Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Announcement: Friday is Sparkle Against Cancer Tiara Day

Hey all.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting pretty tired of cancer beating around people I love.

  • My aunt Susan died of cancer long before I was born, when she was 19.
  • My grandfather died of cancer.
  • My beloved mother-in-law died of cancer when I was pregnant with my daughter--she felt Child kick, but never got to meet her.
  • My mother has cancer, non-Hodgkins B-Cell Lymphoma. We're very lucky and they've been able to keep her in remission for many years with regular treatments, but it's still there. It doesn't go away.
In the past few weeks I keep hearing about more and more people--friends, parents, fellow writers--who are facing this terrifying beast.

Did I ever tell you how Tiara Day really started? What its purpose was?

(No, I didn't.)

Tiara Day started as a way to support and cheer up a specific young girl who was fighting hard against cancer. We thought maybe, just maybe, all the positive energy we created with silliness, with enthusiasm, would spill over to her. We tried to focus all that energy on her, timing Tiara Days for when she was having rough times. And then it got bigger, and we had them for other reasons too. Almost always to either support someone who needed some good mojo or to celebrate good news.

I'd like to make this Friday Sparke Against Cancer Tiara Day. All you've got to do is put a tiara on your avatar or yourself to join in (there's a #tiaraday hashtag on Twitter). I'd love it if everyone who plays this time holds at least one person who's facing cancer, who's suffered from cancer, or who've they've lost to cancer in their hearts (everyone knows at least one) and dedicates this Tiara Day to them. You do NOT have to say who you're doing it for, but you can.

It may not do anything tangible in fighting against cancer, but I dunno. Energy never hurts. Sparkle Against Cancer.

Wanna play?

14 comments:

tracey solomon said...

we need tiara twibbons! I don't know how to make them!!!

Linda G. said...

I will shine up my tiara and be there! :)

Susan Adrian said...

Tracey: Yay for playing! It's (relatively) easy to mess with your avatar. You do a search for tiara images (like this: tiara), you find one you like, and in a simple editing program you drop it over your current avatar. If you can't do that, you can just use a tiara as your avatar. (though I'll go look and see what you have to do to get a real twibbon)

Linder: Hooray!

Sharon Pavon said...

What a great idea. I bought my tiara at an antique store. A little battered but it's ready to go.

Deborah Small said...

I'm in!(If I can tech myself into a tiara).

Great idea, Suze. :)

Liz Czukas said...

I love any excuse to wear a tiara, but a good cause to go with it? I'm in!

Thanks for the inspiration!

- Liz

Crystal Posey said...

I'm there!

Kristin Halbrook said...

You are beautiful.

I'm a mess when it comes to photo editing, but I'm going to do it for this!!

Susan Adrian said...

Sharon: Yay! Real tiaras work even better.

Deb: Yes, you CAN!

Liz: Thanks for playing. I do think the energy helps somehow.

Crystal: Yay! Thanks.

Kristin: I will have a twibbon, but I'm not sure how well it's going to work...

Tiffany Schmidt said...

Tiara days are my FAVORITE!

And you, Suze, are made of all that is sparkly and loving.

*hugs*

Tiffany Trent said...

I have about zero skills w/photoshopping, but...I am totally in support of this movement, and am wearing an invisible tiara alongside you all today. Lost my dad six years ago to cancer. He was only 56 when he was diagnosed and 59 when he died. Lost my aunt (his elder sister) the following year, and those losses broke that family completely. Last year, my favorite uncle died of cancer quite suddenly. We barely knew what was wrong before he was gone...So, yes, I'm VERY tired of the big C, too.

Big hugs to you, Susan, for fighting back with such sparkle!

xoxoxo,
Tiffany

Susan Adrian said...

Tiffany Dear: No, YOU. ((((HUGS))))

Tiffany: Another Tiffany! Invisible tiaras work too. I'm so sorry about all the nasty C in your family. I'll add your dad, aunt, and uncle to my thoughts. xoxo!

Katie Ashley said...

Hey, I just found out about this late in the day. After losing both my parents to cancer in their early 50's, I'd really love to support this. Is there anyway we can do another one next Friday?

If not, I'm wearing an invisible tiara right now!

Thanks for doing this!! So sorry about your losses.

Patty Blount said...

I LOVE TIARA DAY!

Here are the reasons:
1) My mother, fighting a losing battle with stage 4 breast cancer.
2) My mother-in-law, fighting her second recurrence of breast cancer.
3) My sister-in-law, who learned she has breast cancer on the same day she learned she'd soon be a grandmother.
4) My uncle, a non-smoker dying of lung cancer (mesothelioma) who will not live past the new year.
5) My dad - prostate cancer.
6) My father-in-law - bladder cancer.

and Me, hoping my own examination scheduled for the end of November finds no genetic link to the monster feeding on my entire family.