Why have I been so quiet?

Have any of you been wondering this question?  Well, I have been working on a project for the last six months and I finally brought it to completion at the end of last week.

Ever since I wrote my Chronic Illness book I have dreamed of having it published by a "real" publisher.  At the time that I wrote it, I was too sick to write a proposal and approach publishers, so I self-published.  I decided earlier this year that it was time to pursue the real thing.  Never realizing how much work it takes to write a proposal, I began the arduous process.

In a proposal, you have to show a publisher that your book has sales potential; Scott compared it to writing a business plan.  I had to research books that are similar already on the market, analyze them, and compare them to my own.  I had to research publication options and the markets that would be interested in such a book, etc.  I think the hardest part was writing about the author.  I am not very comfortable bragging about myself.  Luckily, it was suggested to me that I write it in third person, this was very helpful!

So, to make a long story short, I started researching publishers and found four that seemed to be a perfect match for my book.  The proposals are in the mail and now all I have to do is wait and PRAY!

Would you be willing to pray that one of those publishers feels my book is worthy?  I can't even tell you how honored I would be to be able to finally get that book out to the many individuals who are suffering because of chronic or terminal illnesses.

My love to you all!  Nancy

A Rough Couple of Weeks

Hello friends!

I am finally getting a chance to update my blog.  It has been a difficult couple of weeks.  As most of you know, I came home from Jackson and got sick.  Well, believe it or not, I am still struggling.  It is another Pseudomonas infection, my 50,000th (or so it feels) of the summer.  I am scheduled to have a bronchoscopy on October 7 (my Birthday, what a great way to celebrate) and hopefully we can get to the bottom of what is going on in my lungs.

My aunt also passed away last week, so I drove six hours to Baltimore to be with my cousin for the funeral.  I wouldn't change a thing about that, it was so good to be there and I really felt in my heart that was where I needed to be, but it certainly took a toll on my already weak body.

I am trying to get some rest this week, but would really appreciate all of your continued prayers.  My love to you all!!!  Nancy

A New Twist on Organ Donation

A new twist on organ donation...

 

This is fascinating.  At www.matchingdonors.com patients can actually search for a living donor and individuals interested in donating organs can find patients in need.  A whole new frontier in organ donation.

Please Support Cammi's Husband!

Hello!  If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you probably have heard of Cammi.  She is my transplant friend who was waiting for new lungs with me in Pittsburgh.  Over the weekend Cammi celebrated two years since her transplant which is something to truly celebrate.

I recently received a message from her husband Lance that I had to share with all of you.  He is doing something amazing to raise money for a very noble cause, the Boomer Esiason Foundation.  This foundation helped me with some of my re-location expenses for transplant and is an incredible support for those of us with CF.  Lance is running the New York City Marathon, a feat I can only imagine, and is running it as a member of Team Boomer.  If you would be willing to sponsor him, I would be greatly appreciative!

Here is Lance's message:

Dear Friends and Family -

On November 6, 2011, I will be running the New York City Marathon. This will be my fifth marathon, but it will be my first marathon as a member of a team that is united for a cause. The team I am joining is Team Boomer.

The members of Team Boomer will be running the New York City Marathon to raise money for the Boomer Esiason Foundation. Boomer Esiason is a former NFL quarterback who started the foundation after his son was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF).  The mission of the foundation is to increase awareness, education and the quality of life for those affected by CF while providing financial support to research aimed at finding a cure. The foundation also provides funding to help cover costs that patients incur in connection with lung transplantation.

CF is a life-threatening disease that causes difficulty in breathing, inflammation and infections that cause extreme damage to the lungs.  It also can impair the digestive system, which can lead to malnutrition.  Although great advances have been made in the way of treating the symptoms of CF, there currently is no cure for the disease and the median age for survival of CF patients is 37 years old.

As most of you know, my wife, Cammi, battled CF for close to 20 years and just two years ago was the fortunate recipient of a double lung transplant.  I have seen firsthand the damage that CF causes and the heavy burden it places on the lives of those affected by the disease.  When Cammi’s lungs became so damaged by CF that she had no other viable options, we temporarily moved our family across the country to wait almost a year for a healthy set of lungs for her.  Although Cammi’s journey has definitely not been easy, our family has been blessed along the way by the support of family and friends, access to leading doctors and surgeons and the financial means necessary to pay for medical care and relocation costs.  I know that not all CF patients and families are so fortunate.

I decided to join Team Boomer to show my support for all the patients and families who deal with CF on a daily basis, to help spread awareness of CF and to raise funds for this important cause that is dear to my heart.  We all have challenges we face in our lives and CF is one of the challenges our family has been dealt.  I believe it is my moral responsibility to do what I can to support the CF community and to contribute to the efforts to find a cure.

