A grateful GIVEAWAY

Last week, I went for my annual mammogram. Because I am now over 40 (when did THAT happen???) my doctor is extremely on top of this and makes sure that I get checked every year - even though, thank God, there is no breast cancer in my family.

I am extremely, extremely petrified of going for the test - not because, as some people have stated, the test is painful (for some reason its not for me!) but because a) I have to wait for over 8 weeks to get the results and b) because I am petrified of the results.

About two years ago, I managed to fix the first part of the problem - I found a private clinic that will do the test and give me the results immediately. They even have the doctor come in and give you a thorough physical exam at the same time - the only catch its $450.00 - which I pay gladly.

However, this still leaves me with having to deal with hearing the results.

I am thankful to my higher power that everything is fine. My results were negative. However, right after this moment of relief, I think back on one of my first times at the Royal Victoria Hopsital Breast Center (beautiful and extremely professional place) when I was waiting to take the test and I could see, out of the corner of my eye, a woman of about 50 or so. She was sitting on another row of chairs and she was distraught. There was a nurse with her, holding her hand and a doctor calmly talking with her. Now, I was never privy to their conversation, but I could only put the pieces together and I have always prayed that I was wrong and that everything turned out just fine for this woman. Yet, everytime I get my test, I think of her.

As the doctor was checking me out, she was saying that their goal now is not early detection its prevention!!!! and that by having mammograms done regularly, their technology is such that they can even start detecting the least little change in calcification, etc. This is sooooo encouraging to me. I think we are heading in the right direction.

I am lucky that everything was fine and I am also lucky that I could pay the $450.00 in order to be able to get piece of mind right away and for this, I am ssooooo grateful.

I am also grateful that in Canada - ALL woman can get free mammograms. This is a blessing for all of us.

So, I thought I would do a book giveaway today!! Just because I would like to pay forward a little bit of thank you.

THE BOOK I AM GIVING AWAY IS: An ARC (the book does not come out before April 2009) Busy Woman Seeks Wife by Annie Sanders. Please note that this cover is not the same cover as the one I have.

So, here are the rules (open TO EVERYONE);

1) On the sidebar of my blog, you will see a little button that says "click here to help a woman get a mammogram" - you have to click on this button and then follow the prompts. Please note that this site is completely free and will not send you unsolicited mail. (while you are on the sidebar, I have a button that you can click to feed an animal) so if you click on both, I will give you 5 chances of winning instead of the 2 chances for clicking only on one. Then come back to my comment box and let me know that you have done it. Remember that in the US, alot of woman are not lucky enough to get free mammograms!!!!!

2) If you download the button and add it to your site, you will get 10 extra chances (come back here and let me know that you have done it).

3) If you had a mammogram done in 2008 you will get 2 more chances (for all the younger woman out there who don't have to go for one yet, then remind/encourage your moms, older sisters, aunts, friends that they need to schedule a yearly mammogram and get 2 more chances to win.

As you can see, these are totally centered around breast cancer awareness. I know that in order to get a bookaholic to do something - all you have to do is offer them the opportunity of getting a book - I am totally and shamelessly using this contest as a way to help us all make sure that we completely destroy breast cancer!!!!

Contest ends on February 27, 2009.