This morning was a special day for the mommies in my playgroup and I. Today we donated over 150 stuffed monkeys to the children being cared for at North Florida Regional Medical Center (NFRMC) in honor of our Angel Odessa. Odessa Virginia Webster was born at NFRMC on February 24, 2003, and landed back at the same hospital on March 25, 2004 for care after a fatal head injury. At thirteen months old, Odessa was stolen from her parents Matt and Anita, her loving family, and our already tight playgroup family. It was devastating for all of us, and out of our grief came an intense drive to honor our "Angel O".

To back up a bit, our playgroup began when our infants met at a "new mommy" luncheon hosted at NFRMC when they were two weeks old. Well, the infants didn't exactly meet each other, but us moms did ... and we decided then and there that we wanted to stick together. That made ten families dealing with the insanity of newborns and leaning on each other for friendship, advice, stress relief, and fun. We literally have been getting together for "playgroup" every Tuesday since, and our children are all addicted to each other; the best of friends. At the start, we would have never imagined what would come for us, for her, the following year. I just remember checking my email one day and opening one from Anita with "Odessa Virginia Webster" as the title. I expected to see a new photo from a portrait studio. A portrait was included, but it went along with a letter written by Anita informing us that her daughter was gone. "Please don't call now. I'm not ready to talk" she wrote. I simply can't describe the agony that followed for all of us.

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In the past 20 years, cancer incidence in young adults has doubled. The grand total: 70,000 diagnosis each year. Ouch. How about some salt for that wound: Cancer survival rates in young adults have not improved over the past 30 years, mostly due to delayed diagnosis. Want more?

The medical community at large is grossly uneducated about how to effectively communicate, treat, and follow-up with young adults. And the number one social issue faced by young cancer survivors is isolation. In a nutshell, young adults are a critically underserved population whose needs (fertility, education, sexuality, peer support, financial aid, insurance, employment) are so different than the needs of other age groups.

How do I know all of this? Because I just grabbed these facts and figures from young adult cancer survivor Matthew Zachary's website I'm Too Young For This -- or i[2]y -- which happens to offer the latest and greatest information for the under-40 population grappling with cancer health issues. It's a place Zachary hopes sticks around for a very long time.

For seventeen months now, Zachary has been hosting this place where young adults can mix and mingle and improve their quality of life. In order to keep his machine going strong, he needs some help. Some financial help.

If you are willing and able to support this growing organization with a tax deductible donation, check out The Stupid Cancer Fund at http://fund.i2y.com. If you can't donate, then I hope you'll still check out i[2]y -- for yourself, a friend, a loved one, or an acquaintance. Anyone young, and touched by cancer, and wishing to be heard.

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On Sunday, a marathon will take place in my city. There will also be a half marathon, a kids marathon, and a 5K. I've got a handful of friends of who will challenge themselves in the name of fun and fitness by running in these races and while I won't be one of the competitors this year, I may entertain the idea next time around. Part of me is intrigued by the physical accomplishment I could make by conquering more than 26 miles. Part of me just wants to participate in an event that has the power to save lives in five different ways.

The Five Points of Life races, sponsored by LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, are designed to raise awareness about the need for five life-saving donations -- blood, apheresis, bone marrow, organs and tissue, and cord blood. Some event participants and volunteers are donors, some are recipients, and some are both. Donors are asked to wear an orange ribbon on race day. Recipients: a blue one (we're Gators here, hence the orange and blue). The ribbons will serve as reminders of the importance of saving lives.

Should I run next year, I'll be wearing a blue ribbon, in honor of the several units of blood I received while hospitalized three years ago with chemotherapy-induced low blood counts. What a thrill it would be to publicly acknowledge the gift I was given. What a thrill it would be to run all those miles.

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In what could be interpreted as a PR move or an act of genuine goodness, drug giant Merck has plans to give up to one million doses of its cancer drug Gardisil away for free.

Up to one million women in some of the world's poorest countries will be given the drug donations, which will be given in three shots spread over three months.

Cervical cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide according to Merck, is highly preventable in many cases since the cause stems from a viral infection, usually by unprotected sexual contact.

In many cases, it can be prevented by prudent sexual practices as well as preventive screening, which can detect the early stages of cervical cancer.

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John Filicetti, 53, has given a total of 243 times adding up to over 30 gallons of blood during his lifetime -- so far. He continues to donate every 56 days, which is as often as he's allowed to do so.

It started out originally as a competition with his father, who organized blood drives. After that it kept going when his son was diagnosed with hemophilia, and today he gives just for the joy of giving. He says "It's just such a little bit of your life you're giving, time-wise," and he also says he can't understand why more people don't donate.

It takes less than an hour to donate blood, often 30 minutes or less. When is the last time you gave blood?

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The American Red Cross is feeling the burn from a $4.2 million fine from violating laws which dictate blood safety (like not adhering to test procedures or failing to ask the right questions from donors).

In a sort of a reassuring way, the FDA says that there weren't any consequences of anyone being hurt from these infractions. Now the Red Cross has twenty days to respond, but stated that it "is committed to full compliance with the amended consent decree and all applicable federal regulations."

The good news is that the blood supply is perfectly fine, no one was hurt, and that your donated money won't be going toward paying off the fine. Since hospitals and other facilities rely on their blood so heavily, the Red Cross said they plan on paying the fine via operating funds (that is, selling blood products).

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