One Day At A Time
Cancer Thrivers offers a free, inspiring, resource calendar.
Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Contributing Writer
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INSTITUTE
OF ARTS
22
October 18 2012
aking a cue from a movie about
a risque fundraising calendar,
members of Cancer Thrivers
Network (CTN) for Jewish Women
created their own version, sharing the
message of "thriving" through photos,
inspirations, resources and information
about cancer symptoms and prevention.
The 2013 pocket calendar was
inspired by The Calendar Girls, a film
about a British women's group that
raised funds for cancer research.
"At one of our planning meetings a
couple years ago, I came in bursting
with excitement after seeing the movie,"
said Shelly Newman, "Ms. March" and
co-chair of the calendar project along
with fellow CTN Steering Committee
member Susan Yesenko, "Ms. June," who
also designed the calendar and took the
photos.
In the movie, the women in the
calendar are featured "in kind of sug-
gestive poses:' said Newman of West
Bloomfield. "I thought, 'Oh, my heavens,
that could be us, raising money for can-
cer research – and lots of it."'
Turns out her group loved the general
idea but decided to make a couple of
major changes: 12 members — one for
each month — were photographed with
their clothes on, and instead of selling
the calendars, they are giving them
away.
During the course of planning for the
calendar, Newman, a two-time cancer
survivor, said she asked, Was it just
a fundraiser or did we have a wider
scope?
"I thought, 'Wow, why not provide a
truly life-enhancing resource and educa-
tional piece, and as a thank-you to our
supporters, to sister Thrivers, to family
members and to anyone who needs it —
at no charge."'
Funds to create and print the calendar
were raised through tribute donations
and a fundraising luncheon.
Photos of CTN members that high-
light each calendar month depict them
in settings — like at the piano, in the
gym or behind the camera — that show
how they celebrate their lives.
"The pictures of our Thrivers truly
living full lives in so many ways is
itself a testament to our tenacity and
our thriving;' said Yesenko of West
Bloomfield. Next to the photos are "per-
sonal statements of their thriving they
wanted to share with others:' she said.
The calendar includes a description
Shelly Newman and Susan Yesenko with the calendars
of symptoms, diagnoses
including programs highlight-
and treatment of many
ing skin care, spirituality,
cancers common to
knitting, yoga and nutrition.
women, along with inspi-
"We are Jewish women who
rational quotes, contact
are young and young-at-heart
information for agencies
who have had some type of
and organizations, and
cancer at some time dur-
an overview of comple-
ing our lives," Newman said.
mentary and integrative
"`Thrivers' is a word describ-
medicine therapies.
ing the celebration of life. We
It includes the words
started a few years ago as a
201 1,
of the Mishebeirach
grassroots group to share our
(healing prayer) printed
message of thriving with all
in Hebrew and English and a page is
cancer survivors-thrivers, their family
dedicated to a description of breast
members, doctors and the health com-
and ovarian cancer gene mutations
munity."
(BRCA), of which Ashkenazi Jews are at
The group, which in recent years
increased risk.
has become an affiliate of the Jewish
Community Center of Metropolitan
Inspiring Others
Detroit, follows a mission "to enrich and
Musician and cancer survivor Elaine
empower Jewish women through activi-
Greenberg, who is featured as the
ties, friendship, resources, education
November Thriver, is planning to share
and humor."
the calendar through Living For Music
"Personalizing this disease by put-
— which she created to benefit cancer
ting a face on it proudly will make a
patients — by including them in gift
difference to the many among us who
bags provided to Jewish and non-Jewish
think they must go it alone Newman
chemotherapy patients at area cancer
said. "To see women of all ages — who
centers.
have survived and are thriving, thank
"I normally would not have given a
God, from this deadly disease, some-
calendar to people receiving chemo,
times against all odds— will change the
but this is not just a calendar, it is a
futures of many, many women." ❑
the result of hard work by a group
of women who wanted to educate
and inspire other women who have
To receive a free copy of the Cancer
been diagnosed with cancer — and it
Thrivers Network for Jewish Women
works," said Greenberg of Farmington
calendar, call Karen Siegel at (248)
Hills, a member of the CTN Program
661-1000. To make a donation or
Planning Committee.
to send a tribute card, access the
"I am planning on giving them to
JCC development office website
our clergy at Temple Israel [in West
at ww.jccdet.org or call (248) 432-
Bloomfield], because it is such a great
5419. For information on Cancer
resource guide and so inspirational."
Thrivers, contact Shelly Newman at
The calendar features informa-
(248) 737-0266 or Susan Yesenko at
tion on CTN and its monthly events,
(248) 320-3105.