Buckets for the Cure

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and KFC.

Written by Andrea of The Sweet Life

Andrea Says:

 

I stepped from the cruise ship in Ketchikan, Alaska and immediately looked for a payphone.

We’d been at sea for days, and because of unseasonably rough waters, there had been no contact with shore available.  Finally, I found a phone and called my parents to check on our then- 18 month old daughter, Alison.  It was the first time we’d left her, and I wasn’t handling the separation well.

Turns out, Alison was fine.  Better than fine, because she was having the vacation of her lifetime with her grandparents.

As I said my good-bye’s, filled up on the sound of my little girl’s voice, my mom said she had something to tell me.  She hesitated, not sure if she should wait to tell me news that was sure to make me upset.

My Great-Aunt, Mary Alice, had lost her long and arduous battle with Breast Cancer the day before.

My breath caught.  Mary Alice.

One in eight women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.  Mary Alice fought The Beast four times.  With three wins in her corner, I’d been sure she would announce another victory.  But she didn’t.

Not this time.  Breast Cancer had finally won, claiming one of the most amazing women I’ve ever had the honor of knowing.

Mary Alice fought Breast Cancer tooth and nail, never letting The Beast get her down.  She knew that her battle affected everyone in her life – those she loved, and those who loved her.

In her eighties, she was just as likely as a ten year old to have an impromptu root beer float party.  She played a game of solitaire every single day.  She read books like they were going out of style.  She was curious to try new things, convinced life was an adventure to be experienced with joy, honesty and laughter.

Mary Alice was my favorite pen pal, whether she was at home and healthy, or in the hospital and struggling.  Even now, nearly 5 years after her passing, I find myself composing letters to her in my head, and smiling as I finish a book she would have enjoyed.

It is with Mary Alice in mind that I proudly wear a pink ribbon, and regularly donate to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  Komen has already invested nearly $1.5 billion in community programs and breast cancer research, which helped Mary Alice to win her first three battles against The Beast.

When I learned that KFC had plans to join forces with Susan G. Komen for the Cure through a program dubbed Buckets for the Cure, I knew I needed to help get the word out.

This Spring, look for commemorative Pink Buckets at participating KFC restaurants throughout the US.  Each Pink Bucket will feature names of breast cancer survivors as well as names of those who have lost their battle with The Beast.

For every Pink Bucket, KFC makes a 50 cent contribution to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  The Pink buckets will be available in KFC restaurants through May 23rd, 2010.

If you or your family plan to eat out during this time, consider going to KFC and purchasing a Pink Bucket to help spread the message about breast health, and turn millions of Breast Cancer patients into Breast Cancer survivors.

If eating out isn’t your thing, click over to Buckets for the Cure to make a contribution. Join the Cause with KFC, and let’s see if we can make this program the largest donation ever in the fight against Breast Cancer.

In addition to KFC’s amazing program, BlogHer will donate $1 for every comment left on this post, as well as on the other shared story blog posts, up to a grand total of $1000!

Eat. Comment. Join the Cause.  Together we can knock out The Beast for good!

Mary Alice’s spunk and spirit, even in the face of Breast Cancer, inspired all of those who met her to celebrate life.  She made such a difference.

I’d love to know, what do you do to make a difference in the lives of others?

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Primo Water

Meghan Says:

Water is a hard thing to review.  I mean, it’s WATER.  There’s not too much going on there.

Except if you’re a freak like me and you’re kind of picky about the “taste” of your water.  And if you’re rolling your eyes right now, bite me.  Because water DOES have a taste and, sometimes that extra “flavor” can ruin a glass of icy cold goodness.

Which is why, whenever I’m at a restaurant and I’m not sure what the water’s going to taste like, I order it with lemon.  I’d rather drink the germs on the lemon peel than have to taste nasty water.  True story.

But I digress.  Because today we’re here to talk about Primo Water.  And while I’m not really going to focus on how it tastes, you do need to know that it gets a thumbs up from me in that department.  But it’s bottled water, which generally gets a thumbs up for taste and a thumbs down for earth friendliness.

Until now. Because Primo, through some crazy new fangled technology that I can’t understand explain has figured out a way to make their bottles from plants.  Not crude oil.  You can see a video about it here.

I don’t know about you, but if I can get some fine tasting bottled water and NOT feel guilty about using plastic bottles, that’s a Win/Win in my book.

And if you’re wondering where you can find Primo water in your area, it’ available at Kroger stores.  You can just go here and enter your zip code, also.  OR, you can see below and have the chance to WIN an entire case of Primo  Water!  Now THAT’S a win/win.

