Brave Heart, Brave Soul. She who is brave is free.

"Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. "Be still." they say. "Watch and listen, you are the result of the love of thousands." ~ Anonymous When it comes to family I am a part of a diverse group of people. We have branches entwined into our family from all over this world...India, to Korea to Eastern Europe, Native Americans and beyond. Our family tree has strong roots, grafting, weaving and joining together our many, diverse and different moving fluid parts. Our roots are deep, solid and flourishing. Like our many branches, our family provides a canopy of protection and refuge, a culture of both remarkable and exceptional heritage. Our branches have long been shaped, pruned and joined together through the lives, the love and the legacy of those who came before me. As a woman I've grown to see the truth and the authenticity in acknowledging, "In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future." (Alex Haley)...

I never thought I would have to sit my children down and tell them, “Mommy has cancer”. It was just not something which ever crossed my mind. I was not at risk; I did not have a target on my breast to ever give having breast cancer a thought. But we all know the story, you have all heard how the cancer came, invaded my body, took my breast and left me with what I refer to affectionately as my “uniboob”. The simple truth is cancer came to play and she lost. Cancer came to my door and she not only knocked on my door but she violently kicked it in. Cancer brought the big guns with her; she thought she could take me and my family into the depths of her agony. Cancer had plans to maim me, to disfigure me and to drag me to Hell. The reality is in many ways she did succeed BUT she did not take my voice away from me. This beast basked in the glory of knowing she took a piece of me here and there but cancer did not take the whole of me. Fighting breast cancer is not an easy battle, the...

What has cancer taken from me? Well honestly this is a very loaded question. If we look at just the surface we can find many, many things…like for starters my breast? I can tell you this one was not easy to let go of. Seriously I was not keen on this detour life offered me. I did not go into the O.R. skipping while whistling a joyous tune I can assure you! It was not like I said yepee and accepted an invitation to Cinderella’s Ball or anything like that. Nope it was more like losing my glass slipper on the way to the ball and walking on broken glass the rest of the way to get there. The truth is I knew if I did not walk through the shattered glass beneath me on my way and let go of my breast I would have had to let go of my life. Yes I lost my hair, my eyebrows, and my lashes (Not ideal for a princess. I mean seriously how does the crown stay on?) And I lost time with my children…time watching them grow, giggle and laugh through what was supposed to be an ideal childhood. But ...

Above is a recent project/interview the boys and I took part in. In order to listen to it you will have to turn off or pause the music player at the bottom of the page. The boys and I were featured in the 2009 calendar during the month of February ( She still has a few of these too ) but you can still grab up a 2010 calendar for yourself at and support the cause @ www.alisamurray.com Christina

Saturday, October 03, 2009 was a day to remember. On this day I joined over 27, 128 people, 1,194 different teams, 1600 breast cancer survivors and an estimated turn out of over 33, 000 for the 2009 Komen Houston Race For the Cure. We ALL came from different paths, different faiths, different ways of life, different parts of the city and different backgrounds but we ALL came for one reason: To Eradicate Breast Cancer . A sea of survivors, mothers, fathers, little ones, babies in pink slings, children in wagons and teens holding the hands of their mothers and grandmothers walking some 3.1 miles in honor and in memory of those they love turned out to raced and walked together side by side. Yes we were there to make a difference and to raise the battle call but we were also there to remember and to take quiet pause for those we have lost. For just a moment let me share my own thoughtful insight here with those who may ask how 33, 000 women, men and children wearing pink and all kinds ...