June 25th, 2009 - Waterford Assisted Living Presentation

The Waterford Assisting Living facility is a gorgeous home for the elderly located in Bismarck, ND. It offers independent living, basic living, assisted living and a closed Alzheimer's unit. I had the privilege to be able to work at this wonderful facility a few years ago as a temp while they looked for a full-time nurse. Today I gave a presentation to residents on programs and services offered through the American Cancer Society. At the end of the presentation many residents made the comment of never knowing the American Cancer Society had so many wonderful resources available..they thought all we did was raise money for research. It made me realize even more that my mission to educate the public on resources available through the American Cancer Society and other organizations is a much needed mission!

June 21, 2009 - Mrs. North Dakota International Car Wash

What does it mean to "Enhance the Quality of Life to Cancer Patients"? It means to search for and find what THEY need to make their lives, their struggle, their fight easier. Women who go through chemotherapy often lose their hair. It changes your appearance and possibly takes away the one thing that was your beauty trade mark. This is devastating for many women. The American Cancer Society is pleased to be able to offer wigs and head coverings for women at no charge. But occasionally, as a non-profit organization, the funding for such items becomes depleted. We have been very lucky to be able to have community organizations and patients donate wigs, hats and turbans to help keep these items replenished. Here in Bismarck, we had a wonderful stock of wigs and hats for the cold winter months but now that it is summer - 94 degrees one day - women would rather wear light hats or scarves to cover their heads. These items are in low supply and need to be replenished. So I thought, what could I do to raise funds to help with this need?....CAR WASH! I had plenty of help from my father, sister, brother-in-law, husband, sister-in-law and friends. Boy did we make those cars shine! One gentlemen was very generous and shared with me his mother had just past away from breast cancer a week before. He said he was thrilled to be able to help others in anyway he could. The local KXMB -TV station got wind of the event and came out to interview me for the late news at 10 pm. It was a great day and now I am able to purchase and replenish summer head coverings for women in our area. Thank you for all who came by to help fight cancer!

June 20th, 2009 - Valley City Parade

Sometimes a girls just gotta have a fun day! I had the privilege of joining the Teen and Miss Queen in the Valley City Parade. Its a rare occasion when we can all get together and participate in the same event - so this was extra special. I hadn't been in a parade for quite a few years. When I was a child I was a competitive gymnast so our team would walk in the parades in Bismarck - some of us did cartwheels, walked on our hands and even back flips! Stay tuned for my next experience in the largest 4th of July parade in North Dakota ....this time I'm doing things a tad different!

June 17th, 2009 - 2009 North Dakota Cancer Coalition Cancer Summit

The North Dakota Cancer Coalition is a collaborative effort between organizations, businesses, health care providers and individuals to not only fight cancer in our state but look for ways to wipe it out completely. Each year members and anyone who would like to attend are invited to the Cancer Coalition Summit. This year the main focus was on preventing cancer with work site wellness. Ideas were shared by speakers on how to take charge against the cost of health care by making a program to improve the health of employees. The belief is it's in the best interest of companies to help employees achieve the goal of good health thus decreasing not only costs in the future but also disease and illness. Ever hear of the Cancer Gold Standard? It's a workplace accreditation program that recognizes employers' efforts to meet an exceptionally high standard of cancer prevention, screening and care guidelines for their employees and family members. Organizations of all sizes can participate in this great initiative to help reverse negative, unhealthy lifestyles and instead create hope in the fight against cancer. By working together across work sites, we can make it easier for North Dakota's workers to be healthy while at work.

Here are some interesting cancer facts and information I'd like to share with my followers:

Most people know of the genetic mutation for breast cancer as BRCA 1/BRCA2 - this can be found by doing genetic testing. A genetic mutation is a mutation you are born with. Women who carry this marker have a great risk of getting breast cancer in their life. What you may not know is there is also a genetic mutation that has been found for colorectal cancer and gynecological cancers such as endometrial cancer. This mutation MLH1/MLH2/MSH6 has a 50/50 chance of being passed onto offspring from either the mother or the father. "Red Flags" for this mutation include colorectal or endometrial cancer before age 50. If an individual tests positive for the mutation screenings for colorectal cancer with colonoscopies will be done more often to hopefully catch cancer early. Colorectal cancer is almost 100% preventable when caught early!

Breast Cancer - 178,000 new cases in US each year and 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths - PREVENTION PREVENTION PREVENTION!!!!!
Cervical Cancer - 10,000 new cases - primary risk factor is HPV -get regular screenings!!!
Endometrial Cancer - 1 in 38 lifetime risk - having abnormal bleeding - get checked!
Ovarian Cancer - 1 in 68 lifetime risk - highly fatal because no real symptoms...causing late diagnosis - 90% of ovarian cancer patients are positive for BRCA mutation.
Skin Cancer - Spouse finds a suspicious lesion - Don't ignore! Early detection is key and SPF 35!
Colorectal Cancer - 1 in 19...106,000 new cases....49,000 deaths - one word...COLONOSCOPY!
Prostate Cancer - 192,000 cases....27,000 deaths - PSA and exam together is best defense.
Testicular Cancer - Young man's cancer - age 24 to 54 - know your testicles to know abnormal.
Lung Cancer - 25% are found on routine x-ray...90% are caused by smoking....one word..QUIT!

