You may wonder why I announced a big rejuvenation of this blog and then disappeared, and this is why. (Written by my Dad)
Dear Family, Friends, Colleagues, Followers, and the rest of you wonderful people out there in the Internet universe that come across this post,
Thursday, December 17th is the occasion of my 55th birthday. This year and this birthday are especially poignant for me. Both my mother, Inga, and my Morfar, Sven Oscar Lundgren (my Swedish grandfather on my mother’s side), passed at age 55. So now is as good a time as any for me to take a look back and remember these two wonderful big personalities that had such a big impact on my life. Time has softened some tough memories, and I now fondly look back on many wonderful times I spent with both of them, especially Swedish Christmas.
But I write today (and will repost often this week, sorry about that) for another reason. In this day of contention, worry, derisive political antics, religious arguments and blustering personalities, I want to ask your help with something that I am certain will get 100% agreement from 100% of the people that read this, no matter your religion, political bent, what you look like or where you are from.
Cancer, Fucking Cancer……This insidious disease has recently touched way to many wonderful friends my family knows, and recently made a visit to my immediate family. As I am sure most of you can sadly attest, MF cancer (one F-bomb is probably enough) has touched way too many people we all know and love. Cancer hits indiscriminately, across all economic classes, religious and political beliefs, it does not spare nationalities or races. It has got to go!
Our personal family story:
After a routine mammogram this past July, my wife Lisa was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ commonly referred to as DCIS (or early stage breast cancer.) Shockingly just a few months later our son Adam was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Fortunately the prognosis for both is extremely positive.
Lisa just wrapped up her treatment last week, including racing (and qualifying for next year!) in the Head of the Charles regatta in Boston, 5 weeks after her lumpectomy surgery, in a Womens Eight for the Ann Arbor Rowing Club.
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| My mom in the center |
Last week Adam completed his first month, of what is expected to be a four to six month course, of chemotherapy that will take place every other week. He is grinding through his Computer Science, Statistics and Swedish finals at the University of Michigan this week and expects to stay in school next semester as well. Unfortunately Adam had to stop rowing for the Michigan Mens Rowing Team this year after a very successful first year competing that ended with Michigan winning their 8th straight team national championship at the American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championships. He plans to return to the team next year. Row Blue!
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| Lil bro bro rocking the row (he is in the hat) |
So why am I tying all of this together with my 55th birthday you may ask? Obviously our family has a rowing problem, but we don’t need help with that.
On Thursday a few of my Ann Arbor Rowing Club teammates will half jokingly post that I should erg (an indoor rowing torture machine) 55 kilometers (~34.18 miles) for my 55th birthday. While I do not plan to do this in one sitting, pesky work prevents that possibility; I am going to do it and row a total of 55k this Thursday, December 17th.
In celebration of life and my wonderful family, but especially for Lisa and Adam this year, I am asking all of you to do two things to support my just over 34 mile rowing odyssey that will not take me anywhere.
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| mom, lil bro bro, dad |
First please consider making what I am calling a 55 donation, $5.50, $55, $550, or even $5,500 or more, to support cancer research at the University of Michigan (where both Lisa and Adam are getting fantastic treatment), or the cancer research or treatment center of your choice. See links at end of this post.
Along with happy birthday wishes (who doesn’t want those!) this Thursday I would so appreciate to see confirmations of your donations (message me if you don’t want to publicly post about donations) so I can keep track and post a total raised……….once I recover. Make a donation on the 17th and you get a tax donation for 2015.
The second thing I would ask you to consider doing, please like, share this post and the link for this post as often as you are willing through Thursday, 12/17. Maybe we can get some deep pockets to contribute if this post gets enough traction and raise some serious cash for a very worthy cause, no matter where the money goes.
Thanks so much!
Our Family
Relavent Links:
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center -https://leadersandbest.umich.edu/find/#!/med/umhs-ccc
List of best cancer research hospitals by US News and World Report -http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/cancer
Best cancer related charities by Charity Watch -https://www.charitywatch.org/top-rated-charities
#fuckcancer #beatcancer #fightcancer #nomorecancer #cancersucks #breastcancer #breastcancerswareness #cancercure #cancerawareness #hodgkinslymphoma #lymphoma #lymphomaawareness #fightbreastcancer #fightlymphoma #InnovateBlue #LeadersAndBest #UMich #GoBlue
Thanks Claire! Love you!
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