           

I know that there are hundreds of great causes and that many of you already support several other wonderful charities.  I also know that it is impossible to support every worthy cause.  For those of you who are willing and able to show your support through a financial donation, please click on the following link or cut and paste it into your browser to go to my fundraising page and make an online tax deductible donation:

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/lancebrady/2011ingnycmarathon

All donations are secure and sent directly to The Boomer Esiason Foundation by FirstGiving, who will email you a printable record of your donation. For those of you who are unable to contribute financially, I hope that this message will help to remind you of the ongoing battle to end CF and possibly inspire you to participate in a future run, walk or other event for CF that may take place in your local community.

Thank you to all of you for all the love and support each of you has shown our family throughout the years. 

All the best,

Lance Brady

Cast your vote for the CFCareForward Scholarship

The fourth annual CFCareForward Thriving Student Scholarship contest starts today! From now until Sep. 30, 40 exceptional students with CF will compete for public votes to help them win one of two $19,000 scholarships – one for an undergraduate student and one for a graduate student – in honor of the 19^th year of the scholarship program. These students have been selected to receive a $2,500 CFCareForward Scholarship, based on their academic records, creativity, and ability to serve as role models in their community.

Cast your vote!

• Place your vote for one Thriving Undergraduate Stu­dent and one Thriving Graduate Student:
• Online at www.CFCareForwardScholarship.com 
• By text message at 30364
• Via toll-free phone numbers at:1-888-305-9808 (Thriving Undergraduate Student) and 1-888-306-9683 (Thriving Graduate Student)

Feel free to post this information on your blog as you best see fit.

The press release announcing the program launch is pasted below and a fact sheet about the CFCareForward Scholarship is attached. Please let me know if I can provide any additional information.

Best regards,

Kristin

Kristin Sockett | Healthcare

Ruder Finn | 301 East 57th Street, New York NY 10022

ph: 212-593-5804 | sockettk@ruderfinn.com

About CFCareForward Scholarship

Recognizing the financial burdens that exist for many CF patients and their families, Abbott created the CFCareForward Scholarship to honor young adults with CF as they pursue goals of post-high school education. This year, scholarships of $2,500 were awarded to 40 students. Of these 40, TWO students – one Undergraduate and one Graduate Student - will win a $19,000 Thriving Student Scholarship. Over the past 19 years, Abbott has awarded scholarships totaling more than $2.2 million to exceptional students with CF.

_________________________

Abbott Awards CFCareForward Scholarships to 40 Exceptional Graduate and Undergraduate Students Living with Cystic Fibrosis

Abbott Press Release

August 30, 2011

·         Two students will go on to win a $19,000 scholarship and the title of 2011 Thriving Undergraduate Student or Thriving Graduate Student following a month-long public vote

·         New this year, the Thriving Graduate Student category honors students with CF as they pursue graduate-level studies

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Aug. 30, 2011 – Abbott has awarded CFCareForward Scholarships totaling $100,000 to 40 undergraduate and graduate students living with cystic fibrosis (CF) for use during the 2011-2012 academic year. Distinguished undergraduate and graduate recipients alike were selected to receive a $2,500 scholarship based on their academic records, creativity and ability to serve as role models in their community. Starting today, through Sep. 30, these students will compete for public votes to win one of two Thriving Student Scholarships, for each level of study, for a total award of $19,000 each, in celebration of the nineteenth year of the scholarship.

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Thanks to tremendous advances in medical treatments, more young adults with CF are living longer, healthier lives than ever before, and increasingly are pursuing higher education. Today, more than 45 percent of people living with CF are aged 18 or older.

"During the past 19 years, we've noticed an impressive progression in students with cystic fibrosis applying for scholarships, including some in medical school, law school and overall graduate-level studies," said Jim Hynd, divisional vice president, Metabolics, GI Care and Dyslipidemia, Abbott. "This year Abbott is excited to expand the scholarship offering with a second award exclusively for graduate students, and we are honored to provide financial support for this stage of a student’s academic career."

Please visit www.CFCareForwardScholarship.com to learn more about the 40 students' remarkable accomplishments and vote for the student you find most inspiring. Votes will be accepted online as well as via text message and phone. Full voting rules and more information on voting options are available on the website. Voting will begin on Aug. 30 and continue through Sep. 30, 2011, and winners will be announced in October.

About CFCareForwardScholarship

Recognizing the financial burdens that exist for many CF families, the CFCareForward Scholarship was developed to honor young adults with CF as they pursue goals of post-high school education. Over the past 19 years, Abbott has awarded scholarships totaling more than $2.2 million to exceptional students with CF.

About CFCareForward

Abbott is honored to continue the nearly 25-year commitment of helping people with CF manage their health. The CFCareForward program provides comprehensive nutritional, educational and financial support for patients living with CF and their families. To learn more about CFCareForward, please call 1-855-CARE4WD (227-3493).

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's website at www.abbott.com.