TEAM Cakesy

Showing posts with label lupus walk. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

TEAM CAKESY is BACK!!!!

Its almost that time folks! September is right around the corner and you know what that means.... Lupus walk time!!

We have had sooo many changes in our lives since the last post in October 2009. Sharon and Cherish have both updated our personal blogs but the Team Cakesy blog kinda got left behind... Here are a couple of quick updates you REALLY don't want to miss:

Sharon was featured on a PBS special that documented her life with Lupus. The special included interviews with her and her family and friends, along with tons of pics of her over the years. I managed to have a few photo cameos but sadly enough could not make it back to town in time to appear with her. I am soooo proud of her and Thankful that PBS is getting the word out! You can watch the full video HERE

As if that weren't enough, AOL's Blackvoices published an article this week about the daughter of rapper Snoop Dogg, who is also battling lupus. Such a sad story because she is so young... and what a spark for us when we opened the online article and see a link to Sharon's PBS video!! How amazing is that in terms of exposure???

Sharon is now working for the Lupus Alliance of America's Michigan Indiana Affiliate. She, along with the rest of the organization, are doing GREAT things! The word is getting out which means (hopefully) the research, funding and awareness are all growing even faster! Stay tuned for more great news and feel free to come out and show your support or donate to Team Cakesy:

16th Annual Walk For Lupus - Metro Detroit

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Metro Beach Metropark (31300 Metro Parkway - Harrison Township, MI 48045)

Registration begins at 10 am.

Walk begins at 11 am.

Lunch begins at 12:30 am.

Silent Auction closes at 1 pm.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Unbroken

We have met our financial goal...and passed it. Go us!

I am in Somerset, Pennsylvania taking on the habits of an insomniac. It's the wee hours of the morning and I am in the hotel lobby, wide awake, listening to Aretha Franklin and typing. Blame Whitney Houston for my condition.

She was asked by Oprah Winfrey whether she thought she would ever rise above her tumultuous situations. She replied, "my mama said I wasn't built to break." She then looked at the audience and said, "because of your love, I was not built to break." A tear trickled down my cheek. She didn't say anything that I hadn't heard before but her words seemed so prolific to me. It's as if at that moment, I got it. I got it more than I had ever gotten it before. And since I "had gotten it", I slid into my slippers and threw my Detroit Pistons blanket over my pajama-ed shoulders and made my way to the computer lab. My spirit just needed to tell you thank you. Thank you for your love. Thank you for not letting me break.

All of this comes on the hills of a Washington, D.C. Capital Hill trip that concluded earlier today. I was one of about 30 lobbyists that stormed the Hill lobbying for more funding for lupus research. In my mind we were successful but we will see when the fiscal budget for next year rolls around.

I am eternally grateful for your love, understanding and your willingness to support. In this "recession" we've raised over $3,000 and counting. There must be a God somewhere. Can't wait to see you on Saturday!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

We Have to Keep on Movin'

We did it!

We have reached our $2,000 goal...and passed it! Go us! See what teamwork can produce. I asked Cherish to up the goal to $2,500 but she took it upon herself to make the goal $3,000. Then she had the nerve to tell me to get busy. The nerve...;) I am busy enough but we have to keep on movin'!

I do not like to go so long in between posts. I wouldn't want readers to think that I have abandoned the blog. Life just gets busy. I don't mind busy as long as busy equates to productive.

Speaking of productivity, I participated in a conference call yesterday with folks from the Alliance for Lupus Research. We went over what we needed for the walk and what we already had. From my understanding, we have a whole lotta water meaning no one will be dehydrated that day. My cousin Rodney has agreed to be the DJ and emcee for the day. My uncle Tony, a retired police officer, will serve as security. My mom and my aunt Rosa are planning to man the registration table. My aunts Joyce and Deb are going to walk along with my numerous cousins. How fortunate am I that my family isn't only financially helping with TEAM Cakesy but they are also lending their time. How fortunate I am.

As I listened in on the phone conference, I learned that some participants are driving in from cities two hours away. Now that's commitment. I hate driving to the corner store and so driving two hours -to walk- is out of the question. Their commitment though just shows how important lupus is to people. It just shows that folks what it to be erased just as I do. So that's why I continue to fight. And that's why we continue the fight. And hopefully you will fight this thing with us. It's not to late. There is walk and pledge information along the side of this page. Hope to see you on the 19th!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Almost There

Well we are 3% or $60 from our $2,000 goal. So you know what that means?? Increase the goal! So with the walk being just over a month away, we have decided to make the goal $2,500. Therefore, if you still want to pledge, please feel free. I want to be able to up that $2,500 goal as well!

