In 1999, Alissa Magrum and Tammy Stanley met while training for a Texas AIDS ride. Both had HIV-positive family and friends and both were avid “ride for the cure” participants.

“The riders are incredible, and their stories are just so moving,” says Magrum. “We all just bond.”

Wanting to tell their story, Magrum and Stanley reached out to Brian Andreas, a writer well-versed at summing up huge emotions and hope at the same time. He came up with this story:

I wish you could have been there for the sun & the rain & the long hard hills.

For the sound of a thousand conversations scattered along the road.

For the people laughing & crying & remembering at the end.

But mainly, I wish you could have been there.

Stanley, a graphic designer, took the story and, with permission from the writer, designed the Wish List Jersey. They’ve sold thousands to riders who want to honor someone they’ve lost. And all proceeds from the sale of the jersey got to AIDS, cancer, and various other disease-fighting nonprofits in Central Texas.

WIN THIS JERSEY: It’s easy to enter: Just comment on this post and tell us why you participate in a ride, run, or walk for the cure – any cause or organization will work, as long as it’s a race that benefits a health-related nonprofit.

We’ll review the entries and pick a winner. Please make sure to leave a valid email address.

Get more information about the Wish List Jersey (valued at $100).

DEADLINE TO ENTER: November 20

Today the Austin Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure revealed some alarming breast cancer statistics for Central Texas.

The stats are the results of the 2009 Community Profile report, comprised of breast cancer data and survey information compiled over a two year period from Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties. Komen conducts the study every two years, but has never really publicizes the results, and instead uses them mostly to build its strategy for services. (Download the entire report here.)

The results, however, are disturbing:

1. African-American women have the highest breast cancer mortality rate in Austin’s five-county region.

2. Hispanic women lag behind other ethnic groups in seeking mammogram screenings.

3. A greater percentage of women living in rural areas are diagnosed with breast cancer because of late diagnosis in part due to higher poverty rates, lack of access to healthcare and no health insurance coverage.

4. According to the Texas Cancer Registry, approximately 900 women in the five county region will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and of those women, an estimated 159 may lose their battle with the disease

The point is that these are not women with incurable breast cancer, rather these are women (and it’s mostly women) who are being diagnosed at such a late stage that it leaves them few options. They are being diagnosed at such a late stage because they don’t have access to mammograms.

This from the 2009 CommunityProfile:

The challenges facing the Austin Affiliate are simply that demand has outstripped services.  The current economic times resulted in less money for grantees during the 2009/2010 cycle and as a result, several services were cut back:  the mobile mammography unit had to cut over 20 locations out of its schedule; more and more women are calling the office needing free screenings; many have lost their insurance and are in treatment. Everyday expenses have become more difficult for many, but especially for women battling breast cancer.  Many of the Affiliate grantees have been advised to start looking for additional funding for their programs as economic times remain unpredictable at best.  Williamson County is faced with a shortage of surgeons willing to see uninsured patients and the list grows as that population grows.  

The good news is, you can help.

Did you know that 75% of your donation to the Austin Komen affiliate stays in Central Texas and goes directly to pay for education, support and free or affordable mammograms in these five counties?

If you’d like to have an impact on whether your neighbors are being diagnosed early enough, make a donation to Komen Austin here. And/or enter this year’s Race for the Cure, Sunday, November 1 at the Domain.

Information about free and affordable mammograms in Central Texas.

Elliot Smith photo from nme.com

The legacy of singer Elliot Smith  lives on, this time in his car, a 1999 Passat GLX, listed on the Austin Craigslist for $4000. Smith’s brother has listed the car, with the entire amount being donated to the Austin-based SIMS Foundation, which provides access to and financial support for mental health and addiction recovery services for Austin-area musicians and their families.

There seems to be a leaning toward charity with Smith’s life. In 2007, a double-album of his recording was released, with proceeds benefiting an organization called Outside In, a Portland-based nonprofit dedicated to providing diverse services for homeless youth and low-income adults.

