UNO / LFAC Team Together Again

One year ago, we were going crazy trying to prepare for our first UNO / LFAC fundraiser. Fast forward - we are doing it again. "Stache-for-Cash" will be starting Friday, February 5, and continue through the month of February: 2/5, 2/6, 2/12/, 2/13, 2/26/ and 2/27.

Instead of participants shaving hair off this year, they are currently trying to add some to their faces. Participants are sporting facial hair, wearing pins that say, "Ask me about my Stache," and trying to raise money so that they remain in the competition. After the first series, five participants will be eliminated. After the second series, ten more will be eliminated. The last series will determine the winners: Most Bushy, Best Effort, Most Original, Best Stache / Face, and Mr. Omaha (whoever raises the most money).

Along with "Stache-for-Cash," special raffles and a jersey auction will take place. On Friday 2/26, LFAC will distribute 2,000 wristbands; and on Saturday 2/27, Methodist Hospital Foundation will distribute 5,000 key chain flashlights for a special lighting ceremony before the game. Brandi Petersen and Jeff Degan will be the emcees again this year. In addition, each game will honor a brain cancer survivor / patient as he/she ceremoniously drops the puck. After last year's $44,000, our sights are set high. The goal is $50,000 this year.

LFAC is set to purchase a Functional MRI (fMRI) for Methodist Hospital. fMRI is becoming the diagnostic method of choice for learning how a normal, diseased, or injured brain is working, as well as for assessing the potential risks of surgery or other invasive treatments of the brain.

Physicians perform fMRI to: *examine the anatomy of the brain; *determine precisely which part of the brain is handling critical functions such as thought, speech, movement and sensation, which is called brain mapping; *help assess the effects of stroke, trauma or degenerative disease (such as Alzheimer's) on brain function; *monitor the growth and function of brain tumors; and
*guide the planning of surgery, radiation therapy, or other surgical treatments for the brain. Although brain tumor patients will definitely benefit, so will other brain trauma patients.

February will be busy and memorable. We will be busy, busy, busy with the fundraiser; and the one weekend UNO is not in town, we will be celebrating Heather and Mike's engagement with a wonderful party. Every weekend will be filled with excitement and energy.

Then March will come and we will head to San Francisco again for another visit with Dr. Chang. Until then, we will enjoy our weekends and plan for a wedding.

Cancer is so limited that:
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit

I'm feeling positive tonight!

Sue