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Tomorrow begins National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a month of education that began in 1985. We at WOW-Women on Writing hope you, and the women you love, are well educated about a disease that affects one in eight women over their lifetime. You can find info at the U.S. National Institute of Health but you can also learn about breast cancer from the experiences of others. Thirty one writers have agreed to write about breast cancer on various blogs this month as part of our first Blanket Tour.
This month’s WOW Blanket Tour promotes Diana M. Raab’s book Healing with Words: A Writer’s Cancer Journey. Diana’s latest book reflects her experiences battling breast cancer at age 47 and then multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, when she was 52. The book is part practical advice(she is a nurse, after all) and part inspiration, which takes the form of poems, journal entries, and friendly thoughts. To show readers the effect of healing writing, Diana also includes blank sections and writing prompts so the reader can contribute their own thoughts and writings. Diana describes her daily journal writing as “a daily vitamin-healing, detoxifying and essential for optimal health.”
We’ll be kicking off this month’s WOW Blanket Tour with a word from Diana Raab. Each time you post a comment at one of the blogs on this tour you enter to win a copy of Diana’s book. The list of blogs participating follows Diana’s poems.
To My Daughters
by Diana M. Raab, MFA, RN
You were the first I thought of
when diagnosed with what
strikes one in eight women.
It was too soon to leave you,
but I thought it a good sign
that none of us were born
under its pestilent zodiac.
I stared at the stars and wished upon
each one that you¹d never wake up
as I did this morning to one real breast
and one fake one; but that the memories
you carry will be only sweet ones,
and then I remembered you had your
early traumas of being born too soon,
and losing a beloved grandpa too young
and then I had this urge to show you<
What a great way to boost awareness for such an important cause!
Looking forward to a month filled with that schedule of reads posted here!
Patricia
PM_Poet Writer
I am super excited to be a part of this. Do we still need one more blog for the 30th?
Margo
http://margodill.com/blog/
Can't wait till tomorrow to start. I know we will have some amazing posts to read.
Margo,
I do need one more blog for the 30th. Interested?
Jodi,
I'm very keen to do the 30th Oct spot, especially as I've recently overcome leukaemia. Please let me know if I can help.
Many thanks,
Kirsten Cliff
Jodi and Kristen,
I'm already scheduled on the 18th. I was going to offer to help find someone for the 30th, but it would be great Kristen if you wanted to do it! :)
Margo