say when I accepted the award and telling myself over
and over- do not cry- do not cry.
Receiving the Maureen Thomas Jordan
Spirit of Survivorship Award is a memory I will cherish the rest of my life. It
served as a poignant reminder of how blessed I have been and validation that
something I have done has indeed mattered.
I am indebted to Christine Andrade, Corporate Sponsorship
Manager at the NC Komen Affiliate who nominated me and am so grateful that my
daughter, Tabitha was there to share this moment with me.
Receiving the 2013 Maureen Thomas Jordan Spirit of Survivorship Award was an incredible honor. Although I received the award, much of the credit for it goes
to my family, friends and even complete strangers.
As any survivor who has thrived will understand, my cancer diagnosis did not just affect me, but everyone who loved me and some who did not. I am grateful to all of you.
Happy Pink Pumpkin Month!
As any survivor who has thrived will understand, my cancer diagnosis did not just affect me, but everyone who loved me and some who did not. I am grateful to all of you.
Happy Pink Pumpkin Month!