Bonus tip: How many fruits and vegetables are we supposed to get a day now? NINE! How? Have grapefruit (fresh or from a jar) and a banana for breakfast, for snack have mixed berries or an orange or an apple or a handful of grapes, mixed vegis for lunch (2 servings), fruit again for snack, munch on fruit and raw vegis before dinner, fruit or mixed vegis for supper. There ya go! But don't forget to eat the rest of the meals too - this is just the fruit and vegi choices for the day. You need protein too! One things for sure....you'll never go hungry - and your body will be fighting cancer!

June 17th, 2009 - Radio Appearance with Bob Beck

My first appearance on live radio was amazing! Bob Beck couldn't have been more inviting, funny and full of energy - just the kind of person I love! I spoke about why I decided to run for the title of Mrs. North Dakota International - TO HAVE A VOICE TO HELP FIGHT CANCER! What my mission is - Enhancing the Quality of Life to Cancer Patients.... and a lot more! It was fantastic! Can't wait to do it again tomorrow morning on URLRADIO! Media Media Media...the best way to get to the masses! Maybe I'll hang up my nursing career and become a radio star!

Take Action with Mrs. North Dakota International Against Cancer!

Donate to the fight against cancer by becoming a sponsor of Mrs. North Dakota International 2009! All funds will be used by Mrs. North Dakota to help fund her year as she travels around North Dakota and nationally speaking out to Enhance the Quality of Life to Cancer Patients and help cover costs for services she is looking to promote. Enhancing the Quality of Life to Cancer Patients is to strengthen and embrace the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of all involved. Her main mission is to organize a partnership of organizations to develop strategies intended to unify resources for cancer patients. It's time to stop fighting cancer as separate entities and start becoming a community of strong organizations fighting together! Sponsor Mrs. North Dakota and assist her to fight cancer!

Donations can be sent to:

Teresa Olin
904 Alberta Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58503

June 9th, 2009 - Breast Cancer Awareness Women's Golf Classic

"Everything has a purpose".....I've heard this quote my whole life and I have to admit, this week, I completely believe it! Just 2 days after I was apart of an extraordinary event celebrating and honoring women who have been touched and SAVED by the North Dakota Breast and Cervical Early Detection Program called Women's Way I am the keynote speaker for the 2009 Women's Golf Classic put on by KXMB - TV, Community Sponsors and Women's Way. Proceeds for this event benefit the Resource Fund for Women's Way. Women's Way has a goal of saving the lives of our uninsured and underinsured women in North Dakota by promoting annual screening exams for breast and cervical cancer. But even Women's Way has its limitations. Women's Way only starts paying for mammograms after the age of 50 and even though breast biopsies are one of the main tools used to diagnose breast cancer Women's Way can only pay for 1/3 of the cost...leaving the rest of the bill to the patient. The Resource Fund (funds acquired only by cash gifts, fundraising and events like the Golf Classic) give women the extra financial support they need to fight cancer without the anguish of cost. The event is a relaxing fun filled day with door prizes, raffles, golfing and dinner. The women who made this event possible are helping to save lives of women who desperately need the help. They have changed the destiny of wonderful women in our area and given them the chance to hug their loved ones one more day, the chance to see the sun rise one more day.....the chance to live one more day.

June 7th, 2009 - Women's Way 2009 Recruitment and Education Event

I had the privilege and honor to speak at the Women's Way 2009 Recruitment and Education Event. The event's main mission was to honor those touched by breast and cervical cancer who are also participants of Women's Way. Women from all over North Dakota who participate in the Women's Way program (North Dakota's Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program) arrived full of smiles and spirit! There was a band concert by Way Cool - it was way cool! A Celebrate LIFE Style Fashion show where survivors of breast and cervical cancer modeled clothes from local merchants as their story was told inspiring us all with hope. One woman said, "I was broke, homeless, jobless and dying...but not broken!" Another said, "It's not about failing....it's about getting up after you fall." And another said, "My husband held onto me and didn't let go as I started 16 months of chemo and radiation." The women who modeled received a pink rose if they fought breast cancer and a purple rose for cervical cancer and they all received a pink scarf from Tara Lacher the "Pink Scarf Lady". What was amazing to me was the women who held more than one rose in her hand. One woman even had 2 pink roses and 1 purple rose! She fought this relentless disease 3 times and there she stood smiling, healthy and strong! Christina Clifford Beckwith, a breast cancer survivor herself and founder and CEO of The Cancer Club (http://www.cancerclub.com/) AND author of "Not Now ....I'm Having a No Hair Day" along with several other books on fighting cancer with humor entertained us and shared her story. I spoke to women about changing your life by altering your attitude....especially when it comes to health. We need to take the initiative to say "Enough is enough" and fight together to conquer breast and cervical cancer! Did you know UNINSURED women diagnosed with breast cancer are 2.5 times more likely to have a LATE STAGE diagnosis and more than 3 in 5 INSURED women in ND between 40 and 64 did not have a mammogram in the past 2 years due to high deductibles? Women's Way offers a way to around those statistics for eligible women and it SAVED the lives of these courages women. The key to finding cancer is early detection....the key to detection is regular screenings! We need to dig deep and fight cancer starting at the beginning...with continued early detection and prevention. A wise man once said to me, "We can either be our own worst enemy or our best friend depending entirely on attitude towards ourselves and the approach to the nature of our true self....the inner soul to know this is not enough...one must ACT on the knowledge....PRACTICE the theory....and CONQUER!!"