What's Happening?

Join the Journey

Our 5th Annual Walk was a huge success! 1100 walkers enjoyed fantastic weather, excellent food and entertainment, and a wonderful positive energy throughout the entire event. Over $100,000 was raised to continue the mission of Join the Journey ~ Wow! Kudos goes to Margot Potts, our Walk Chairwoman, and her superb team of volunteers. We, at Join the Journey, are so grateful to all who participated.

Want to stay connected to that good energy throughout the year? BECOME A FAN! Join the Journey now has a Fan page on Facebook. Please checkout our website www.jointhejourney.us and become a Fan by clicking on the Facebook link. We will be posting photos of events and keeping everyone informed of what is happening. This is a great place to write comments and share your thoughts. You may post your favorite photos from the Annual JTJ walk.

We are also going to give Twitter a try! There is a Twitter link just below our Facebook link and you can follow along as we send “Tweets” about what’s happening at JTJ!

Social networking is a great way to keep in touch and we are so happy to share this with all of our loyal supporters. Let us know what you think! Tell your friends ~ the more the merrier!

***********************************************************************************

It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it. (John Steinbeck, American writer)

***********************************************************************************


Pink Ribbon Mentors (PRMs)

This group continues their work of “being there” for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. One of the mainstays of Join the Journey’s outreach efforts, this group provides a volunteer presence in the chemotherapy suite (Gonda 10) at Mayo Clinic five days a week. The mentors visit with women while they receive chemo, answer questions they might have and provide encouragement and support. The mentors also visit women who are hospitalized after breast surgery, answering their questions and offering the gift of the Moonlight Pillow, to help make their recovery more comfortable. For those women who desire ongoing support, mentors maintain contact for the duration of their treatment and sometimes beyond, making phone calls or meeting together to share their experience with reconstruction surgery, medication issues, or other aspects of dealing with breast cancer. On-going training and support sessions are held for the mentors on a monthly basis. To learn more about mentors, contact Linda Miller at miller.linda@mayo.edu.


Strengthening Healing Sessions

Art can help us heal the spirit, cope with adversity, and free the soul. Join the Journey provides these sessions to explore the creativity to express thoughts and feelings. Sessions are held on Tuesdays from 1:30-3pm at the Women's Cancer Resource Room, Gonda 10, Mayo Clinic.

December: 3-D Quilted Cards, Karen Quinn, artist
January: Painted glass bulbs (like ornaments), Zumbro Valley Fiber Arts
February: Wire Beaded Bookmarks, Janelle Forsthoffer, artist
March: Water Color, Hee June Shin, artist

Other Opportunities

Volunteers Sought for Research Study on Physical and Occupational Therapy
Mayo clinic is seeking breast cancer survivors, ages 18 and older, for participation in a research study. The purpose of the study is to learn more about your experience with rehabilitation services (physical and occupational therapy) and exercise after breast cancer treatment. You may be eligible to participate if you have had a mastectomy and removal of lymph nodes; AND you have had either chemotherapy, radiation, or both. Eligible participants will be asked to come to Mayo for a 1 ½ hour visit, will be interviewed and complete a questionnaire. Remuneration will be offered. For more information or to participate in the study please call the Mayo Doctoral in Physical Therapy Program at (507) 284-2054.

Volunteers sought for Research Study on Hot Flashes
Mayo clinic is seeking post-menopausal women who are experiencing hot flashes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a low dose antidepressant, venlafaxine, with a behavioral intervention, hypnosis or focused attention, on hot flashes. If you choose to participate, you will receive venlafaxine or a placebo for seven weeks and will receive one of two behavioral interventions trainings. You will meet with the research therapist weekly for four weeks for training and will be given instructions and a CD to use at home to continue practicing the intervention you were taught. A parking pass and some reimbursement for your time is provided. For more information, please call (507) 538-6323 or email smclinicaltrials@mayo.edu

For more information on lifestyle factors that can reduce the risk of breast cancer, follow the link to the Women’s Health section of Mayoclinic.com:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cancer-prevention/WO00091

**********************************************************************************
Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. (Sir Winston Churchill)

***********************************************************************************