“Dig In & Do Good” with Stand Up to Cancer and MasterCard #DoGood #MC

Cancer. The ugliest and scariest of words. I’m sure many of us have been effected by it or know someone who has. Sadly, it hits too close to home for me. My mother succumbed to Pancreatic cancer in 1999, my dear uncle died of Multiple Myeloma and my father-in-law is currently fighting Glioblastoma Multiforme as well as Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. I learned about Collective Bias’s campaign to work with MasterCard and Stand Up to Cancer’s “Dig In and Do Good” and I was determined to get involved.

I’m sure people feel that when they act alone they can’t make a difference or maybe they just don’t know how to help.Charities such as Stand Up to Cancer make it easy to get involved. The “Dig In and Do Good” crusade allows you to raise money for cancer while you are enjoying a meal at your favorite restaurant. From now through September 28th use your MasterCard to pay for your meals at ANY restaurant and help find a cure for cancer. Spend $10 or more and MasterCard will double the donation to Stand up for Cancer. It’s really that simple.

My mom is the reason why I wanted to work with MasterCard and it’s partners. This is Kwang but everyone called her Jeannie.

She had an infectious smile, loved to dance and was a great cook. She never pierced her ears or learned to drive a car. But boy, did she love a deal! One of my favorite memories as a child was walking in downtown Boston to shop at her favorite department store with her store coupons on hand. She was the epitome of a bargain shopper. She was 50 years old when she was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. It’s amazing how a mild ache in your back and a low grade fever turned into a deadly cancer. She was in the early stages of Pancreatic Cancer. Which is very unusual seeing that Pancreatic patients usually find out in the advance stages.

My last photo with my mom and grandmother.

Within a week she underwent a complex operation called the Whipple Procedure. This surgery is the greatest chance for a cure for this cancer. She was in the surgery room for over 12 hours and the surgeon felt that she did very well. My mother was never the same after her surgery. Her health and quality of life had disintegrated but she continued to fight. We were told that if she made that five year mark that she would be cancer free. On that fifth year, the morning of October 28, 1999, surrounded by her sister, brother, nephew, myself and my husband, she passed away. So much for that 5 year rule. I cried like I never cried before or since. I lost not only my mother but my best friend. I believe that she lives within my daughter. My daughter also has that same infectious smile, loves to dance and cook with me. My mother would have been the best grandmother. The kind that spoils you with kisses and toys that your kid just doesn’t need!

I was told that she was one of the lucky ones seeing that Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest kinds of cancers where only a small percentage of people survive or live past the first year of diagnosis. I certainly don’t feel that she was lucky. I worry that I will get cancer although from the information I was given, Pancreatic cancer is not hereditary. I feel that we all have cancer in our bodies but it doesn’t surface in all of us. Maybe with healthy eating, a positive outlook, low stress and exercise we can prohibit any tumors from developing. I’m obviously not a doctor but it doesn’t hurt to adopt healthy habits.

Thankfully, we are racing to cure cancer and research has made some strides. For now, I join walks to raise money towards research and I’ve personally participated in the “Dig In and Do Good” campaign. My husband and I used MasterCard on a recent birthday staycation to Palm Springs. We proudly paid for our meals with MasterCard. I couldn’t think of a better birthday present than being able to give to those who are currently fighting cancer. Plus pay tribute to my mom.

Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) is a groundbreaking initiative created to accelerate innovative cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. When you use your MasterCard® card to pay for a meal $10 or more between 7/12 – 9/28/13, MasterCard will make a donation, one precious cent at a time, to Stand Up To Cancer up to $4,000,000.* Click here to stand up with cancer with MasterCard and me!

Miss and love you Ma and Uncle Moe
Fight on Grampy! I know that you can beat this!

– Tee

My team walked in honor of my Mom.