After several weeks of hiding and down time, a few weeks ago I made an official announcement to the non profit organization that I founded Indie Music For Life and its two entities Laughs For Life and Indiegrrl. I dropped off of this blog page for a month and am ready to write again. I needed a break. A break to sort through things. To sort through life.

When you or a loved one are diagnosed with cancer it changes your life. Finding out you have cancer takes your breath away and from that point your breath is the most valuable thing to you in your life. Breath and time. Nothing is normal any more. Not your dreams, your nightmares, and not your waking moments.

A personal diagnosis of chronic myloid leukemia in February sent me into a whirlwind of emotions. At that point, all the fear, terror, and stomach knots from my past rounds of cancer came back. Nobody free of cancer could ever appreciate how utterly devastating the news of contracting it could be and the news that it has returned is even more devastating because you know what uphill climbs you must make again. Once you have been diagnosed with cancer you always look over your shoulder for the beast to return. He has caught up with me several times now and so I am speeding up in my race trying to see who is the best long distance runner. Every ache you feel or every little un-ordinary thing that happens with your body sends you into " What If " mode. It is extremely hard living in that mode of thinking but you can't avoid it.

My past struggles with cancer were very private. But then I was not the head of a non profit organization that raises money for cancer research and educational awareness on the powers of music and laughter as therapy for cancer patients. I wasn't the head of the largest networking group of female songwriters known as Indiegrrl that has since become a part of Indie Music for Life. Laughs For Life had not even been thought of yet and now with the direction and help of good friend and comedian Shelly Ryan it is now a reality. I hadn't even started my music career. Having cancer is what lead me to pursue my career in music and chase my dreams. It wasn't until I started working on my CDs that my cancer became really public other than with my close friends and family and then working to set up the Indie Music For Life non profit put it out there even more.

Indie Music For Life, a non-profit organization working to raise money for cancer research and music therapy programs, released its 2006 compilation CD that includes 18 artists that sells for $10 dollars. Indie Music For Life has the slogan Fighting Cancer One Song At A Time and they reach their goals by producing compilation CDs working with independent singer songwriters that donate songs for the cause. They also organize benefit concerts with the help of Indie artists from around the US.  Some of the artists also sell the compilations at their own personal shows to increase visibility of the organization and the work it is trying to do.

Indie Music For Life is organizing a new project for children cancer patients in the hopes of getting many CDs in the hands of children going through cancer for free in an effort to add music as part of their therapy. Submissions for children's songs are being taken and reviewed and informational packets on music as therapy are being put together. Indie Music For Life is taking tax deductible donations for this project as well as others on their website.

You can purchase compilation CDs from 2004, 2005, and 2006 as well as other items to help raise money for cancer research by visiting their website at http://www.indiemusicforlife.org.  "What better way to do your part in fighting this disease is there, than to listen to music and help raise money for cancer research and other programs like the children's music therapy program" said Cori Lynn, Vice President of Indie Music For Life,  who is organizing and setting up volunteers for the children's music therapy program.