Sadly, September applicants were unusually young; all born after 1975, with children ranging in ages from 5-16.
L., 38, is a single Mom with three children, ages 15, 11 and 5, living near Sderot. She had been employed prior to her diagnosis, as a hairdresser, but now cannot work during her treatments. She receives less than 1000 shekels per month for alimony and is waiting for approval for disability payments. In the meantime, she and her family are in financial free fall. The Lemonade Fund was created to help patients exactly like L. It was our privilege to award L. a grant to help her get through this difficult time.
T., also 38, hails from the south, and is the mother of five children, ranging in age from 13 to 5. Unfortunately she was diagnosed with very advanced disease and she requires extensive treatment and surgery. Her husband works in a low paying job and prior to her illness, T. worked as a gannenet (kindergarten teacher.) They made ends meet with two salaries, but the loss of T.’s salary has been catastrophic for them and they are no longer able to afford basics. In her application T. requested help so that her family could have food for the holidays as well as money for school supplies for her children. T.’s situation is very serious and we are gratified to be able to help her and her family.
As anyone who is not color blind or newly arrived from the moon knows, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, or Pinktober, as it is cutely known. Some, such as survivor, Peggy Orenstein, see the ubiquitous pink ribbon symbol (hard to miss everything from pink pretzels to pink-sneakered NFL football players in October) as over-commercialization of a disease and as controversial. She raises interesting issues-would be interested to hear what you think:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/magazine/our-feel-good-war-on-breast-cancer.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
The fact that significant progress in reducing mortality hasn’t been made, despite all of this publicity and research, is sobering. On the other hand, awareness is leading to earlier detection, which is, no arguments possible, better than late detection. So….no matter how one feels about pink ribbons, the Lemonade Fund is using this opportunity to remind all women to practice self examination and to keep to a regular mammogram schedule.
Wishing all good luck with the new school/work year.
