O Canada

Last week, I went on an impromptu road trip to Toronto to visit a long-time friend and attend her brother's wedding. It was such a last minute trip, we didn't get to plan activities ahead of time. However, I was able to see downtown Toronto in all it's glory and enjoyed spending time with one of my dearest friends.

Besides the scorching heat and traffic-lined streets, Canada seemed like a neat place to be. I hope to take another trip there to explore a little more (i.e. Niagara Falls, ride to the top of the CN tower, visit another province) in the near future.

Again...

 via

They (insert your definition of they here) say that "boredom is a state of mind". Well, me? I think it's lounging around watching the first five seasons of Girlfriends... again. 

I must get out and enjoy life... The breeze, sunshine, and blossoming green trees. Walk around Kelly Drive. Read a book. Eat some ice cream. Maybe meet a new somebody. 

Something!

I just need a better way to occupy myself.

... Although, there's nothing wrong with watching Girlfriends...

Army of Women Updates

• A few weeks ago, Love/Army of Women participants were notified that the Ford Motor Company has selected the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation to be part of its new Ford Warriors in Pink campaign: Models of Courage. Ford's Model of Courage program was created to honor the men and women across the country who inspire everyone involved in the fight against breast cancer. If your purchase any merchandise from the Warriors in Pink collection, "100 percent of the proceeds of these sales go directly to the fight against breast cancer and you can select the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation to be the organization you want to support!!" (source)

• There are a ton of new breast cancer studies that needs participants. I will list a couple of them below along with a link to get more info about each one. Also, if you click the "Army of Women-- Current Breast Cancer Studies" tab below my blog header, you can read through many of the other studies that currently need participants. 
• Women in the US who underwent surgical treatment for ANY type of breast cancer
• Wanted: Women in the United States who underwent surgical treatment for ANY type of breast cancer, including LCIS, DCIS, and Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, to take part in an on-line survey designed to explore the impact of breast cancer surgery on long-term health, quality of life, and satisfaction with care. A research team at Duke University will use the information collected from the survey to help guide surgical decision-making and optimize the long-term health of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.(more info here)
  
• Effect of Birth Control Pills on Breast Tissue
•  Wanted: English OR Spanish-speaking women in the Los Angeles area who are between the ages of 18 and 35 who have NOT had breast cancer, and who are currently using or are willing to start using an oral contraceptive for 3 months to take part in a research study that is being conducted at the University of Southern California. We have recruited for this study in the past, but the research team still needs women to sign up! (more info here)
  
•  Had a benign breast biopsy between January 1998 and December 2006?
• A research team at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is investigating whether the amount of DNA damage seen in the cells in normal breast tissue may be an indicator of future breast cancer risk. Previously, the researchers recruited women who had had a benign breast biopsy and then went on to develop breast cancer. NOW, they need women who had a benign breast biopsy but did NOT go on to develop breast cancer. By recruiting women who did develop breast cancer and women who did not, they will be able to look for markers in the breast cells that might be an indicator of breast cancer risk. (more info here)

Please take time out to see if you qualify for participating in any of these or other current studies. Also, if you haven't already signed up to be an Army of Women volunteer, please do so here.

** Disclaimer: You do not need to have or have had breast cancer to be a volunteer. **

**I am an Army of Women (AOW) Supporting Blogger. **