This from the austin.craigslist post:

This car means the world to me, and has a very interesting story to tell. Music buffs might get a kick out of knowing who used to own their ‘new’ car. I feel that $4,000 is fair for the vehicle, and I’ll be honest about every issue I’ve known on the car. You would have the knowledge that your $4,000 is helping people struggling with depression, drug abuse, etc., and keeping this world a decent place to live in with good music and healthy musicians. I’ll show you the receipt for the SIMS donation when I make it, within 3 days of the sale. You can even go over there with me when I take ‘em the check if you’d like. Help me help SIMS, feel good about yourself, and get a fun car in the process.

Smith is best known for songs about sadness, like his Emmy-nominated “Miss Misery,” which appeared in the movie “Good Will Hunting” in 1998. Smith reportedly killed himself in 2003.

It seems like there are opportunities to support local charities in just about everything you do. Here’s another example.

Anyone like tequila? From May 4-8, Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant on San Jacinto is donating a percentage of the day’s bar profits to five selected charities (one each night).

Monday, May 4: A Legacy of Giving, 5-7:30pm
Tuesday, May 5: Austin Sunshine Camps, 5-7:30pm
Wednesday, May 6: Lance Armstrong Foundation, 5-7:30pm
Thursday, May 7: The Austin Theatre Alliance, 5-7:30pm
Friday, May 8: Red Cross of Central Texas, 5-7:30pm

Wow. Great cross-section of local charities there. So let me get this straight:

Q. Is this the first time Rio Grande’s done someting like this?
A. Yes, this is the first annual Rio Grande Philanthropy Week.

Q. It’s a nice mix – kids, health, basic needs… how were the charities selected?
A. Rio Grande wanted support a mix of organizations that do so much for the Austin community.

Q. How much does Rio Grande hope to raise in total for all charities this week?
A. The amount they raise will really depend on how many people come out each night to support the charities. Groups like the Austin Theatre Alliance are pushing out to their members of more than 20,000. So it goes without saying, the more visibility we raise for this event, the more Rio Grande will be able to contribute.

You heard ‘em, folks. It’s reason enough for me to make Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant Mother’s Day Date Night Headquarters. And I GUESS I’ll have to have A DRINK or two. It’s for a good cause, right?

Orange, right? (Good answer.) Or are you telling me you bleed maroon?

There’s really only one way to find out. Donate blood between November 23 and 26 at any of the community blood centers in Austin, Cedar Park or Round Rock, or at three campus locations, and make sure to tell them which team you’re bleeding for – UT or Texas A&M.

Every donor receives a commemorative t-shirt while helping to save at least two lives. Plus, donors can enter to win a pair of tickets to the UT vs. A&M football game on Thanksgiving Day!

Send this link from the Blood and Tissue Center to anyone you know who is the slightest bit competitive about the Longhorn/Aggie rivalry and urge them to donate a pint of blood.

I’m such a follower. But we have a few videos related to the next issue, and uploading to the ‘Tube is so much easier than uploading to WordPress. Plus, I need the self-gratification that comes with mastering a Web application and gaining new “friends” and “subscribers.” (I wish I were joking.) Please check out the channel, subscribe, befriend me, etc.

Last night I posted this video about Nicki Swann. She was on a couple of local TV newscasts lately because she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Nicki isn’t your average breast cancer patient, though (and if that’s insensitive to say, I apologize – forgive my clumsiness with words at the end of a long day).

Nicki is one of those women who do everything right – she exercises like a fiend, she eats organic and vegetarian, she steers clear of anything remotely unhealthy (save the occasional cupcake with sprinkles) and she is vigilant about seeing a doctor when something seems wrong. Her health is her calling card, so to say. And yet, this 24-year-old neuroscience grad student was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer earlier this year.

Not your usual breast cancer story, if there is such a thing. In talking to Nicki for a while and especially in reading her blog, I learned a lot about her and her approach to the disease. More than that, I learned a lot about how some of the small things about the disease can affect a young woman in a big way.

I asked what I always ask for GivingCity: “How can we help?” I think you’ll be surprised by her response.

In our first issue, Elizabeth Eckstein wrote about her participation in the MS 150 and what the ride means to her. She’s done three at this point, and she tends to be the star, with random people handing her presents, slapping her high-fives and cheering her on.

She’s not a rider, though. She’s an observer from a wheelchair. She was diagnosed with MS three years ago and she’s made a point to attend the ride to show support for the thousands who bike from San Antonio to Corpus Christi. Her friend, Bruce, is one of the riders, and she’s often accompanied by her sister.

