This is My Story

This is my story; this is my daughter’s legacy.
Will you help us find a cure in her lifetime?

They call themselves Team 3rd Generation and they have been walking together to find the cure for breast cancer for over 10 years. Four of them make up 3 Generations of breast cancer survivors. Mary, Dorothy, Janet and Jill have a combined 69 years of survivorship. Jill, my niece started her battle at the tender age of 25. We are a family struck by genetic breast cancer, and it is our mission to help find the cure for this horrible disease. We dream of creating a world free of breast cancer so that our daughters and granddaughters do not ever have to hear the words “you have breast cancer”.

Today I will bake.

I will bake for my beloved Mary, who has battled this disease three times. Her strength, courage, and beautiful spirit inspire us all each and every day.

I will bake for Jill my niece and our advocate, who has single handedly raised tens of thousands of dollars to help find a cure. She continues to fight the good fight each and every day.

I will bake for Janet, who is our rock, even when everything around us is falling apart; she pulls us through it all.

Mostly though, I will bake for my precious mother-in-law Dorothy, who in 1976 a breast was removed because of cancer, to find out this year, at age 83, it had returned, this time in the other breast.

I think it is because of our strong Catholic faith that keeps all of us going.

So this month of breast cancer awareness, if you haven’t already, do me a favor and get checked.

It just seems as women we put just about everyone and everything above ourselves.

If you are at that age, get a mammogram. If not, do a self-check. If you don’t know how, ask your doctor.

It may save your life.

So here is a recipe in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness.

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Icing

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Icing

1 package white cake mix
1 package (3 ounces) strawberry-flavored gelatin powder
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup mashed strawberries
Strawberry Icing
1/2 cup butter
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup mashed strawberries

Preparation:

Combine cake mix and gelatin powder in a large bowl. Beat in oil, eggs, water, and strawberries. Pour into 2 9-inch round greased and floured cake pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and frost with strawberry icing.

For icing, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together until smooth. Add strawberries. Spread between cake layers, then frost top and sides. .

Peace be with you,
Veronica

Copyright 2012 Veronica Gantley