Friday, October 17, 2014

UTMB RMCHP Breast Cancer Awareness Wreath Auction

Thank you UTMB RMCHP for choosing FTTF to benefit from the auction sales for your beautiful wreaths. What a talented staff you have and we are blown away by the donation! This donation will fully support 7 patients for 1 month! 

Here are some of the wreaths!! 


Friday, September 12, 2014

2014 Tournament Results.......

FTTF 2nd Annual "Teeing Off With Friends" Golf Tournament on June 19, 2014 was an amazing success! We are thrilled to announce that we raised just over $20,000!  This goal was met through hard work, generous individuals & corporations as well as a lot of FUN! This year we were again blessed with numerous committed volunteers, kind & talented players and many generous sponsors who enable this event to happen. The FTTF board appreciates all the support and generosity we received before and during the tournament!

Thank you to Canon Gate at Magnolia Creek Clubhouse in League City. A special thank you to our Title Sponsor: Boyd Yarbrough with Surgical Elite. Thank you to our Bronze Sponsors: Dawson Football Camp, Mr.& Mrs. Redus Day UTMB Family Medicine Department (Dr. Barbara Thompson), Southwest Airlines &  Houston Sign Company. Thank you to our Hole In One Sponsor, Star Toyota. The Margarita machine & tent was a welcomed relief for our golfers thanks to Ronny Howell with Aztec. A special thank you to Tammy Oberholtzer with Tamara D Photography for ensuring we captured all the amazing moments of the day on film. The 2 time Texans Tailgaters of the Year, Chaparral Cookers, were on hand again to serve up their tasty BBQ and the unforgettable cardiac potatoes!

We had many corporate, private and individual contributions to our silent auction, golfer bags, golfer prizes and hole sponsorships. I will add our sponsor list here as well and hope you all accept our THANK YOU for your incredible support.

2014  Private & Corporate Golf Tournament Donors!

FTTF appreciates your generosity!

·       20/Twenty Vision
·       Aztec
·      Bernie & Steve Tomkies
·       Beth & Alan Stanfield
·       Bling Dat- Shelly Rodriguez
·       Blue Bell Creamery
·       Boyd Yarbrough- Elite Surgical Affiliates
·       Bryan Cox
·       C.A.G. Construction
·       Center Court Pizza
·       Center Court Pizza
·       Chaparral Cookers
·       Chapman Front End & Brakes- Josh Chapman
·       Charmarie  Carranza
·       Cheryl  & Redus Day
·       Cheryl Fortenberry
·       Christine Callahan
·       Craig Lambert
·       D&A Air Conditioning and  Heating
·        Dawson Football Camp
·       David Whittington
·       Dot's Sweet Shoppe
·       Dr. Colleen Silva- UTMB
·       Dr. Barbara Thompson- UTMB Family Medicine
·       Dusti & Aaron Suhre
·       Dynamo
·       Eric & Angela Wells
·       Floyd's
·       Gringo's
·       HEB- Dickinson
·       Hillary & Phillip Hunter
·       Holles & Randy Hunter
·       Honey & Jay Warwick
·       Houston Sign Company
·       Jackie & Domingo Montanez
·       Jaclyn Cobb-Chavez
·       Jean Tannahill
·       Jennifer & Tony Karner
·       Linda Goodrum, MD
·        Killens
·       Kristen & Marlon Reyes Granados
·       Lisa  & Richie Thibodaux
·       Lisa & Ray Callas
·       Liza & Kevin Durgens
·       Lynch & Company, LLP
·       Marilyn Ames- Bay Area Elite Properties
·       Margaret Tramonte
·       Mat Sweet- Adrenaline Fundraising
·       Matt Sweet
·       Metlife- Janet Garner
·       Nike
·       Pappasito's
·       Patti Summerville
·       Sara Carr
·       Southwest Airlines
·       Stanfield Properties
·       Starr Argyrakis & CCCC Small Group
·       Star Toyota
·       Stefano's
·       Tamara D Photography
·       Target
·       Terry Arnold- Inflammatory Breast Cancer
·       Terry Wilbanks
·       The Cheesecake Factory
·       Tommy & Alice Summerville- Southern Fastenings
·       VJ Tramonte
·       Willow Creek Golf


"Teeing Off With Friends" Golf Tournament had 31 Teams participate with over 124 golfers. I can not thank the golfers/ teams enough for their sportsmanship and for being a part of such a special day. Nearly every golfer participated in our silent auction, raffle, fire & ice raffle & enjoyed a delicious dinner provided by the Chaparral Cookers. Thank you to all the golfers and teams who came and supported our organization. Congrats to Team Yarbrough for the big win!