I am terribly busy trying to decide on a design and cool colors for TEAM Cakesy T-Shirts. I need to get busy because it's going to be walk time before I know it. Since a lot of folks are supporting this venture and have been so positive, I want them to have a keepsake, preferably a T-Shirt, with my big ole face on the front...and back. Just kidding. I'm sure Cherish would go through the T-Shirt box with a permanent marker and draw devil horns and moustaches on every single shirt!

My mother has good intentions when she hounds me about getting this endeavor accomplished. I think she is afraid that I would resort to going to the dollar store and buying wife beaters and scrawling TEAM Cakesy on the front with a purple crayon. She really should know me better than that. TEAM Cakesy will be the prettiest Belles at the Ball and you'd better get on board!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Lupus the Step-Child

The camapign for lupus education rolls along. It's amazing how many folks are still unaware of the disease. Lupus is more common that MS, Cystic Fibrosis, Cerebral Palsy and Sickle Cell anemia combined. It seems as though everyone has heard of these diseases but poor lupus is the step-child. Sadly, I understand why. Lupus is a hard disease to diagnose. The symptoms mimic those of other diseases. There is no clear cut symptom when it comes to lupus. It is a frustrating and expensive task to get an accurate diagnosis. That's why I have to do something to change it. It took doctors two years to accurately diagnose me. I was told I had irritable bowel syndrome, Chron's disease and that I had a case of crazy (i.e. a hypochondriac).

The first time that I heard of lupus was on the "Martin" sitcom when someone made a joke about Santa Claus having lupus because he had spotty hair. The joke tickled me then and I can definitely relate now to Santa's spotty hair. However, I'm very fortunate because my hair has grown back so quickly that I hadn't even noticed how full my hair has gotten. I guess I have had so many other things going on to notice. Team Jesus: 1000 Team Lupus: 0

Our pledges have reached a whopping $965.00. We are almost halfway to our goal of $2,000. I think that we are on track to reaching our goal figuring the walk isn't until September. I'm more than excited about the walk. I am eternally indebted to April and Cherish for getting the ball rolling and for all that are pledging, walking and praying for us. Daily, I amazed at the outpour of support from folks that I don't even know. It feels really good to know that we can make a difference in our little corner of the world. I'm so thankful. Below, I've uploaded one of my favorite songs by Mary Mary called, ironically, 'Thankful'. It speaks from my heart what I want to convey to each of you. Until...

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Welcome to the Team Cakesy blog! We started this blog as a way to raise awareness about the life changing effects of Lupus and gain support for the Alliance for Lupus Research. My best friend of nearly 25 years, Sharon, was diagnosed in February 2002 with Discoid and Systemic Lupus. Stay tuned to this site and check out her personal blog to follow her story and what its like for her as a young woman living with lupus.

On Saturday, September 19th, we along with many of our friends and family members will participate in the Walk with Us to Cure Lupus Walkathon on the Detroit Riverwalk. We encourage you to take a moment to browse our site and more importantly, learn more about the cause and the research. Please feel free to click the links to learn more about Lupus:

What is Lupus?

Who is the Alliance for Lupus Research?

ALR Youtube page

Related Information

Thanks for stopping by! We hope you will come back often, leave comments, check out the photo albums, share this blog with friends and even sign up to participate in the walkathon, or simply make a donation to Team Cakesy (if you were not led here by one of us you can feel free to donate under Sharon’s name). Have a blessed day!

Cherish

*Cherish, Sharon & April - Photo taken by JS along the Detroit Riverwalk*

Sharon's Story

Blessed.
Even when my hair had fallen out in patches.
Even when my face was torn apart.
Blessed as my feet "don't work" as they should.
Even when my mother has had to help me complete simple tasks such as put on socks or sit up in bed because I was just too weak. I was still too blessed to be stressed.
Even as I lost 30 pounds in 28 days and gained 25 in 3 months, there was not a doubt in my mind that I wasn't blessed.
Even when my joints have hurt so bad that it felt like wild beasts were feasting on me.
Blessed even as I've experienced "lupus fog" and couldn't remember to take my medication consistently.
Blessed when my 3 year old cousin would place a loving touch on my cheek and I would cringe because it felt like I was hit in a bar brawl.
Or even when I would get in my car and totally forget where I was going.
Blessed when my medication had me so confused, dazed and inebriated that I would call my mom talking incoherently. She would cry because she was over 1,000 miles from her child and could not do something to take my pain away.

