Shimmy for a Cure!

If you live in the area (or are looking for a great excuse to visit us in Rochester!), you're officially invited to Shimmy for a Cure on Friday, May 2.

Shimmy for a Cure is the ultimate ladies' night AND Jen's first-ever belly-dancing fundraiser for the Relay for Life. (For the low-down on the Relay for Life, I'll post this week's column below.)

Shimmy for a Cure will start with an hour or so of snacking and socializing, followed by a belly-dancing lesson and performance. (You'll watch, not participate in, the performance -- unless you can't help but shake your groove thang!)

Cost is just $15 per person, with all proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society. For more information, holler. I think it's going to be fun, fun, fun. (That's my tagline, people: belly dancing and belly laughs!)

OK, here's this week's column...

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Two weeks ago, Sue Hruska went on vacation with her family. This summer, she'll celebrate her 50th birthday. These are not shocking activities — until you know that Sue was diagnosed with stage four terminal brain cancer 18 months ago.

Since her diagnosis, Sue has undergone brain surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and nine months of a clinical trial drug. But she has also gone to the Bahamas and Alaska with her husband, Ed, and has returned to work part-time. She is making plans for the future.

"Research drugs and treatments have made my life possible," Sue says. "I feel blessed to be at this point in my diagnosis — to have this quality of life. If my time ends tomorrow, I know I have enjoyed 18 months of absolute living. How great is that?"

Sue is so grateful to organizations that raise money for cancer research that she's serving as the honorary chair of Olmsted County's Relay for Life, an annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. I could fill this page telling you about Relay for Life — and how much heart-filling fun my family has there — but my editors keep me to a word count, so I'll just give you the sound bite: Relay for Life is an overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for the American Cancer Society. During the Relay, teams of people take turns walking laps around a luminary-lit track and participate in family-friendly activities.

Sue will be joined at the Relay by Ruth Jensen, this year's honorary caregiver. Ruth not only cared for her husband, Merle, through his battle with terminal cancer, but has volunteered tirelessly with the Mayo Hospice Program for more than 20 years.

I'm inspired by both of these women — and I'm inspired by the cause they're taking up in the Relay for Life. Cancer has touched too close to home too often for my family. It takes more than ten fingers to count the loved ones — children and adults — I've lost to this disease. My father-in-law, one of the kindest men I've known, died from cancer last year. My grandfather has it now.

You have similar stories. I know this because more than a million people are diagnosed with cancer each year.

So let's get rid of this disease, OK? Let's eradicate it. Erase it. Let's form teams and raise a bunch of money and come out to Relay in July to honor cancer survivors and those who've lost their battles.

"Wait a minute — July?" you say. "Why are you writing about it now? In April?"

I'm getting to that. The kick-off to this year's Relay for Life is this Saturday, April 12 in the JC Penney Courtyard of the Apache Mall. At the kick-off, you can register your team — or you can just ask questions to learn more. If you're hungry, you can even buy a $5 breakfast at Applebee's to benefit this year's event.

I'll be there, and I'd love to share my Relay story with you. I can even give you hints for creating a team and raising money. And, let me tell you, if you, like me, are always looking for an excuse to get together with friends, raising money for the Relay is the perfect opportunity. I've hosted backyard parties, bunco nights and poker tournaments. This year, I'm having a belly dancing fundraiser. (Shimmy for a Cure, baby!)

So join me, won't you? Come on out to the kick-off on Saturday — and to the Relay for Life in July. You will be happy you did.