FTTF was exceptionally blessed with Volunteers who went over and beyond to ensure this event was a success.  Thank you to the FTTF Board members for all your tireless support and commitment: Dusti Suhre, Laura Ellender, Liza Durgens,  Beth Barraza, Hillary Hunter, Annette Newsom, Tanya Robinson, Jackie Montanez, Lisa Blakeman,, Jennifer Karner,  Natalie Bachynsky & Heather Carrifee. Thank you to our volunteers who helped stuff golfer bags and volunteered throughout the tournament: Dawson Football Staff, Cheryl Day, Redus Day, Holly Smith, Ashley Mueller,  Janet Garner, Brenda Isom, Amy White, Eric & Tammy Filkins, Kelsi Filkins, Lauren Filkins, Bailey Filkins, Curtis Svoboda, Cliff Richardson, Ricky Wright, Bernie Tomkies,  Marilyn Ames, Scotty Newsom, Tucker Wells, Spencer Wells, Angela Wells & Brandon Ellender.

FTTF is blessed to have a fundraising coordinator like Eric Wells. His leadership, passion and direction motivated our team to success. We are so grateful for the time, energy and contacts that he utilized to create a winning formula for "Teeing Off With Friends". Thank you Angela and Eric Wells!!

FTTF board sends out a THANK YOU to anyone who may have inadvertently missed!

It is FTTF mission to continue to serve local patients "fighting" breast or gyn cancers. Over just the past 8 months we have distributed almost $9,000 to our patients we sponsor. Since our August 2012 start date, we have distributed nearly $23,000!! Wow, this would not be possible without the success of these tournaments. Please consider to support our organization throughout the year as well as during tournament time as I see our patient volume continues to increase each month. We hope to continue to be blessed enough to support and provide assistance to those who need it. It is a true honor to support them and all who may come in the future.

Tournament Pictures can be viewed at http://friendsthruthefight.weebly.com/2014-golf-tournament.html

See our new Patient & Activity Picture Gallery: http://friendsthruthefight.weebly.com/fttf-picture-gallery.html

Please stay tuned......for next years date!

                
Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

Friday, September 5, 2014

Mastectomy or No Mastectomy

New research.... I have a hunch there are mutiple factors which could account for some of these results but this is interesting. Woman & providers have tough decisions to make everyday. Tumor biology & it's behavior  & how recurrence occurs & why... Still so much research to be done! Thank you to all the researchers, research funders & pioneer patients who make it happen. 

Patients should always understand breast cancer (& all cancers) are not black or white. There are so many factors that go into the treatment decisions for patients & their providers ..... Tumor size, tumor receptor status, node status, mets, tumor grade, genetic markers, age.... On and on!  Enough of my thoughts, see article below. 

Monday, September 1, 2014

September National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Great read. This is for all our FTTF patients who know teal is as important as pink.  According to this article "Compared to the more than 1500 non-profit organizations dedicated to breast cancer, there are about 150 in support of ovarian cancer" (Sulik, 2011). FTTF are proud and honored to be supporting the pink, teal as well as teal & white (breast, ovarian & cervical). 

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

44 Favors You can Do to Help Those you Love Battling Cancer

Here is a fantastic article about what family and friends can do to help those battling cancer. FTTF is doing many of these things already but I learned a few more we could add.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Angel Called Home

FTTF would like to remember and honor this precious and lovely woman LeeAnn Elgin whom we have had the pleasure of serving and knowing. She lost her long battle with cancer this week. Please see the link below for donation site for IBC network in her honor. 




Wednesday, July 9, 2014

2014 Annual FTTF Golf Tournamemt

Here are some pics from the Golf Tourney! I will complete an entire post on the tournament success & highlights. Enjoy the pics in the meantime! 



Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Friends Thru The Fight 2nd Annual Golf Tournament is < 3 weeks Away!

