Novato Art and Wine Festival - (or do you like it buttery or bright?)

Yesterday, I helped out at the Alain Pinel booth at the Novato Art and Wine Festival.

In my shift were Carolyn Svenson and Marti Guerra along side.

Being the morning shift 10-1 we had it pretty easy in the beginning. I'd call out come and get your breakfast of champions! But there were few takers.

There was a woman who came by who was in a motorized chair and Marti noticed she had on a pink hat from the Avon Breast Cancer walk. I struck up a conversation with her while I poured her a Peter's family chardonnay.

She is a 5 year survivor of Breast Cancer. I told her I was a 14 year survivor and I was walking in the SF 3 day 60 mile walk. She thanked me, and then I told her, it had taken me almost all of these 14 years to believe I really had survived Breast Cancer. She said she is still waiting for the other shoe to drop. At year 5, I was big time into denial and really didn't want to talk about Breast Cancer at all. I give her a lot of credit for wearing her hat because it does bring up the conversation and that takes some courage.

There was a woman who walked for me at a Revlon Breast Cancer walk in LA. She brought me a survivor hat and a gold medal that she had awarded to her when she crossed the finish line. I was truly touched by this but I think I probably didn't show it very well. It meant alot to me that she would think of me that way and I treasured that hat. Well, one day we took the girls to Great America. (Do you know where this is going?) While riding some water ride the hat flew off and floated off to some watery grave. Despite Glenn's pleas, we couldn't convince anyone to help us go and retrieve that hat. I believe I cried real tears over that hat.

Now with this walk, I am not only wearing the title of survivor on my hat, but my shirt and my sleeve. If it can help bring in that one dollar that makes a difference to finding a cure, I am proud to be a billboard for the effort. I hope in doing this I might just inspire one person to dig a little deeper in these tough times to support the cause.

Can you just imagine when the cure is found. Can you imagine never having to worry that someone you love will die from Breast Cancer! Can you imagine that when they find the cure and they look at how that cure has worked in this cancer, that they find the link to other cancers - pancreatic, liver, skin, prostate.

It is my opinion, that they all are linked. My Mother died from lung cancer metastasized to the brain. My grandfather survived cancer of the larynx but died from colon cancer metastasized to the liver. If there is more money going to Breast Cancer than other cancers, it doesn't mean that money doesn't help with all cancer. Breast Cancer gets so much attention because SO MANY people are touched by it. 1-8 women is a stunning percentage.

Because so many people are touched more funding has gone to this cancer than many others। If $ for Breast Cancer finds a cure...it will open the door to cures in all Cancer.

DONATE....Make your $ count.

And plan on August 20th for WINE WARS.

After the Novato Art and Wine festival I am ready to pour!