Primo Water definitely gets a Rating:

Heather Says:

When Meghan and I were approached to write a review about Primo Water, I kind of laughed. I said to Meghan, “My review will say: PRIMO! It tastes like WATER! The end!” And then I got worried because Meghan is totally a freak about her water. She’ll get water at a restaurant and then complain that it tastes stale. Or dusty, or “too wet.” Seriously, why am I friends with her?

Anyway, then I read about Primo Water and I realized WHY they wanted us to write about it – because it’s environmentally friendly. And since you’re a very smart reader, you’re thinking, “how can bottled water be environmentally friendly?” Since I’m NOT a smart reader, I was still pretty clueless about this whole newfangled environment thing, so I did my research.

I never knew that other water bottles are made from crude oil. Um…that’s disgusting. And, as we all know, crude oil is a non-renewable resource. Primo Water bottles are made from plants. And even though I watched a whole video about the process of making the bottles, I’m still pretty certain magic is somehow involved. Which is fine with me, because who doesn’t love magic? And, because the bottles are so environmentally clean, you can use them over and over again without worrying about that nasty “over-used plastic bottle taste.”

Besides being all zen with the environment, Primo is also pretty tasty. I know, I know, but seriously. It’s clean and refreshing, and it quenched my thirst every time I drank it. And it cures hangovers and makes you see the future. A clean, green future.

Duh, Primo Water totally gets a Rating:

Giveaway!

Want to try Primo Water for yourself? The awesome people at Primo Water have given us ten cases to give away. Just leave a comment here and we’ll draw the winners randomly on Friday. Yaaaaaay Primo!!!

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Drinking Coffee Cures Breast Cancer

Heather Says:

Cancer sucks. I know, you’re thinking, “DUH” of course it does. Anyone who has read my personal site in the last few months knows that cancer has shown its ugly face and is attacking one of my best friends. So far, she is winning. Thank God. But you don’t know that cancer has hit other people in my life as well. Specifically, Breast Cancer.

I was still in elementary school when my beloved Auntie Lynn was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She’d found a lump. Even though my brother and I were pretty young, and our parents tried not to tell us much, we knew cancer was BAD. I remember hearing my parents and grandma talking about it in hushed tones. We were scared. Luckily, my aunt has a happy ending. Her diagnosis was eighteen years ago, and she’s still here, thriving and loving on my little girl just like she loved on me when I was little.

My coworker Desiree is currently going through treatment for breast cancer. She found a lump and it was aggressive. She had a partial mastectomy, and when that didn’t get out all the cancer, she had to go back and have a full mastectomy. She is undergoing chemo treatments, and she’ll have radiation soon. Through all this, she has an inspiring positive attitude. She comes to work most days. She even sent a bunch of scarves and other goodies to Jackie!. It blew me away she was thinking of my friend when she was going through the same thing.

So, why do I bring all this up? Well, because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I wanted to throw some facts at you:

• Every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancers.
• For every 100 women diagnosed, one man will also be diagnosed with breast cancer.
• It is estimated that in 2008 about 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the United States.
• The rate of breast cancer deaths has steadily declined in women since 1990, with larger decreases in women younger than 50 (3.3% per year) than in women 50 and older (2.0% per year.) These decreases are due to a combination of earlier detection and improved treatment.
• 70% of all breast cancers are diagnosed by breast self-exams.
• Mammography can detect breast cancer up to two years before a cancer is large enough to be palpable.
• On average, mammography will detect about 80%-90% of breast cancers in women without symptoms.
• Breast cancer that is detected and treated early has a five-year survival rate greater than 96%.

It’s kind of staggering. But it’s empowering to know that mammograms and self-exams are so easy and can help catch this terrible disease.

I want to raise Breast Cancer awareness, but I’m also hoping all of you might be moved to do so as well. So I have a fun giveaway. The cool people at Folgers are selling a limited-edition Pink Coffee Canister in support of breast cancer research and prevention, and they’ve given me two to give away. TWO GIANT CANISTERS OF COFFEE! Considering how much I LOOOOOOVE coffee, I can’t believe I’m giving these away, but I am. Look how pretty and full of beautiful delicious caffeine coffee they are:

You know you want one! This is how you can win one. Leave a comment here or at The Spohrs Are Multiplying (where this post will also be up) saying, you know, BOO CANCER or words to that effect. If you send a Wake Up Call, mention it in your comment and you’ll get TWO entries. On Friday at noon pacific I’ll pick two winners at random.

What’s a Wake Up Call? You can send one by clicking this cute little picture:

I don’t want to be preachy. I just want everyone to be healthy and have cancer-free boobies!

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