Our Tournament is fast approaching and we would like to say THANK YOU to so many for their time, generous donations and services! Following the tournament we will post our Sponsor Thank You List! If you or someone you know would like to donate any auction items, sponsor any Hole Sponsor, donate any gifts items or gift cards... please send them to me Jacque at friendsthruthefight@gmail.com.

Here is an online form for donations or Team Registration

http://friendsthruthefight.weebly.com/annual-golf-tournament.html

Fear of Recurrence- young Survivors

http://www.parkeschampionpost.com.au/story/2302182/young-adult-cancer-survivors-fear-recurrence/

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

FTTF Meet Girl Scout Troop 7611


Wow, what an amazing afternoon I had on Monday! I had the pleasure of meeting 14 of the sweetest and most adorable 5th graders from Girl Scout Troop 7611 in Clear Lake. Their Troop chose FTTF to support for their Community Service Project. Each girl scout took part in hand making over 60 of these beautiful pillows for our breast and gyn cancer patients! Each one is individual and made with such love. I was so touched by their interest in the organization, our patients and their desire to help others. How impressive it was to see such young hearts so open to serving others!

These gorgeous pillows will be placed in the Fight Bags and will be distributed to all the patients we are serving right now. We are honored to share these pillows with our patients. Tomorrow will be my 1st drop off. I will get a picture and post so you can see!

Thank you Girl Scout Troop 7611!!!

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~Anne Frank






Monday, March 31, 2014

Keep Your Faith Strong!


I don't normally post proud mom moments but this weekend my oldest Emily created this beautiful chalk sign and said I should share with our FTTF patients. She wrote "Keep your head high" & "Keep your faith strong". Last weekend Bryce and Bree helped me stuff candy bags for the patient luncheon. I love that my kids are (hopefully) understanding there is nothing more important in life than loving on others.


                   
"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18


Imerman Angels- Matching Survivors & Active Fighters

Please see the info below re: Imerman Angels. I was blessed to meet the founder of this organization and he has "filled a crack" in the cancer journey by matching survivors and patients in treatment which are matched based on age at diagnosis and diagnosis staging, treatment etc. They also match caregivers, parents etc. They attempt to find matches as close to you as geographically possible. Please pass it on! There is power in knowledge and in support. I could have never made it without my " Angel" Stephanie!

"Imerman Angels was created on the belief that no one should have to fight cancer alone and without the necessary support. At 26 years old, Jonny Imerman was diagnosed with testicular cancer and began his fight against the disease. Throughout his experience, Jonny was lucky enough to have loving support from his family and friends but had never met anyone his age who was a cancer survivor. He wanted to talk to someone just like him, someone who truly understood, and was intimately familiar with his experience. In short, he was looking for someone who had already beaten the same type of cancer. This was the beginning of Jonny’s vision and in 2003, it became a reality when he founded Imerman Angels.

Through our unique matching process, Imerman Angels partners anyone seeking cancer support with someone just like you - a “Mentor Angel”. A Mentor Angel is a cancer survivor or survivor’s caregiver who is the same age, same gender, and most importantly who has beaten the same type of cancer. A Mentor Angel is walking, talking, living proof, and inspiration that cancer can be beaten."~ Imerman's website


http://www.imermanangels.org/

FTTF Annual Patient Appreciation Luncheon

March 23rd was our 1st FTTF Annual Patient Appreciation Luncheon at La Brisa's in League City, Texas. Cancer sucks, but it is a real honor to serve those who are fighting like heck! We had a great turn out with patients and guests. We were fortunate to have two amazing speakers who shared expertise and experience with those in attendance. Dr. Angelica Robinson from UTMB shared her most common breast cancer questions and common myths. Terry Arnold, a IBC survivor & founder of the IBC network share her miracle cancer journey and how it led her to her new purpose.

Thank you for all of those who made it possible. I would like to give an extra thank you to Beth Barraza, Vice President and Tanya Robinson, BOD for making the day extra special and meaningful for the patients and their guests. Thank you Tanya and Sarah Collins for the beautiful photos.

Please check out this website for more info on "No lump, but still cancer"

http://www.theibcnetwork.org/

Enjoy a few pictures below from the enjoyable afternoon.