Cancer survivor creates jewelry to raise money

ST. CLOUD, Minn. ? Marcia Plasil is now a strong survivor of blood cancer.

She was diagnosed with blood cancer ten years ago and while at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. she was awarded a grant from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). This grant provided her with money for her living conditions while she was receiving transplants.

She has been working on a project to give back back to LLS because they provided her with support and information during her hard times. For the past few years she has been working with the LLS headquarters in New York to approve her blood cancer jewelry. They finally gave her the okay this year in order to raise money for LLS with her jewelry.

Plasil designed the earrings and the prototype is below. She will also be creating bracelets and necklaces. This is currently a state-wide project but Plasil hopes to be national someday.

Prototype

The purpose of the jewelry is to raise money for blood cancer patients, research and awareness. Plasil is doing this project all on her own and is receiving no support from the LLS.

Plasil says she couldn?t have survived without God?s help. She doesn?t know how anyone can survive cancer or diseases without the love of God.

She often turns to a popular prayer about a man walking on the beach with another set of footprints next to his. The other set of footprints are Jesus?s and it shows that he is always with us. Plasil says that she often feels Jesus by her side through her struggle.

Plasil remembers being in shock when she first found out she was diagnosed with blood cancer and she says of coarse she was sad about it but someone else is always worse off. She says her husband passed away from cancer and she has no children and remembers asking herself, ?Why not me??

Plasil is grateful to God for her life and feels blessed. Her hard times have helped her grow and become a stronger person. The LLS was there for her when during her difficult times and always offered her support.

Plasil says she enjoys every day of her life and that cancer has allowed her to become more humble and better able to ask others for help. She says ever since she was a girl she helped others but wasn?t used to asking for help.

There are five types of blood cancers: leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms. For all of their descriptions visit LLS disease information and support. Marcia was diagnosed with non-hodgkin and peripheral lymphoma.

?I?m just one in thousand of people that this happens to,? Plasil said.

This year the LLS says approximately every four minutes one person in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer and every ten minutes someone dies from the disease. More than 6 people every hour will die from a blood cancer.

LLS puts on events such as Light the Night and a marathon in order to bring awareness to blood cancer. Rod Crew has dedicated the Target Field one day out of the year for LLS to host its Light the Night event. Crew has shown a lot of support for the disease which his daughter is diagnosed with.

At the Light the Night event blood cancer patients are given wither red, gold, or white balloons. Red ballons stand for if your walking in honor of someone, gold ballons if your walking in memory of someone who has died and white for survivors and/or people battling the disease. At some point of the night all of the balloons that have light bulbs in them are turned on and they shine in the night.

?It?s pretty sad because there aren?t a lot of white balloons,? Plasil said.

She also said it is so wonderful when so many people gather together and all of the balloons truly light the night. The atmosphere at Light the Night is inspirational because it shows that people are there to help each other.

Plasil truly helps others. One of her friends was diagnosed with cancer and became bald because of it. Plasil shaved off all of her hair so that her friend wouldn?t have to experience a hard time alone.

September is officially blood cancer awareness month. If you want to form a team of support for anyone that has or has had ant of type of blood cancers you can call the LLS at 763-8523049 or visit Light the Night. If your interested in purchasing the earrings e-mail Plasil at maplesunset@arvig.net and put ?I?m interested in purchasing earrings? as the subject of your e-mail.

Rod Crew's daughter is diagnosed with blood cancer.

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