No doubt Mimi has star power. Once again at this year’s ride, she drew the attention of total strangers, one being a reported from the San Antonio Express-News. You can read the story here.

More importantly, you can show you support for Mimi and the thousands of Texans who ride for MS and live with MS by donating.

Nicki, graduate student, wiht a great new haircut

You might have heard that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You might have also heard the statistics – the ones that scare the bejeesus out of you: “The National Cancer Institute, a component of the National Institutes of Health, estimates that, based on current rates, 12.7 percent of women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time in their lives.”

I like this from the national Komen website, too. Do you fall into one of these categories? If so, follow this link to find out how breast cancer can affect you. (Note: EVERYONE falls into one of these categories.)

African Americans
Ashkenazi Jewish Women
Asian Americans
Hispanics/Latinas
Lesbians
Native Americans
Older Women
Younger Women
Pregnant Women
Men

SO THE POINT IS that we need to learn more about breast cancer. How to avoid it, cure it, help others through it and help others recover from it. Even if it doesn’t affect you, it will affect someone you love. Take this opportunity to learn a little bit more about it.

I’m meeting with Nicki today to talk about her diagnosis and treatment. She’s 24 years old, a biology graduate student, and a blogger. Here’s an excerpt from her blog:

They take out lots of lymph nodes and test them all for cancer. If a lot of them are infected that means the cancer is further, and you might have to do more treatments, like radiation to that area. For me they took out 15 nodes and 7 ended up being positive. Technically that puts my cancer at a stage 3A instead of two. When the doctor gave me the news he said that they were still really hoping for a cure and that my chances were really good. For some reason though, hearing this news was the first time I really lost it and cried. Like uncontrollably cried. I knew that the survival rates for stage 3 were not nearly as good as stage 2 and it was the first time it occurred to me that I might not get better. I don’t think about that anymore though, b/c I know I will get better. The statistics don’t matter, b/c I am nothing like the statistics and treatments are better now, and I am barely a stage three anyways. So I was bummed that so many were positive, but it doesn’t really matter, I will still get better. I was on the bus anyways, I just have a slightly worse seat now.

If you donate or volunteer or run the race or learn more about breast cancer this month, remember that you’re not only putting us all one step closer to a cure, but you’re also putting an arm around Nicki’s shoulder, letting her know that we all care and we’re going to pull together to get her through this. For more about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, you might check out this really informative, well done blog about breast cancer. Ausitn Komen’s doing a great job of keeping it chatty and engaging.

There are lots of ways to shop for charity, and I’ve blogged about some of them. This way seems effective and defensible.

Here’s what I like about it:

• The merchants aren’t donating a portion of sales to the charity; this means no one’s asking you to spend more in order to donate more.
• The list of merchants includes big chains like the Gap and Brookstone, and also locally owned shops like Breed & Co and By George, plus businesses like Ace Tailoring, Dirty Dog, and Dart Bowl.
• You get a week and two weekends to shop and receive the discounts.
• 100% of the sales of the gift card go to the charity, in this case the American Cancer Society.

So how do you get these discounts? Just buy the American Cancer Society Holiday Shoppping Card for $60. Then, between Friday Oct 24 and Sunday Nov 2, go to any participating store, get the details about what is and is not included in the program, and shop. Then just present your Holiday Shopping Card at the time of purchase.

About 130 retailers will offer a 20% discount with the Card, and that includes – I should mention – what looks like all the retailers at The Domain.

(Sidenote on The Domain: I have to admit, The Domain kind of gives me the creeps. It just seems like this icky little island of excess. Don’t get me wrong, I have my material weaknesses, it’s just that it seems so isolated and unaware. There are better words for saying this. The point is, this is the second “shop for charity” event The Domain has participated in, so the guilt must get to them, at least.)

ANYWAY, get all the info – and buy a card! – here.

Please feel free to send this link to a friend of colleague. Also, thanks for adding us to your media list – we’d love to hear more about your organization and cause.

To download your copy, just click on the cover or on the link below. Please let us know what you think. Feel free to send me any feedback or post a comment below.

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