The following was written by Foot Soldier Jelaine Gilliam and delivered at her recent Toastmasters meeting. Way to go Jelaine!Once upon a time there was a farmer who had an old mule. The mule fell into a deep dry well and began to cry loudly. Hearing his mule cry, the farmer came over and assessed the situation. The well was deep and the mule was heavy. He knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, to lift the animal out. Because the mule was old and the well was dry, the farmer decided to bury the animal in the well. In this way he could solve two problems: put the old mule out of his misery and have his well filled.
He called upon his neighbors to help him and they agreed to help. Shovels after shovels full of dirt began to fall on the mule’s back. He became hysterical. Then all of a sudden an idea came to the mule. Each time they would throw a shovel of dirt on his back he could shake it off and step up. Shovel full after shovel full, the mule would shake it off and step up. Now exhausted and dirty, but quite alive, the mule stepped over the top of the well and walked through the crowd.
That’s a great way to approach life. Shake it off and step up.
Life happens!
If, we face our problems, respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, fear, and disappointment the problems that come along to bury us usually have within them something to benefit us.
For example I am celebrating, my 5th year of being breast cancer free. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about my decision to, step up, take action and fight.
Today, I hope to persuade you to step up with me to eradicate this disease.
I believe we all know someone who has been directly or indirectly affected by breast cancer. CANCER dates as far back as ancient Egypt,
But it doesn't have to be our future.
Although, we live in a high tech world and there have been vast discoveries in the field of medicine, we still don’t have a cure, we don’t know what causes it and we don’t know how to prevent it. Most of the research focuses on treatment and recovery vs. prevention and cure. Scientist that focus on prevention and cure have conveyed that they are having difficulty getting the word out to and for potential STUDY volunteers. Additionally, possible volunteers didn’t know they were needed in these studies. In short order, the idea was born TO GROW AN Army of Women ready to serve science.
The Love/Avon Army of Women is leading the way to:
#1 - recruit one million healthy women/men of every age and culture, including breast cancer survivors and women at high-risk for the disease, to partner with breast cancer researchers and directly participate in the research that will eradicate breast cancer once and for all.
#2 - challenge the scientific community to expand its current focus to include breast cancer prevention research conducted on healthy women.
We all can do something. We all can do a little more. Here’s how you can help.
- Go to the website and register to become a volunteer with the Army of Women. As a volunteer you decide what studies you want to take part in.
- Tell others about Army of Women and ask them to volunteer
Why should you sign up and volunteer?
You should sign up for your mother, daughter, sister, wife, husband, brother, granddaughter, best friend. We can be the generation that stops breast cancer once and for all.
Lastly, each year, its estimated 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and over 40,000 die. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Approximately 1,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year.
One of those statistics could be you OR someone very important to you.
You can step up and help unlock the key to this disease.
Volunteer today by registering at armyofwomen.org & invite someone you know to do the same.
I implore you - reach within your heart and step up!
