Leafygal

Too much Pink!?

Just returned from a fantastic "Summit Meeting"  run by the Breast Cancer Network of Australia (BCNA) whose symbol is the ubiquitous Pink Lady.
It was for leaders or facilitators of their member groups, mainly Breast cancer support groups.
What an experience, being part of such a dedicated and lively group of ladies mainly wearing pink. (see just a few in the foyer)

We learned lots about the BCNA including more about the consumer representatives, who sit on committees, answer media calls, attend medical and other conferences and just generally act as consumer ambassadors for all women with breast cancer.

Some BCNA staff dancing was in order to celbrate the Big Spender Tony Abbott having passed Herceptin for Pharmaceutical Benefits for use by Women with early breast cancer, saving individuals from mortgaging their houses for access!

It wasn't all hard work, some karaoke managed to slip in at the Monday Night celebration, with lots of appropriate songs - With a little help from my friends, Respect, I am Woman, These boots were made for walking, and others less appropriate but belted out with great gusto.
The dancing wasn't bad either!!!

There was lots of laughter, quite a few tears and each break was filled with a rising tide of voices catching up with old friends,  making new ones or discussing how our groups run and how we could work together in some cases

Pru and I took the Hallowig with us, neither of us game to wear it , but Pru's mad  friend Loz proved to be the perfect model. It went so nicely with her hairy pink slippers, worn because she had somehow mislaid her shoes ???? (don't ask!) (although I think she would have worn the slippers anyway!!)

Two other mad women were caught in the hotel foyer on the way to the bus!!

A great meeting with lots for me to think about for our group.

All about Labyrinths

Last Sunday I took part in the Geelong Mini Field of Women for Breast Cancer Awareness Week.

I wasn't on the committee this year, I finally learned how to say No, but I did miss that great bunch of Women.
I was asked to design a shape for the Pink Ladies to be posted and immediately thought of a Labyrinth
These symbolise Life's Journey which seemed to me to be very appropriate. I also found a great poem which I used at the start of the labyrinth and words from it at the Centre  "One Step at a Time"
I started at 9 a.m.with one helper, and others gathered to be involved as well.  I had them measuring, banging in bamboo stakes, tying twine and tying pink ribbons. It was a great experience and I think that the act of the making of the Labyrinth is actually as important as the walking of it at the end of the process.
When you walk the path you get taken in unexpected directions, very much as in Life.

The BREAST group (pictured in the Labyrinth) were also there in full force with our new flyer at the Info Booths. We met a lot of ladies and hopefully gave them some food for thought, especially about the knitted Titties!! and the Titbits site.

Here is the poem

Labyrinth Poem
Rows of ragged rocks outline a path for healing?
Brown, decaying leaves hug the winter ground – a blanket to transform?
The labyrinth awaits the sojourner-- almost calls her name--
Will you enter my simple boundaries and journey my paths
One Step at a Time?

Straight ahead, yet winding and crooked The curled road beckons to be trod
reinforcing the uplifted, blessing the downtrodden
Maybe tears, maybe joy, maybe peace
One Step at a Time.

All who are heavy laden, come stand at the gate
All who are fragmented, place one foot down and the other in front
All who find wonder in the commonplace, Come travel the narrow rows
One Step at a Time.

Give up your burdens, your middle of the night worries
Lay a care on a silver, craggly rock as you pass and move on to the next, the monotony will soothe you
One Step at a Time.

Moving inward, The trail winds in and out Muscles untensing,
The walker’s job seems easy, The cares tumble down and hit the ground with imagined force lightening the load on contact
One Step at a Time.

Step 48, step 49, many more follow while curling toward center like a snail into its shell Motionless at last, a wooden cross is sighted,
God’s presence overwhelms and envelopes the inner sanctum-- His peace now a cloister on the journey half over
One Step at a Time.

The pause to discover new perspectives to ponder fresh eyes, lightened heart the world is a wonder with steps unencumbered the pilgrimage rewinds
One Step at a Time.

The breathing is slower the feet touch down lower, and easier on the road well-worn
The unknown, now familiar the end is the beginning the sad is now glory All happening unexpectedly
One Step at a Time.

A twist inward A transformation outward A fresh view from fatigued eyes
All part of a simple design of much complexity with the whole greater than the sum of the steps All the while traveling
One Step at a Time.

Suzanne Moody March 1999 Macon, Georgia Copyright  All rights reserved.

Pink Ladies make Pink Lady

I have had an amazing experience as part of a group (can 11,500 women be a group?) of pink ponchoed people forming the BCNA Breast Cancer Network of Australia's Pink Lady logo on the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday 6th May
Our small group joined 2 double decker busloads from Geelong to take part.
To see all that pink in the stands was pretty awsome but when we all started wending our way onto the ground it was really something.
It took ages for all of us to get into the Pink Lady shape and helicopters flew over taking photos after the speeches.
It was a sensational way of raising awareness of Breast cancer and the  11,500 women and 100 men who are diagnosed with this disease each year in Australia.
The media covered the event with TV News, front page of the Herald Sun and several pages in The Age.  Even the sporting coverage of the match which followed suggested that the pink ladies outdid the footballers on the night.
The photo in the Herald was totally stunning, taken from the helicopter with the MCG Stadium forming a frame to the pink shape.
It was a very moving experience and those taking part included all ages from teenage daughters with their mums to  my own mother in law who is almost eighty, and I guess there were a couple of over eighties there as well.
We were invited to stay for the Melbourne vs Adelaide football match and there was a significant number of pink ponchos  visible  in the stands cheering on the home team.  The Team banners for the players to run through also reflected the evening's big event

Dragons Abreast

Went to the Melbourne International Dragon Boat Races on Sunday to cheer on both the new Geelong Dragons Abreast team and  my sister P in the Yarra DA team.
Perfect weather for such an event, sadly my father's car limped to a stop just past the Western Ring road entrance to the Westgate freeway and we had to be ignominiously towed to Spotswood.
The RACV Mechanic who eventually turned up didn't have the part we needed so we ditched the car and proceeded by Taxi.

We expected to miss the Dragon's Abreast cup. Luckily the program was running late and we were there in time.  We cheered the Geelong boat to victory over the visiting Canberra girls followed by Bendigo  and the Yarra team.
I paddled in one of the 5 boats for the Flowers on the water ceremony in memory of those who have lost the battle with Breast Cancer.  It is a very moving ceremony.
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We are now all looking forward to being a part of the Field of Real Women at the MCG in May.