In Honor Of

Today is my brother-in-law's birthday and I can't think of him without thinking about his amazing mother (she gifted us with him after all!) ... four years ago (or so) his mom died of breast cancer.

Johnny Mae was an incredible woman. I still feel her loss... especially when I want to try something bold and don't have her to back me up. She had a way of loving you strongly, motherly, but not smothering-ly so you always felt like she was ready to applaud your leap from the nest.

I could not help but think of her and my Tia Jenny and my niece and my cousins when I watched the movie In the Family. I loved this movie... so much so that I watched it twice through and thought about watching it again.

I highly recommend it, and it's available on the P.O.V. website for free all October.

Consider also making a contribution to Martha Haley's Emergency Fund -- in the name of and in honor of the women you love and have lost or don't want to lose Or if you prefer the money go to research, consider the Breast Cancer Research Fund, they are not as well known as Komen but they promise to give 85 cents of every dollar to research.

In the Family's Martha Hayley Emergency Fund

Martha Haley is a three-time breast cancer survivor currently fighting metastatic disease, and more recently diabetes, without health insurance. She runs a support group for low-income African American women, and tirelessly answers the calls of newly diagnosed women. Martha and LeaLea (her now 25 year old daughter) work endlessly to help their community and support their family. This summer, they went months without gas or electricity as they could not pay for those bills and Martha's
medications simultaneously. Martha is a poet and a warrior and she needs our help.

Please visit the In the Family website to learn more about how you can make a contribution to the Martha Hayley Emergency Fund.