K
aren George of Chandler Arizona is fighting back. At the young age of 32 George is taking a tough life experience and turning it into something positive by trying to find a way to help others.
In June of 2005, when she was 30, George was diagnosed with stage four *** cancer. George, who owns a branch of a
mortgage company in Chandler Arizona with her husband, Michael, underwent chemotherapy, radiation and a lumpectomy.
The cancer went into remission for 10 months and then the cancer returned in September 2006, this time in her brain. Radiation brought the tumors under control until August of 2007, when George developed a hacking cough.
Tests confirmed the cancer had returned, this time in her lungs and ovaries. George had her ovaries removed and is undergoing regular chemotherapy again for her lungs.
Undergoing three rounds of treatment in as many years would be enough to discourage many people, but rather than dwell on her illness Karen George is creating a non-profit organization called SOMAD, which is both an acronym for "
Save Our Mothers and Daughters" as well as a combination of the words "so mad."
George says "The reason that we are starting this organization is because when Nixon declared war on cancer in the 70s, 44,000 women died each year from *** cancer".
"Today, 44,000 women still die from *** cancer. This is why we are so mad. We believe that the only way to stop all of our mothers and daughters from dying from this disease is through early detection. We don't have time to wait for a cure."
George said that SOMAD, which she hopes to launch in January, will support the research that is currently being conducted by the Dr. Susan Love Foundation to benefit early detection of *** cancer. Her plans include holding benefit dinners and selling t-shirts and other items to raise money for the organization.
"Dr. Love is in the process of developing a test to help women find *** cancer while it's in Stages 1 or 0, which have a 95 percent survival rate," she said. "Just as the Pap smear nearly wiped out cervical cancer, we hope this test will do the same for *** cancer."
In addition to working on getting SOMAD running and undergoing chemotherapy, George has continued to work from home. She is a member of "
Active Rain," a cyber community of real estate professionals from all over the country.
Karen George has always been a giver as many of her friends on Active Rain can attest. Throughout the past two years, while battling cancer she has not only helped friends on Active Rain to build their real estate and related businesses but worked in her own community of Chandler to help people get into a home of their dreams. You see, giving is a passion of Karen George.
"I worked and I still work all through my treatments. I find that working helps to divert my attention from the ominous pressure I'm under from the cancer," she said. "It keeps my mind focused on other things."
You can contact Karen George about this new organization by emailing her at
kog@kogmarketing.com