I am so excited!  For the past couple of years since my sister in law passed away from Cancer, I have felt the need to help in some way.  So for the past couple of years, I have donated blood faithfully by schedule through the Red Cross and a Local Hospital. Doing this has been my way of supporting and contributing to helping those that need the platelets or blood transfusions to survive.  This past year my oldest daughter Alicia turned 16.  She on her 16th birthday chose to donate towards the support. Let me tell you a little about one.  This daughter when she was young used to "freak out" at the sight of needles . Anytime she needed dentist work or any type of shot, it literally would take 3 people to hold her down.  So when I asked her about donating blood on her 16th birthday and she said yes, I was pleasantly surprised.  I asked her why is it that she was scared of needles when she got a shot but now that they will be drawing blood through a thicker needle is she not scared?  She told me because it was HER CHOICE .  Her Aunt would have been so proud.

 So being involved in this way in the form of a relay for such a cause is a wonderful way to remember our loved ones. While we are alive I pray we never become to involved in our lives or caught up with our own cares to forget about our Beloved Ones who have fought and those that continue to fight. I hope that each one of our examples help to encourage others to do the same.. This is an ugly disease and we need a cure.