It was Sunday, April 12, 2015, in the wee, dark hours of the morning, when the seeds were planted. Calls were made. Texts were sent. A spark flashed in a hotel in Philadelphia.
Later, not long before noon, the spark caught in flame. 108 women lay down in repose, row upon row, dying for the 108 who were dying that day in the United States.
We lost someone near and dear to many of us that day in actuality, something we learned about by the afternoon as the Living Beyond Breast Cancer 9th Metastatic Conference came to an end, and people departed for home.
Blogs were written, both about the die-in and the death, and comparisons were drawn between this new breath of passion, and ACT UP.
Jennie Grimes returned home, clear across the country, and registered MET UP. There was a basic site, a placeholder, promising something to come. But treatment sapped her energy, and Susanne Kraus-Dahlgren offered to take the flag up the hill. Networking began to happen, and people were reached. Beth Caldwell, the organizer of the first die-in, was brought on board, along with Susan Rahn. More people spoke up, ideas were exchanged, hearts caught fire. Melissa McAllister joined the graphics team, and Kate Crawford offered additional help in the realm of website creation and organizational experience.
The number of 108 was changed to 1447 to reflect the deaths on a global scale, expanding beyond the borders of the United States.
Just a few sparks, heat and light. But every firestorm begins with exactly that.
Later, not long before noon, the spark caught in flame. 108 women lay down in repose, row upon row, dying for the 108 who were dying that day in the United States.
We lost someone near and dear to many of us that day in actuality, something we learned about by the afternoon as the Living Beyond Breast Cancer 9th Metastatic Conference came to an end, and people departed for home.
Blogs were written, both about the die-in and the death, and comparisons were drawn between this new breath of passion, and ACT UP.
Jennie Grimes returned home, clear across the country, and registered MET UP. There was a basic site, a placeholder, promising something to come. But treatment sapped her energy, and Susanne Kraus-Dahlgren offered to take the flag up the hill. Networking began to happen, and people were reached. Beth Caldwell, the organizer of the first die-in, was brought on board, along with Susan Rahn. More people spoke up, ideas were exchanged, hearts caught fire. Melissa McAllister joined the graphics team, and Kate Crawford offered additional help in the realm of website creation and organizational experience.
The number of 108 was changed to 1447 to reflect the deaths on a global scale, expanding beyond the borders of the United States.
Just a few sparks, heat and light. But every firestorm begins with exactly that.
She says, "Days go by, I don't know why,
I'm walking on a wire.
I close my eyes and fly out of my mind
Into the fire."
Get the kids and bring a sweater,
Dry is good and wind is better.
Count the years, you always knew it.
Strike a match, go on and do it.
- "Sunny Came Home", Shawn Colvin
I'm walking on a wire.
I close my eyes and fly out of my mind
Into the fire."
Get the kids and bring a sweater,
Dry is good and wind is better.
Count the years, you always knew it.
Strike a match, go on and do it.
- "Sunny Came Home", Shawn Colvin