“It’s better to give than receive,” is a phrase I’ve heard many times before. This year my husband and I decided to forgo buying each other gifts during the holiday season. Instead, we chose to donate to a hospice in our town that badly needed renovation. Instead of mailing the check, we chose to deliver it in person. The joy we experienced was incredible! It really makes your heart sing when you know that your donation will help to make a difference in someone’s life.
September is dedicated to raising awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms and is symbolized by the color teal. It’s January! Why am I talking about something that takes place in September? The answer is that I want to raise awareness year-round. To that end, I enclose an ovarian symptom card with every order I send out. I’m grateful to the organizations Teal Toes and Ribbons to Remember for providing me with these cards.
By nature, I’m more comfortable giving things away than I am with selling them. I was so happy to discover that having a mission to raise money for a cause I strongly believe in has not only helped me overcome my shyness, it has actually brought me much personal satisfaction!
My plan for this month is to round up all of my teal European glass bead charms and organize them into a “collection.” The process is painstakingly slow as each bead needs to be photographed, numbered, described, and then uploaded to my website. I’m committed to donating 10% of gross proceeds for every teal bead charm and teal glass jewelry I sell.
As a fledgling website, I didn’t raise as much as I hoped during 2011. But I did meet many phenomenal women who have either had ovarian cancer or have lost a loved one to it. My mom-in-law has bravely battled this cancer for five years. She’s my inspiration! My hope for 2012 is to raise awareness and help researchers get closer to a cure! Join me, won’t you?
