Heat It To Beat It!

I just made plane and hotel reservation to travel from Chicago to Baltimore so that I can be part of the "Heat it To Beat It" walk September 19th to raise research funds and to increase awareness for those of us diagnosed with peritoneal surface malignancies.

Peritoneal surface malignancies are cancers that deposit tumors onto the lining of the abdomen. The abdomen and abdominal organs are covered by a thin membrane, like Saran wrap. The membrane is medically named the peritoneal membrane. Our cancers are "peritoneal surface malignancies". These peritoneal membranes are the surfaces where cancerous tumors from the appendix form, also other cancers like ovarian cancers, some colon cancers, mesothelioma and primary peritoneal cancer (in primary peritoneal cancer and mesothelioma, the "Saran wrap" lining itself becomes cancerous).

All of these cancers are candidates for the same therapy, cytoreduction surgery (surgical removal of all tumors) and HIPEC, heated chemotherapy infused directly into the abdomen to kill microscopic cancer cells after surgery to help prevent recurrence of our cancers.

Many great surgeons and oncologists are unfamiliar with this treatment for our cancers, so we truly need to help both civilians and medical personnel become familiar with this treatment. These treatments are effective. Peritoneal chemotherapy (abdominal chemotherapy) offers benefits over IV chemotherapy for our cancers. We need to promote awareness, and we also need to raise funds for research. "Heat it to Beat" it strives to do both.

Dr. Sardi is a renowned specialist in these procedures. I have communicated with many of his appendiceal cancer patients. Over the past several years Dr. Sardi and I have also communicated via phone and email. Though we have never met, we truly respect each other. I will finally get to meet him on this trip!

Many of doctors Sardi's patients and families have put together a 2.8 mile walk in Baltimore's Inner Harbor to increase awareness and to raise funds for research for our cancers. Dr. Sardi sent me an email awhile ago inviting me to attend the walk and to meet him. I am proud to do so.

I don't know how many of Dr. Sardi's patients read my blog, but if you are out there and plan to attend the, I SO hope to meet you!!! I know I have communicated with many of his patients over the past 5 years. So if you will be there, please email me and give me a heads up so we can meet real time!! And I encourage anyone who lives close enough to attend to participate, it will be great!

If you want to view the walk's web site, the link is Heat it To Beat It

If you are interested, my personal fundraising web page for the event is Carolyn's Page

And Alice, thank you SO much for your comment and your support of me. You are right, we do all need and deserve an occasional break from the cancer boards, blogs, websites. Thank you for understanding...and I'm sure you've also helped others who need that break! You are terrific!