I hope to raise $5,000 to pay most of the printing costs for a book that includes many full-color spreads of my visual art in addition to all of the writings. I would love to print 500 books and get them into the hands of cancer survivors and others who could benefit from my story.
 

A huge lesson for me in living with cancer has been how amazing people are, how so many want to help others. The outpourings of love and concern that I've experienced have been a huge part of my ongoing healing. I've learned how interdependent we are and how important it is to accept help.

The road has been rocky, yet I’ve found amazing help, comfort, and support along the way -- from my circle of loved ones, from the medical community, from the creative process of telling my story. We all have a story to tell, and living with cancer and its treatments has focused mine in unexpected ways.

I’m asking your help in realizing my dream of publishing “‘My Handmade Life’ and sharing it with others who walk their own daunting paths. I wrote and painted the book to help myself through my struggles, yet as I was putting it all together, I realized my story might encourage others to find their own best ways to cope with health challenges and with life's many setbacks.

In my writings, I've expressed my fears, my grief, my spiritual longings, my regrets, but also the unexpected infusion of light and hope that would shine through the creative act of writing. I also painted images of my experiences, with the same unexpected "flip" into a better mental-emotional-spiritual state. These creative outpourings have been a lifeline and have helped me live amazingly well in the face of catastrophic illness. The assembled writings and paintings have become a book I've titled My Handmade Life, a metaphorical patchwork quilt composed of essays, letters, fairytales, paintings, and creative magic.

This very human story, if shared, could touch others, offer comfort, hope, and reassurance that they are not alone. We are partnering with two remarkable organizations whose work I value highly from personal experience: the Celilo Cancer Center in The Dalles, OR, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (the Oregon-Southwest Washington-Idaho-Montana Chapter). With kindness, care, and high-level expertise, they serve so many people who are living with cancer. 

It feels important to get the book into the hands of those who could benefit, and these organizations will make that happen. If you’d like to help with this, please contribute a book to the Celilo Cancer Center or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through our "donation" perks.

The Celilo Cancer Center offers medical and radiation oncology, a breast center, integrated therapies, alternative therapies, and support services. For more information on these services, go to https://www.mcmc.net/our-services/cancer-care/. 

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society funds cutting-edge blood cancer research and patient advocacy and provides information support resources for patients and their families, including co-pay assistance, travel assistance, urgent-need funds, nutrition plan assistance, peer-to-peer support, and direct contact with specialists. For more information on these services click on https://www.lls.org/support-resources 

It has taken 13 years for the book to be written, painted, assembled into a meaningful whole, and professionally edited and designed. Its design is so beautiful, I can't wait for you to hold the book in your hands! I have persisted with this project despite relapsing cancer, six rounds of chemotherapy, and a nasty bout of hepatitis. My physical health is always a factor, yet I am so grateful for an incredible team of talented people who will bring the book into the world. And with your help, we can get My Handmade Life printed and widely distributed -- to you, to your loved ones who might benefit, to cancer survivors. I’d be grateful if you would also expand the campaign by sharing these emails with friends and family who might want to participate. 

Thank you for all you have done to help me through my cancer years and for all you're doing to help make this dream a reality. I am so grateful for all of you!