A Message For Jennie

I know I've been a little lax on my updates and I need to catch you up on the outcome of Relay, but today I want to spread a little love to my friend, Jennie Grimes. She was feeling a little down today and I thought this post would lift her spirits a little. Her mets (metastatic cancer) friends are losing their battle one by one and it's taken its toll on her. I just wanted to let Jennie know how much she's loved.

My dearest Jennie,

You are an amazing woman. I'm not sure you realize how much you mean to everyone, especially to me. You make me want to fight harder for things; to not let my own disease dictate my life. I want to live life to its fullest; to not worry so much about what will happen, but what can I do right now and make this day amazing. 

My butterfly fundraiser to fight this horrid disease was a success. Your butterflies are here in San Diego. You are flying endlessly with them. This video is for you. 

With all my heart,

Deb

Last Chance Butterflies

My Relay for Life team is doing amazingly well! I'm so proud of us. We are in 3rd place having raised $1,751. We've had 2 team fundraisers in the last couple weeks. And working on another one. Not sure how much we raised during the froyo fundraiser, but with Rubio's we were able to raise $33.67! Thank you to everyone who came out!

We have another one coming up next week at Souplantation. Let me know if you want to come out and support us and I'll email you the flyer to bring in.


There's still time to get in an order for butterflies. The deadline has been extended until Sunday, April 15th. I received a nice influx of butterfly orders after my post about my friend, Jennie Grimes. She has some very supportive and amazing friends. I'm excited to release the kaleidoscope of butterflies in her honor from everyone!
If you'd like to purchase a $6 butterfly in honor or memory of your loved one(s), please go to my Relay fundraising page, and leave me a note with how many butterflies you'd like and for whom they are. I will make sure that each one is labeled with your love ones' name.

They will look like this when I get them.

 And as I open the envelope, the butterfly will stretch its wings and fly off into the San Diego sky.

It's a beautiful sight. I'd like to try and take video this time. Last year, it was a little overcast, so the butterflies hung around a while before warming up and taking flight. Though it was great because there were many photo opportunities with them.

I hope you've all had a great week. Don't forget to donate. Save a birthday. Cancer Sucks!

Butterflies for Jennie

Last year we had one of the most interesting and amazing fundraisers for Relay. Butterflies. Yes, I said butterflies. Our event teamed up with a butterfly farm where we purchased butterflies to be released during opening ceremonies instead of the usual white doves. It was a great idea. Granted the weather was overcast and chilly, so it didn't go off as hoped, but that was okay. They butterflies just hung around a while before they warmed up enough to take flight. It was beautiful.

My friend, Jennie, is an amazing person. Having been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, at such a young age, she lives life to its fullest. I am astounded daily by her strength and courage to take on each day at full strength even when she is at her weakest most vulnerable state.
I purchased a butterfly for her last year.

It was truly a wondrous experience to open an envelope and have a butterfly emerge from it. A Painted Lady. A beautiful creature, just like my friend.

And I plan to repeat this. Again and again.

This year, my hope is to get the support of all my friends who know Jennie (even those who don't) and get a kaleidoscope of butterflies to release in her honor. I think it would be such a magnificent sight to see these butterflies fly free, spreading Jennie's spirit all around San Diego.

If you would like to donate $6 in honor of Jennie or your loved one, please visit my fundraising page.
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/deborahderr

Deadline for the butterfly order is April 7th. I hope that you will join me in not only honoring my friend, but the fight against this horrible thing we call cancer.