Jack stepped away from the blogging world awhile back to deal with some real life stuff like the following, and I think we might be able to show her our gratitude for her work at Feministe, Angry Brown Butch, and in her real world activism by donating to a cause that is very close to her:
My family, my partner Margarita, and I are walking on October 3, 2009, to honor my Dad, to show him our support and our love and our gratitude for his spirit, his fight, his humor, and his heart. We are walking with the hope that he might still find a treatment that will help him feel better, get healthier, and have more time to spend here with us. My dad makes friends wherever he is and in whatever state he’s in, and he’s made many friends at his cancer center. We’re walking for them and their families too. Margarita and I are also walking for her friend and coworker, Yajaira Mercedes, a young mom of three who is also battling leukemia. We’re walking for all of the other MDS, leukemia, lymphoma and cancer patients and survivors out there; for their families and friends with whom we empathize. We’re walking in the hopes that with more research, there will be more survivors who will live better, longer, happier lives.
I’m asking all of you – my friends, colleagues, acquaintences – to donate whatever amount you can spare so that we can truly honor my Dad and his fellow cancer patients and survivors. I’d also encourage folks to sign up for the national bone marrow donor registry and to donate blood if you’re able to; both are very important and potentially life-saving things to people living with MDS, leukemia, and other blood cancers.
Jack is very close to reaching her financial goal, but there is a way to go to reach their team goal for the Light the Night walk. Let’s honor her family, and especially her amazing dad, by making a donation.
UPDATE: I don’t have a lot of cash on hand to make a donation myself, but I did apply to be a bone marrow donor today. If you’re already an organ and/or blood donor, why not make the leap?