Mysterious-er and mysterious-er

[ar_wahan]

Yesterday I wrote how the Universe works in mysterious ways. The day I finished radiation treatment for very early breast cancer, I was asked if I wanted to write fundraising letters for the regional office of a major breast cancer research advocacy organization. I said yes.

Yesterday a FedEx package arrived with background info about the organization. I was in the middle of another assignment, and didn't bother to open it until today.

Inside were a few sample letters from the national office of the regional office, plus a letter from a similar organization, presumably included just to give me more approaches.

The similar organization's letter was one I wrote in 2001 -- about the importance of mammograms in detecting very early breast cancer. I remember taking the old cliche, "By the time you finish reading this letter, another child/woman/man is going to die/get sick/wake up hungry," etc.. and trying to turn it on its head. I wrote:

"By the time you finish reading this letter, yet another woman is going to hear these devastating words:

'You have breast cancer.'

One out of eight American women will develop this potentially deadly disease sometime in her life.

Those who find out they have breast cancer early are the fortunate ones. Women who are diagnosed in the early stages have a five-year survival rate of over ninety percent."

(I half remember arguing with the AE over that statistic, because it oversimplifies things -- it probably represents only those with the least aggressive type of cells -- but that's what she wanted me to use.)

When I learned this spring that I should have a biopsy after a routine mammogram showed suspicious microcalcifications, I remembered that letter. I kept telling myself, "remember, if it's found this early, you're one of the fortunate ones."

This morning, I looked at the letter again, and thought .... I wonder.

I found the file with info Fedexed to me by the AE back in 2001 . Her cover letter was dated April 11.

I found the draft of my fundraising letter on a Zip disk just now: File last modified April 17, 2001.

I had my positive biopsy five years and one day later: April 18, 2006.

I guess this is what I'm meant to be doing now....

Comments

[starseeking.livejournal.com]

That sounds like the letter the research center I work for uses. Yes, it's for the same subject too. woowoo indeed!

[ar-wahan.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you worked for a research center! This particular outfit is based in Maryland.

[starseeking.livejournal.com]

Mines more of a national society but they've got branches in every state.

How powerful a piece of writing

[fairiegodmother.livejournal.com]

... would it be if you submitted, along with the contracted work, your own story?

Re: How powerful a piece of writing

[ar-wahan.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if the regional office is going to provide stories, or not. One of the reasons they want to do their own direct mail, rather than just use the national office's pieces, is they want to have a very local/regional focus.

But if the stories they send me are weak or are missing certain elements, I could certainly weave in some of my experiences. As they say, "Write what you know."

[be4u.livejournal.com]

I had my positive biopsy five years and one day later: April 18, 2001.

Did you mean 2006?

[ar-wahan.livejournal.com]

oops! Thanks! *dashes off to edit*

[teal-cuttlefish.livejournal.com]

Wow. That is totally cool. You should let them know that some of your work was in the sample pack they sent -- it may well intrigue them.

The date thing is very cool. It does sound like what you are supposed to do.

[ar-wahan.livejournal.com]

I did tell the AE that I wrote that letter (it was before he joined the firm, I'm betting. He seems young. Might be his first job. I don't know.)

[windsparrow.livejournal.com]

::hugs::
I'm behind you all the way.