As I mentioned in my previous post, the past few months have been a whirlwind–a nasty lung infection in January; lots of snow in January and February and a cold night spent on a church pew (me), an office floor (Bruce), the high school gym (Celia), and our neighbor’s house (Helena); a wild and crazy field trip to Orlando with Helena’s 7th grade choir; movies with Edwina; dance lessons for Celia; softball games for Helena.
I’ve had some wonderful surprises this spring as well. In April, I was named the recipient of the Odessa Woolfolk Community Service Award. Ms. Woolfolk is a well-known civil rights activist from Birmingham who founded the Civil Rights Institute situated next to the 16th Street Baptist Church where four little girls lost their lives during a bombing by white supremacists in 1963. Click the link that follows for a picture of me with Ms. Woolfolk and UAB President Ray Watts:
Also, I was invited to participate in the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in San Diego the same month as part of the Scientist Survivor Program. The conference brought me together with survivors, advocates, scientists, and clinicians from around the world.
At the AACR 2014 Poster Session with fellow survivors-advocates Jody Schroger and Meisha Brown
And earlier this week, I had the amazing opportunity to help coordinate an all-day forum involving Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. Tushar was warm, thoughtful, and inspiring. It was a wonderful day (and night, when we all headed to a local family’s home for a gathering and lots of delicious Indian food).
With Tushar Gandhi at the forum on peace and social justice
Speakers at the forum (left to right): me, Pia Singh, Tushar, Cathleen, Xavier
Cancer Hits the Streets 