A WALK FOR CANCER RESEARCH ~ LIGHT THE NIGHT

The Damon Divas Walked to Raise Funds and Awareness for Blood Cancers

We have been working hard to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Last night was the culmination of all that hard work. The evening began with a Remembrance Ceremony that left everyone in tears, but was a great reminder of why we had all gathered there.

 Thousands of people met at NRG stadium, for a celebration of life, and a remembrance of those we have lost. The total raised by all of these people was nearly $850,000. Our team raised $1899!

 Everyone was given a lantern; yellow for remembrance of a loved one, white for cancer survivors, and red for supporters. It was awesome to see all of those lanterns raised as we began our walk. 

 The two mile walk was a breeze in years past. The fact that it was difficult this year means I have a lot of work to do. Chemo and other medications can really take a toll on your body. I was proud, and thankful, to see so many other white lanterns raised in the air. 

We made it! It was a wonderful evening, but I was happy to see I had made it to the finish line. Now fundraising begins for next year. A percentage of my Close to My Heart profits go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, so I will be raising funds all year. 

Thank you to everyone who helped us donate to a cause that is so important to me. If you would like to form your own team, or get more information about Light the Night events, check out their website.

Please take a moment to comment below with a cause that you feel passionate about.  

 

UPDATE ON FUNDRAISING FOR CANCER RESEARCH

THE DAMON DIVAS

Damon Divas 2013

Our walking team has been hard at work raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We have raised $1234.00! Our total was just over $2000 last year, and we are hoping to break that record. 

If you are interested in helping the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society raise funds for cancer research, here is the link to our fundraising page  This will be our 3rd year to walk for this worthy cause. Taking part in the annual Light the Night Walk, along with donating a portion of my Close to My Heart profits, is how I do my part to help further important research. Since I have personally benefited from  recent research, giving back is extremely important to me.

Do you have an important charity that you raise funds for? Please feel free to leave a link to your favorite charity in the comment section below.

 

AUGUST RECAP

Blog Happenings for August 2014 

 This has been my first full month of blogging, and I have had a blast! I've learned quite a bit and hope my blog will get better and better. I had my first blog giveaway.

Joyful Birthday B1419

 

Annual Inspirations idea book

Patricia Barak chose the Joyful Birthday stamp set, and will also receive a copy of the new idea book. I will have another give-a-way during the last week of September. The winner will be randomly selected from my newsletter subscribers. 

I ran my first blog series on Stamping Basics, and filmed my first video. Filming a video was certainly a lot harder than those YouTubers make it look! 

All of my sales this month came directly from my blog, and orders from some of my loyal customers. I was not able to get out and have any home gatherings, but will still be able to donate $40 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through their Light the Night Walk. My goal is to be able to donate $100 each and every month. Thank you so much to those of you who are making these donations possible.

 

 I participated in my first Blog Hop with some wonderful Close to My Heart ladies. We each listed the 5 things we couldn't craft without. If you missed it, check it out here "5 Things I Could Not Craft Without"

I started my Crafts for a Cure Club, and already have several participants. If you are interested in joining, you can find the details here Crafts for a Cure Club

 I have started a Facebook page for my crafty business, cancer research updates, and fundraising. If you are on Facebook, please give it a look, and a like - dedrascrafts4acure

Next week I will let y'all know about all of the specials for September, including the new Stamp of the Month. I am working on Halloween cards, and a mini album, to share with you. I hope we will have an announcement soon on the availability of the new Artfully Sent cricut cartridge. I will keep you posted on that also.

Is there something you want me to blog about in September? I would love to hear your ideas, please leave a comment below. 

Thank you for all of your support,

Dedra

EARN FREE PRODUCTS THE EASY WAY

Announcing the Crafts for a Cure Club!

 

Hostess only stamp set - Cuddly Salutations

I know that a lot of you have very busy lives, and can not imagine hosting a party in your home, no matter how much fun you and your friends might have. If you would still like to earn free products, it is as easy as joining my club.  Here is how it works:

• Go to my website (http://dedras-crafts-for-a-cure.ctmh.com/Default.aspx), select "shop", and place an order in any amount. 
• You will be asked  if you want to join an open gathering, select Dedra's LLS gathering.
• Once you place your order it will be sent directly to you, and I will worry about keeping track of your club order amounts.
• You are still eligible to take part in any special monthly offers that you qualify for. I will send you a weekly newsletter so that you do not miss any special offers, along with a free Annual Inspirations idea book.
• Once you have spent $150 (within a 12 month period), simply contact me with a list of your free products, and I will send them directly to you.
• You will qualify for $25 in free products for every $150 spent. 
• Your free products can be Workshops on the Go, paper packs, cardstock packs, ink, markers, stamp sets, re-inkers, acrylic blocks, compliments, and even the exclusive hostess only stamp sets.
• If you refer someone who also joins the club, you can select an exclusive dye ink pad of your choice.
• As always, your orders help me donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. 

Another Ally in the Fight Against Blood Cancer

I have recently discovered an organization working towards wiping out blood cancer. They have made it very simple for anyone to help. You can have a kit sent to your home, simply send a swab back to them, and they will enter you in a registry of bone marrow donors. You can also send a donation of $65, which is the cost of entering one person in the registry. If this is something you have wanted to do but have just never gotten around to being tested, this is your opportunity. If you have never considered being a donor, I hope that you will give it some thought. Here are some facts that I learned by visiting the site;

6 out of 10 patients can’t find a bone marrow donor on the national registry. 

 Every 4 minutes, an American is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

 Only 30% of all patients are able to find a compatible bone marrow donor in their family 

 

Of course the organization was founded in an effort to save a loved one.

 Delete Blood Cancer DKMS began with one family’s search for a bone marrow donor. In 1990, Peter Harf and his daughters went door-to-door in an effort to find a donor match for his wife and their mother, Mechtild Harf. They registered 68,000 donors in just one year. Sadly, Mechtild lost her battle, but in her honor, the Harfs started a bone marrow donor center (DKMS) that has since grown to be the world’s largest. We have branches in the U.S., Germany, the U.K., Poland and Spain. Globally, we have registered over 4.5 million donors and provided more than 40,000 patients with second chances at life.

Please check out the website and decide if you can help @ http://www.deletebloodcancer.org/en

Do you know someone who has been a donor, or benefited from a donation? Please leave a comment below and tell your story.

 

 

 

Another Woman's Cancer Journey

This lady is so incredibly brave, I just keep thinking about the precious time she could have with her family. Could you forgo treatment in the hopes of  finding a cure? Fortunately, I wasn't faced with this, but I do not think I would be as brave.

Woman With Aggressive Cancer Delays Treatment in the Name of Science

Beth GreenfieldSenior WriterAug 4, 2014

Follow the link to read the full article.

Woman With Aggressive Cancer Delays Treatment in the Name of Science Beth GreenfieldSenior WriterAug 4, 2014 Beth Greenfield

The Damon Divas Walking for Cancer Research

Our team has earned $724 this year!

 

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has an annual Light the Night Walk in major cities around the country. Our team, The Damon Divas, has participated for the last two years, and we are raising funds for this year's walk. Contact Light the Night if you would like to participate in a walk in your area.

http://www.lightthenight.org/

Our team has set a goal of $3000. We have earned 24% of our goal, and have until October to earn the rest. Our team has never failed to reach a goal, so I have confidence we will raise the additional funds in time. Two of our members have lost loved ones to Leukemia and two of us have had our own battles with Lymphoma. Here is the link to our team page:

http://pages.lightthenight.org/txg/Houston14/TheDamonDivas

Comment below and let me know if you do any fundraising for a cause near and dear to your heart.