REMEMBER ONLY YOU CAN HELP COMBAT OVARIAN CANCER
CHECKS TO:
GAIL PURTAN FUND
KARMANOS CANCER INSTITUTE
4100 JOHN R DETROIT, MI  48201
1-800-527-6266
"IN MEMORY OF MARY LOGSDON" - IN NOTE SECTION OF CHECK

AUGUST 25, 2006 - "WE'RE SGT. PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND, WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THE SHOW…"

It was interesting waking up to a telephone call from my brother at 5:30 this morning. He hasn't had a computer for a few weeks and still thought I was somewhere in a distant time zone. He really felt bad about waking me up, but that just served to make me feel determined to go back to MY OWN BED and relax. I re awakened later in the morning without the help of someone in a dozen different accents from all over the country tapping on my door with these words: "GRROOOM SERBEECE" or "HOOZECLEANING SERBEECE".  In this case it was my brother who thought I was still out west.

Today I sat in my family room and uploaded photos for a long time. I actually took my time; more time than I allowed myself on the road. I did look at the motorcycle twice, but declined to get on the bike. I had lunch with Judy and Ashley Brown. Ashley is a former student of mine who now works with her Mom. I couldn't refuse an all expenses paid lunch. I also had the chance to talk finances with my financial person. I think I'll be ok. I had to go to the bank as well and say hello to that crew.  I also spent time looking at the map on my wall that gives a vivid picture of my daily routes along the borders and byways of the continental United States.  It is a pretty solid visual representation of roughly 80 days of moving along the edge.

Rosalie Hall, then Lori Gonko, house sitters for me while on the road, maintained the map based on journal entries typed each evening. I see a post a note for an area, and the feelings come to life again. I sometimes smell the rain, or the feeling of hail on my left side. Sometimes I hear the voices of those I have met; or conversely, those I miss the most.  It is quite a humbling thing to see the visual trail left by the paper arrows. 

I am equally humbled by the response from so many about the journals and photographs. For years I have told the members of my Fife and Drum Corps that they never know who they touch when they play their music. I am fortunate that there are many who read these journals who think nothing about telling me what they are getting out of these missives on a daily basis. I am told, via the emails - both private and through the web page - about the thoughts and feelings that the journal has created.

I am surprised by the residual effects that this journey has made happen. It reminds me of a pebble dropped in water. Each of the OTHER stories is a ripple caused by the initial story of the trip. This journey has been enjoyable for me, but would not have had near the impact were it not for the collective ability to access cyberspace and be in instant communication. I was told that if I didn't journal of an evening, then I better call either Brian or Lauren to make sure they know I am still ok.  Those evenings when getting on the internet was not possible, that is exactly what I did. 

I can't tell you how much I appreciate my family for how much they supported my efforts. Lauren took the job of paying my bills for me. It is impossible to do a trip like this without support. It takes people who care to be behind the effort. It has been a labor of love, to be sure.  I hope that my efforts have been helpful in getting Ovarian Cancer to become the buzz word that Cervical Cancer and Breast Cancer are. Today, there is a vaccine for cervical cancer. Breast Cancer, when detected early has a 95% survival rate. When it is detected late, it still has a 75% survival rate.

Not so with those people who come down with Ovarian Cancer.  It is insidious. It is undetectable in its early stages. It certainly can be stopped, should there be enough research thrown at the problem. That of course takes funding. I have helped procure some of that funding. The 1st Michigan Colonial Fife and Drum Corps has done its share of fund raising as well, by providing a CD of recorded music that just happens to be some of the music that Mary loved to hear. This can be purchased at www.1stmichigan.com . We have a way of paying via Credit Card (and its secured).