Making A Difference Against the #1 Cancer-Killer

As we come to the end of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, I am reminded of the impact this dreadful disease has on so many friends, families and loved ones. Like my father, many have Americans have their lives cut much too short by lung cancer, the #1 cancer-killer of all Americans, men and women alike... As you can see below, the statistics regarding lung cancer are troubling, and we must act to change these:

- Every 2 minutes an American is diagnosed with lung cancer.

- Every 3 minutes an American dies from lung cancer.

- Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States of America as well as in North Carolina, taking more lives than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers COMBINED; only heart disease takes more lives than lung cancer.

- Lung cancer takes the lives of almost twice as many women when compared with breast cancer and three times as many men when compared with prostate cancer.

- 1 in every 3 Americans have been touched by lung cancer, whether diagnosed themselves or by knowing someone who has had lung cancer.

- 1 in every 14 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer.

- If you have lungs, you can get lung cancer: 18% of those diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked, and 61% of those diagnosed with lung cancer are former smokers that have quit smoking, many of whom quit decades ago. Only 21% of lung cancer patients were smoking when diagnosed.

- Although lung cancer can be caused by smoking, there are many other causes, too, like exposure to radon, second-hand smoke, genetic susceptibility, radiation therapy, asbestos, cadmium, arsenic and diesel fumes.

- It is important for folks to be in tune with their bodies to know when something is wrong; use the acronym of BREATHE to explain symptoms associated with having lung cancer...
--- Blood in cough
--- Recurring respiratory infections
--- Enduring cough that is new or different
--- Ache or pain in shoulder, back or chest
--- Trouble breathing
--- Hoarseness or wheezing
--- Exhaustion or weakness

- While 99% of prostate patients survive 5 years or longer after diagnosis and 89% of breast cancer patients survive 5 years or longer after diagnosis, only 16% of lung cancer patients survive 5 years or longer after diagnosis, and this has been stagnant for years. We must work to keep more lung cancer patients alive longer so we have more survivors living longer, better lives.

I am very excited to report that this year's Greensboro LUNGe Forward Run, Walk and Rally had over 700 participants who have raised over $135,000 thus far, although fundraising continues through Wednesday, December 31st. Together, we truly are making a difference. There is power in numbers, and the involvement of each individual who attended or donated towards this cause is very important in decreasing deaths as well as providing support to those affected by lung cancer through research, awareness, education and access programs across North Carolina.

On behalf of myself and everyone that worked to plan this year's Greensboro LUNGe Forward Run, Walk and Rally, I send out a HUGE thank you... This event has the most wonderful planning team, filled with non-paid volunteers who work tirelessly all year long to create an event that is both enjoyable and successfully supports our mission, raising awareness and funding to make a difference against the #1 cancer-killer. This event is truly a labor of love for everyone involved!

If you, too, want to help with #LUNGeForward5K, feel free to make a tax-deductible donation at http://bit.ly/FightLC or learn more at http://www.LungCancerInitiativeNC.org/, reviewing the "lung cancer facts", "lung cancer screening info" and "resources" under "lung cancer info" from the page's header. Remember, if you have lungs, you can get lung cancer so it's vital to know the symptoms, be aware of what's happening with your body and seek assistance if you feel like something is out of whack. Early detection makes treatment so much more effective!

Before reading this blog post, if someone had asked you about which cancer takes the lives of more women than any other, would you have guessed lung cancer? Likewise, before reading this blog post, if someone had asked you about which cancer takes the lives of more men than any other, would you have guessed lung cancer? There is so much power in knowledge so please pass this information along to anyone and everyone you know.

Counting My Blessings This Thanksgiving Holiday

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest that is now recognized as the first Thanksgiving celebration of Americans. The event was proclaimed by Governor William Bradford in honor of the harvest reaped in the colony following a brutal winter. In 1789, President George Washington proclaimed November 26, 1789 as the first nationwide day of Thanksgiving, marking the event as a time of public prayer. Then, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a presidential proclamation setting aside the final Thursday in November as a day to be commemorated by all the states. On December 26, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed a joint resolution of Congress to change the official day of Thanksgiving from the last Thursday to the fourth Thursday in November.

For more than two centuries, this Thanksgiving day has been honored as a time to acknowledge and express gratitude for the many benefits we have experienced.

As Oprah Winfrey said, "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." Just as I do each year, I reflect on all the wonderful things in my own life: fantastically supportive friends, wonderful clients who flourish as we partner for their improved productivity, a solid roof over my head with a beautiful home to surround me and an amazingly warm fireplace amidst these chilly autumn nights, opportunities to see exciting sporting events by teams for which I'm a fanatic and much more.

This year, I am even more blessed... My business is growing solidly, including national speaking engagements, expanding my services offered and adding products. I completed a comprehensive and rigorous training program to be selected as an Evernote Business Certified Consultant, and I was carefully chosen by North Carolina State University's Technology Training Solutions unit as an instructor to provide continuing education for people on how to efficiently and effectively use technology in increasing productivity while sharpening business organization skills. Plus, the 2014 Greensboro LUNGe Forward Run, Walk and Rally for which I served as Event Chairperson raised over $135,000 to decrease deaths and provide support to those affected by lung cancer through research, awareness, education and access programs across North Carolina. What amazing blessings this year!

