Lung Leavin’ Day 2014

A week or so ago, I got an email from a person named Cameron Von St.James. He had come across my blog and wanted to share with me his wife’s experience with cancer. She had pleural mesothelioma, a cancer in the lungs resulting from exposure to asbestos. She ended up having a surgery that removed her left lung, and it ended up being life-saving for her. She and her husband have started to celebrate Lung Leavin’ Day on the 2nd of February (the day of the surgery) every year. Here’s what Cameron has to say about it:

“The purpose of LungLeavin’ Day is to encourage and empower others battling their own illnesses and life challenges to face their fears! On this day we celebrate for those who are no longer with us, for those who continue to fight, for those who are currently going through a tough time in their life, and most importantly, we celebrate life! Each year, friends and family gather at our house around a bonfire where we write our fears on a plate and smash them into the fire to represent conquering our fears.”

They have created a website sharing her story as well as sharing more information about LungLeavin’ Day. If you are local to them, you could likely be involved in the actual “ceremony” (for lack of a better term) and in the fund-raising. If you aren’t local, I think the idea is to take some time to think about your fears, to face them, and then to decide to not let the fear control you.

We all have fears, and we would do well to face them head on and then toss them into the proverbial fire.

ETA: Since posting, I’ve learned that you can be involved in the fund-raising by visiting Heather’s fundraising page. This interview between Heather and someone from the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance gives more info on where the money goes and why she celebrates LungLeavin’ Day.