Just wanted to post a few stories I've heard about lately. Recently a few people have shared with us that Susan inspired them to get a colonoscopy after her 'soap box' post. Of the six people we know of, three of them had polyps, one was pre-cancerous. All are on a 3 year re-check schedule now. All three were under 50. One person, knowing her family history with cancer, convinced the doctor to go ahead with the colonoscopy. I know Susan would be pleased that her experience could help others have a better chance to avoid what she went through. Early detection makes ALL the difference.
We are half way through the laborious process of gaining legal status for the Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation. We have a bank account established to hold all the tax deductible donations and are working on fund raising ideas. We are thankful for the generosity of people touched by Susan's story. Susan's cousin, Anna, has taken Susan's dream to help others to the max. She is running marathons and getting people to sponser her miles. This ambitious goal takes a lot of effort and time training and lining up sponsors. She is amazing! Her goal is to run in each of the 50 states...wow. Check it out http://anna-marathon50.blogspot.com/. Another of Susan's friends donated the proceeds from her club performance to the Foundation as well. We want to give a BIG thank you all you supporters!
Also, our young friend started a home baked cookie business recently and each week takes a dozen cookies in honor of Susan to someone who could use a bit of cheer. Thanks, Tessa!
Our lives are still a roller coaster of emotion and memories as we adjust to a life without Suz... We appreciate all the calls, mail, visits and prayers on our behalf. The blessings of our faith, family and friends brings us great comfort during this period of difficult adjustments. Thank you, one and all!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
From Janet (Susan's mom)
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11 comments:
I am so glad you guys continue to post becuase I am always thinking about you and love hearing how you are doing. Susan has influenced so many people in millions of different ways and I am so glad that her soapbox got people to take colonoscopy's serious. We love you guys, wish you the best and pray for you daily.
I feel so honored to have met Susan at Mayo just after her surgery. I know we were supposed to meet. Her strength, faith and advise to me has helped me so much through my journey. I talk about her often. I just finished round 12 on Friday and have scans the day after Easter. We are praying for clear lyphm nodes so I may be a canidate for my colon and liver resection. Susan's brother told me about Emend...It have been such a tremendous help! Thank you so much!
Kim Miller
I too continue to pray for all of you as you mourn the loss of Susan. It is touching to see how you have been reaching out to others in her memory and I'm sure she is cheering you on from the other side. God Bless and may His peace sustain you through these difficult times.
We definitely keep your family in our prayers, and think about you often. Susan was undoubtedly an amazing person, everyone I've talked to remembers her fondly. She was always so kind and never let any of the high school status or drama affect how she treated people. She was always so sweet and accepting, such a great example to everyone. Even now she still inspires people!
We too, check this blog regularly for updates.. I too am going for a colonoscopy consult this next week as even though I have not reached the 50 mark (which is what I was told was the age to start them at)with my hubby having colon cancer at 45 and hearing of Susan and others that are so young still I too want to get checked......Susan was an amazing inspiration to us and MANY others and we just wish we could ahve met her in person. We treasure the e-mails sent to us and the loving encouraging words she sent us when my husband was diagnosed..
Like I told her dad I tell you.. You raised a beautiful daughter in all ways and we are thankful to have ever "known her"! Thank you and you continue to be in our Prayers... Maxine and Mathew
Susan was one of my best friends at U of A - I am glad I found her blog and wanted her family to know how precious she was to me!
Let me know what I can do to help the fundraising efforts. It's the least I can do. I love you guys so much.
So glad to see another posting. We are always ready to help in any way we can with fundraising. I actually looked up and was sad to see that we missed the National Colon Cancer month. I was hoping we could tie into that. We will have to be more prepared for next year. But I am thinking of other ways as well. Let us know if we can help again. You are always in our prayers and thought of more than you could ever know.
Take care,
kathy
Stowebridge
I am blown away. A beautiful young woman handed me cookies today in the parking lot of a grocery store. I hadn't shopped at that store for 6 months. She told me Susan's story and that she gives Susan's cookies to people at random. My husband has colon cancer, and is having another surgery on Monday. I cried and cried in the car. I felt like an angel was hugging me. May God bless your family and shine His light on you.
Janet...I often think of Susan, thank you for bringing into this world such a choice spirit!
I have a daughter that was born in January, her name is Eva, she has a terminal brain defect. You and your family are the example that my husband and I look to on how to live life with our daughter. I was in U1 with Susan, I was a convert and she was one of the first people I met. When we found out about our baby and she already was fighter her cancer...she reached out to me and comforted me! What a wonderful, selfless woman, I know that I hope to have more children and I will tell them about Susan. Please keep writing about her, I love Susan stories!
Gabby (Diaz) Pena
I didn't personally know Susan, but was friends with Amber in high school, and found this blog through reading hers. Anyways, she is such an inspiration to me... her strength and faith through her trials was so incredible.
Her story also made me get a colonoscopy. I had been having some issues, but was scared. Because of her example, I went through with it. They found a pre-cancerous polyp (I'm only 28). I'm so thankful that I was able to read her story, and even more thankful that I was able to get this problem taken care of, because of her. Thank you!
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