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 non profit raising funds for cancer research and for educational awareness of music as therapy for cancer patients has launched a new entity of their non profit called Laughs For Life. Indie Music For Life works with independent singer songwriters in fund raising concert events and producing yearly compilation CDs. Laughs For Life will work with comedians and will produce comedy events and comedy CDs. Comedian Shelly Ryan in Atlanta Georgia was "MC" at a combination dinner and music fund raising event in Georgia last year and the idea was spawned to start including comedy into the shows and to also set up separate comedy events to bring in funds.

Indie Music For Life just finished the submission process for artists to send in songs to be considered for the 2007 compilation CD project and the selected artists will be announced soon. The CD will go up for sale at online music locations soon.

Shelly Ryan is heading up the comedy CD project and working on events for the Southeast region and can be reached at shellyryancomedy@yahoo.com if you are interested in becoming a part of this project. For more information on music happenings and getting involved with the music event fund raising you can contact indiemusicforlife@yahoo.com.