About a month ago I applied to be a delegate for my state to attend LIVESTRONG® Day in Washington, D.C. Well HUZZAH and GREAT CELEBRATION is in order! My application was accepted and I’ve been invited to participate in LIVESTRONG® Day as a representative of Utah. I doubt that I’m the ONLY delegate from Utah, as my application, I decided in retrospect, made me sound slightly CRAZY, though qualified in many respects. They would probably want someone else around from the state to mitigate any insanity.

As delegates we’ll attend a day of advocacy training on May 15, 2007. Then, on LIVESTRONG® Day 2007 – Wednesday, May 16, 2007 – we will meet with our respective Senators and Representatives to share our stories and to share to “urge Congress to support legislation that benefits the cancer community.”

I would like to solicit ideas from anyone with a vested interest in cancer-related issues. Please let me know what issues you’d like be discussed in Washington and will do my best to accommodate you (unless you propose that I go and petition for “National Wear an Armadillo as a Hat Day” – it may already exist, anyway – as a turophile I was relieved to find that “Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day” and “Moldy Cheese” day BOTH exist – July 29th and October 9th, respectively – and that’s despite the fact that we have an official dairy MONTH and a cheesecake day…). ‘Kay. I should probably get back to the issue and hand.

So, what can you do from home that will help this worthy cause? I would FIRST suggest a lovely donation to the LIVESTRONG® European Cycling Team (not JUST for Europeans, remember – and it turns out that you needn’t be a cyclist either – you can run or walk – or stay home and feel ever-so contented about supporting such a good cause):

The Lance Armstrong Foundation provides the airfare and hotel accomodations for all LIVESTRONG® Day delegates, and the registration fee is fairly nominal (and I am applying for a scholarship for that fee). AND I do believe there is FREE T-SHIRT involved! Because my expenses will be minimal (and you COULD assist me with those costs by buying cheese and books, etc. from my affiliate sites on my right-hand sidebar…), I have committed myself to the larger fundraising effort for the LIVESTRONG® European Cycling Team. I love the fact that it is an International collaborative effort, and if we can reach the lofty goals set by the team, IMAGINE what that money could do for cancer research, treatment and advocacy!

Anyhoo, as my voice will be heard on Capitol Hill, I really would like to express the collective concerns of our community, this state, the US and yes, even the world – while I have this unique opportunity. Otherwise, I might just try and filibuster something for the hell of it.

Oh – David and Julianne? I’m coming to visit you right after LIVESTRONG® Day. SURPRISE!

Now ASHLEY, if you could just get some major grassroots advocacy event going in Kansas so I could get free airfare, I’d REALLY appreciate it. It would make visiting a lot easier…