It's Kidney Cancer Month

March is Kidney Cancer Month. How odd it is that every major cancer seems to have its own month. But in this world of medical marketing and fundraising, a cancer month is somehow logical (or is that illogical, not sure which.)

Orange is the color for kidney cancer. But you won't find a lot of orange 'I survived kidney cancer' t-shirts, coffee mugs or head wraps in stores like you do pink cancer survivor attire. Kidney cancer marketing, fortunately, isn't that prevalent because the disease doesn't strike the huge numbers that breast cancer or other major cancers do.

Are you wearing your orange?

Yet, kidney cancer is on the top ten list of cancers, and this year, 65,150 people - 40,430 men and 24,720 - will be diagnosed with kidney cancer, and another 13,000+ will die from kidney cancer. (Statistics from the American Cancer Society)

I'm a kidney cancer survivor. It's been almost four years since my diagnosis and 18 months since my last surgery. Proudly, I am cancer free. Think I will celebrate my kidney cancer month but shopping at Zazzle.com and buying a kidney cancer shirt or button. Those folks at Zazzle sure do know how to market. They have a shirt for every cause and every cancer.

We Miss You Linda Kreher

Linda Kreher - Dec. 4, 1946 to June 25, 2011

At the end of each year, the media reminisces on those famous men and women - the movers, the shakers, the Hollywood stars - who died over the past 12 months. The year 2011 wasn't any different.

CNN, Entertainment Tonight, Fox News, MSNBC, Newsweek and Time all ran features highlighting those we had lost, i.e. E Online. 

One name you didn't find on any of those lists was Linda Leanne Kemmerer Kreher

of Fair Play, S.C. Yet, Linda touched the lives of thousands of second graders in Gwinnett County Schools during her teaching career. She sang in the church choir; served as an Elder in the Presbyterian Church; loved gardening, tennis, bridge, and life on the lake. But most importantly, she was a friend - a very good friend.

Linda and her husband Pete were one of the first couples D&B met when we moved to Georgia. Less than a year after we met, we became neighbors, living across the street from each other for over five years. 

Soon, the Krehers were more than just friends or neighbors...they were family. Linda was one of the first to hold our two children, she tutored them in math, and she attended their graduations and special events, and celebrated dozens of birthdays, Thanksgivings and Christmases with us. 

Linda died June 25, 2011, from breast cancer, such a nasty disease. She fought valiantly and, ever the dear friend, three days before she died, she asked a mutual friend to make a blanket for our new grandson.

We miss you Linda Kemmerer Kreher. May you rest in peace and may God bless your husband Pete and the many people whose lives you impacted.

Linda's last trip to the beach - What spirit she had.