Whether you'll be joining a large group of loved ones or celebrating in solitude, no matter if you are on the East or West Coast, whether you are up North or down South, all across the United States of America, please take time to reflect on what blessings you have.

This Thanksgiving holiday, for what are you most thankful?

Top 10 Sources for Information on Productivity, Technology and Running Your Business

While my site + my blog are obviously excellent sources of information to use in boosting your productivity, staying up to date on technology, running your business for optimal profitability and aiding your peace of mind, I spend a good bit of time culling others' information into my Evernote database as well as re-sharing via social media content from other reputable sources which I find most helpful and valuable. 

To further assist you, here are some of my favorite such resources:

- Engadget --- As described at http://www.engadget.com/about/, “Engadget is the definitive guide to this connected life.” I utilize Engadget content to stay abreast of cutting edge technological tools, focusing on how these new or evolving gadgets can most greatly benefit my life or my clients’ lives. Engadget’s claim is that “Our primary focus is on breaking news — the latest in gadgets, technology and consumer electronics. However, we’re also interested in related developments in science, the cultural impact of technological progress, geeky things that make us laugh and, yes, even stories that are old news to some but are simply too cool or interesting for us to skip”. This is a great source for the latest and greatest regarding technology.

- Entrepreneur --- This magazine and website provide advice, insight and news for established as well as aspiring entrepreneurs about entrepreneurialism, small business management and related opportunities. Per http://www.entrepreneur.com/page/225367, Entrepreneur works to inspire, inform and celebrate entrepreneurs. This source offers practical advice on starting and growing a business.

- Fast Company --- Per http://www.fastcompany.com/about-us, Fast Company offers “a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, ethical economics, leadership and design” and works to inspire "innovative and creative thought leaders who are actively inventing the future of business". Fast Company sets out “to chronicle how changing companies create and compete, to highlight new business practices and to showcase the teams and individuals who are inventing the future and reinventing business.” This is a great source for content regarding technology, business and design.

- Huffington Post --- Founded and led by conservative-turned-liberal Arianna Huffington, this online news aggregator is a destination for content regarding world news, US politics, business, technology, entertainment, style, television, arts, books, recipes / food and comedy information. This site provides both reliable, breaking news as well as commentary and can catch you up on expansive breadth and depth of what is happening across a wide array of topics. Learn more about the community’s code of conduct and how to comment on conversations at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/p/frequently-asked-question.html.

- Inc Magazine --- For tips, advice, tools and services to help you start, run and grow your small business, the printed publication, website and social media feeds connected to the Inc brand are exceptional. As it describes itself, this is the only major publication designed exclusively to “guide CEOs and owners of small-to-midsize companies to success”. While plenty of useful information is available on its homepage, I like to visit http://www.inc.com/technology and http://www.inc.com/grow. This is a great source for information about starting up, growing your company, leading, innovations, technology and money. 

- Lifehacker --- With daily updates on its site and social media as well as annual lists to be downloaded, this source “curates tips, tricks and technology for living better in the digital age”. Lifehacker offers plenty of personal productivity and software recommendations to help you work smarter and save time. Always looking for additional content from worldwide experts, Lifehacker offers its pertinent details at http://lifehacker.com/5732066/about-lifehacker, and follow its applicable blogs for ways to get more done.

- Make Use Of --- Whether you sort the content by topics like Android, Gaming, Hardware, the Internet, iOS, Mac OS X and Windows or you reference its "top lists" of apps, software, tools and websites, there is a wealth of technology-focused information on the websites and social feeds of Make Use Of’s brand. At http://www.makeuseof.com/about/, you can learn more about this “leading destination for digital productivity tips and your guide to cool stuff on the Internet.” This source helps in using technology to boost work and play.

- Mashable --- As described at http://mashable.com/about/, “Mashable is a leading source for news, information and resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world.” Whether you are seeking better understanding on apps, being your most productive, gadgets, mobile devices, running a business, social media or software, Mashable offers helpful and insightful content. 

- Real Simple --- This company’s magazine, website and related products offer practical information and useful tidbits related to money, family, life strategies, technology, travel, etiquette, organizing, food and recipes, beauty, fashion, holidays, entertaining, weddings and health. I find their checklists particularly helpful, and you can subscribe to receive a daily quote that can be inspiring and amusing. Check out the Daily Finds at http://www.realsimple.com/magazine-and-more/inside-website/daily-finds for a sampling.

- Technology in Business --- This corporate brand is dedicated to promoting greater use of technology in businesses via asset management systems, technology systems, sales, marketing and business training. Per http://www.technology-in-business.net/about-us/, “technological advanced in the past few decades have greatly increased the competitive nature of business… (the site’s) aim is to continue this trend by providing… the latest information and best technologies available today.” This is a great source for information about using technology to increase productivity and to grow your business.

On a related note, I encourage you to check out Alltop as a solution for culling many of these resources together. It's an excellent tool to sort content by source, topic or how recently the information was posted.

What are your go-to blogs, social feeds, websites or publications? Do you have any go-to sources of information, particularly related to productivity, technology and running your business?