Cooleys Rally for the Cure 2

On May 16, 2010, it will be two years since I learned that I had Stage 3 breast cancer – invasive ductile carcinoma. I actually received the call on a Friday – a week before Chris and Christy’s wedding – on my way to work. It’s hard to even think about the treatments and surgeries that I have gone through during this time. It started out with four months of chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy, 30 days of radiation, DIEP Flap reconstruction, and two more surgeries after that to complete the reconstruction. I have undergone around 25 hours of surgeries, spent nine days in the hospital, and have gone to a doctor over one hundred times. I missed 52 days of school last year. I am a high school business teacher. Like I said, it’s hard to think about. Hard to believe that I did all of this, but now, thanks to my amazing doctors, family, friends, and students, I am cancer free and back to enjoying life.Last April, Chris, Tanner, and I hosted the first annual Cooley’s for the Cure event and raised over $27,000 for Relay for Life. The second annual Cooley’s for the Cure event will be held next Tuesday, May 18, at Caliente – a new Mexican restaurant in Ashburn, Virginia. The cost is $50 per person. All profits go to Eastern Loudoun Relay for Life Briar Woods FBLA team, which I am the adviser for. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and will go until around 8:30 p.m. Food and drinks (non-alcoholic) will be provided. There will be a cash bar. There will also be a live auction by Chris and others – including Redskin’s players. The auction will include Redskin’s memorabilia, gift baskets, salon treatments, weekend get-away, sports club membership, pottery by Chris Cooley, and more. We will also be having some drawings for other fun items – including two tickets to Chris’ upcoming art show next month at the Ritz in Tyson’s Corner.

I hope that you will be able to join me and my family and friends for this wonderful, fun event. Last year it was such a huge success! We had guests including Chief Z, Clinton Portis, Colt Brenen, Jason Campbell, Chris Horton, Albert Haynesworth, Danny Smith, and more. It’s a great time to hang out, get autographs, purchase items, and win drawings.

During the past two years, I have met many women who are battling cancer – Kathy, Noel, Regina, Karin, and Kim. These are five women who reached out to me after learning that they had breast cancer. They are all mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives. I’m so grateful that they too have successfully battled cancer so far. There are so many more people, not just women that are battling cancer. We need an end to this madness!!

Yesterday was Mother’s Day, and I am so thankful that I was here to spend it with my family. Without the treatments that I received to fight cancer, I’m not sure if I would have been here. I am so blessed to have such amazing sons and am so proud to be their mother. Please help us to raise money to continue the fight against this horrible disease. Tickets can be purchased from this website – thecooleyzone.com, the night of at Caliente’s. If you would like to donate, but are not able to attend, please go to my personal Relay for Life page.

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