As you can see, Lupus did not and does not care how blessed I am. Lupus is mean and unforgiving.

But through it all, I have been fortunate to have angels at work on my behalf. At work, I didn't tell anyone that I was suffering from the disease because I didn't want to be treated differently. But when the flare really set in, lupus ratted me out. I may not have said anything but it showed in my appearance and demeanor. When I was tired and felt like I had a ton of weight on my back, I went to work. Not letting lupus win was more important than me resting. I would get to work and my supervisor, Trish, would notice how fatigued and out of sorts I was. She would politely take my hand and tell me to take my sick self home. God sends angels to protect fools and babies.

As it stands, I’m still on bedrest and this affords me the opportunity to reflect often now. Many times a day I ask God to bless each of you that has been there for me. I think about how my co-workers who hadn't even known me eight months rally around me like I was their kinfolk. Ms. Woods made me healthy meals (I am missing that cabbage, by the way) and Aquilla, Shamika, Shonda, Ebony and Adrian always made sure that I was alright, whether it was carrying a bag, a text message or picking up a prescription. As I went through, God sent his angels to camp around me. Never once did I think that I was set up to fail.

Not only did my childhood, high school and college friends rally around me but so did their families. For all the "Mamas"-Mama Jones, Mama Hayes, Mama Kelly, Mrs. Knight, Ms. Ylaine, Mama Terri, Mama White and Mama Maggie-your calls, love and support always brought a smile to my face and heart. Brynna, B'Onko, Shana (the flowers were gorgeous), Kyle, Marlon, Madame, Berlinda, Belinda, Tim, Tammi, Aunt D, Theda, Rosie and Cousin Nicole who all visited just to hold my hand and offer words of encouragement. Then there are Cherish and April. I strongly believe every single member of their families, dead or alive, checked in offering support. I appreciate all of the love from their families, corspes and those with pulses, alike. Friendship is a powerful thing.

I’ve collected many great people in Tallahassee, also. They held me together until my mama made it to me. Kara cleaned and Kenyetta cooked. Renasia, Seyan, Nicole, Bettye, Kelly, Sydni, Jean, Lamar and Shanna made sure my daily needs were met. It is a wonderful thing to know that all I had to do was pick up a phone and my immediate need would be met. I was also all too fortunate to stumble upon Pastor Williams and First Institutional M.B. Church who continue to keep me lifted up in prayer. How lucky and grateful I am!

If it's one thing that I know for sure it is that the devil stays angry with me. His wrath towards me is because of you. You have kept me encouraged. You have prayed for me. You have loved on me. You have shed tears with me. You have visited with me. But most of all, you have encouraged my mother. And loved on her. And eased her mind. I do believe that it is common knowledge that I love my mama. I love you for loving her. As many of you know I am my mother and my father's only child. They don't get do-over's. It’s just me. I am so indebted to my aunts, uncles and cousins. They have provided unlimited financial, emotional and physical support. My support well never ran dry. I am my aunts and uncles only niece. I am my little cousins only female cousin. I am all they have and, by the grace of God, that's why I fight.

Help me in my fight to find a cure for lupus.

There hasn't been any new medication in 50 years so awareness and research is terribly important. Most of you don’t know but I have been taking Chemo in small doses since I was diagnosed in 2002. Since this flare my intake has been increased dramatically. I know that I don't say much about having the disease but when Cherish and April put this team and website together I had to confront it. Since the inception of everything regarding Team Cakesy (which, by the way, is a nickname my mother gave me as a child) I have spent many nights and some days crying and removing mental scabs of the effects that the disease has had on me. In order for me to move on in peace, I have had to confront lupus.

Yes, I have LUPUS but LUPUS does not have me.

I know who is working on my behalf. I've been through a lot and I've pressed my way through. I will continue to press on because this fight is much larger than me and it's so much larger than we. I’ve learned that when we are great, we will be challenged. Challenges come to show us what we are made of. Challenges produce soldiers when we resolve not to be defeated. Please, take my hand, and join me. I’m a movement by myself but I’m a force when we are all together.

Together We Will Win!

Peace and Blessings, Sharon

Sharon - Living with Lupus