For those of you who have recently received a recent chain email….

Here’s what I would invite you to send to whomever sent it your way, as well as encouragement for the sender to “re-send’ this letter to their contacts:

Dear Friend,
1) Regarding the poem “Slow Dance.”  It was written and is copy written by David Weatherford.http://www.davidlweatherford.com/slowdance.html

While I’m sure Mr. Weatherford is flattered, he’d probably also appreciate being accurately credited for his lovely poem with its wonderful message.

2) Regarding the story about the girl dying of cancer and the donations that the American Cancer Society will make – IT”S FICTION.

Check your facts, folks. Especially before hitting the send button.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/medical/slowdance.asp -or- http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/slowdance.html

Finally, as a mother of a child who is surviving cancer, I’m pretty disgusted – but hopeful that this response might actually spark a FACTUAL difference.

If you want to donate to the American Cancer Society, try this:
https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate/  -or-

(“our family’s” cancer) The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society:
http://www.lls.org/#/waystohelp/donate/  -or –

The place where my son has spent so much time for the past two years, Oregon Health Sciences University:http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/cancer/how-you-can-help/make-a-gift/index.cfm -or –

COUNTLESS other hardworking, dedicated, full of heart and integrity, REAL organizations who are working every day to help people survive this monster disease.

If half the people who were sent this chain mail would actually donate or volunteer in the fight against cancer, imagine how beautiful just sending this to everyone in your contacts would be.

Please pay more attention. Life is short.

Martha