Calling all bandits NATIONALLY !! I have a dream..

Hey guys,
I’m on a mission and I need help. Lots of people will be aware that September was the month to raise awareness for Ovarian Cancer and the theme for this particular cancer (like breast cancer is pink,) is silver- so they aptly gave the awareness campaign name this year "Silver in September." For those people who don't know about this particular type of cancer, it's a nasty one. By the time it's detected it's almost too late because there are no actual tests to make diagnosis properly... And these cancers tend to play hide and seek on ultrasounds and things like that. All us ladies go and have Pap Smears to check for nasty changes to our cervixes which can lead to cancer- but at the moment there's no type of test like a pap smear to test for ovarian cancer. (Pap smears DO NOT have anything to do with your ovaries at all- this test is not for the purpose of detecting changes to your ovaries.) So then I was thinking about this as I bought my silver pins and pens this year and had an idea...

Fellow bandits-I have a dream... that we can all unite and walk this baby. And I’m not talking part of it... The WHOOOOOOOLE thing!! I want all bandits across Australia (and anyone else you know that may be interested) to unite so we can get together for a nation wide meet and greet for one and to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) which is an organisation that has a goal to develop and implement an early detection program, to improve the mortality rate, management and long-term survival of women with ovarian cancer and to gain fundamental understanding of the causes of ovarian cancer.

For those of you who read my blog regularly you'll have read particular posts about the Gynae problems I have myself, which are severe and I was told last week that I may need a radical hysterectomy any old day to fix everything.. Just what you want to hear at the ripe old age of 23... But what I haven't mentioned in my blog is that I’ve lost several women in my family as well as friends to not only ovarian cancer, but cervical, breast and loads of other types as well- this is something that's close to my heart and I’m very passionate about. The mortality rate for this particular type of cancer is bordering on ridiculous and it has to stop.

Yes I am aware as pointed out to me already by a fellow bandit that Olivia Newton-John and many of her celebrity friends have just done this for breast cancer... Who cares? If we got together and did the hard yards it would have lots of advantages which I shall list now
- What is better exercise than walking that whole bloody wall the whole way across China?
- Everyone who knows someone who has, had or has died from cancer and definitely knows someone with ovaries.
- And the best part... drum roll... we get to raise awareness not only Ovarian cancer and the OCRF but for weight loss surgery and lap band in Australia!

Madison magazine Australia, Witchery and the NAB (which is where I got my pins and pens from) are behind this cause to kick it off and have run awareness/fundraising campaigns themselves in conjunction with the OCRF. Witchery and Madison have teamed up to promote the OCRF White Shirt Campaign. Check it out @ www.witchery.com.au.

Now yes this is a big scale idea I know- but for those of you that talk to me frequently, I’m not in the habit of doing things in halves. If we're going to do this we're going to do it right so what I need is expressions of interest... It takes alot of time to organise a big scale event like this... And then we would need to save for airfares, travel expenses etc. as every single cent we raise will go to the OCRF- this is not a free holiday.

Who wants to join me walking the Great Wall of China to raise awareness for 2 worthy causes? Please email me at little_miss_priss_is@hotmail.com and make sure to check out www.ocrf.com.au as well.

If you're not doing this because you're a woman and you could possibly have a better chance of fighting this nasty disease off, or you think guys can't get involved, think again. Do it for your wife or your mother or your sister or you daughter or any other woman you know... Help keep their name off the next statistics list that comes out purely because they have ovaries and were unlucky enough to get stung with this disease. Enough is enough.

As you're thinking about this post I’ll be off trawling for a dress to wear for new years.. I've decided on a colour theme- Silver.

Cheers-
Sami Xx

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