Author: Margaret Evans

  Life is full of moments that define us, but I wonder whether those moments define our lives and who we are? For example: If someone wins a million dollars in the lottery, isn’t the winner automatically redefined as a millionaire? Likewise, when someone adopts a child, aren’t they immediately reclassified as a parent? The list goes on. But what happens when someone receives a medical diagnosis? How does this redefine them? As sick? It is a question I think about often and my answer usually changes with the tide.

When I tell people I’ve created a non-profit organization called Help the Hoo-Hahs, there is inevitably that look of confusion, followed by questions. I chose the word Hoo-Hahs as a broad term to describe that area below the belt for women. Let’s face it, most people aren’t comfortable using anatomically correct terms like ovarian or cervical, and certainly not vaginal. Then go and add the word cancer and you’ve really made people uncomfortable. However, the harsh reality is, every 7 seconds a woman is diagnosed with a gynecological cancer. More than 90,000 women will be diagnosed this year and more than 22,000 will die.

September 14 to 18, 2011 marks the 2nd annual Lieutenant Dan Weekend, a four-day event that honors severely wounded veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. From Beaufort to Ridgeland, Hilton Head to Fripp Island, Bluffton, Lady’s Island, and Parris Island, neighbors and merchants have banded together earning money for this worthy cause.

Fall brings all sorts of fun and festivity to the Lowcountry. Here are some highlights…   You’re Invited to a Public Art Exhibition at Honey Horn The Lowcountry is blessed with breathtaking natural landscapes and a myriad of majestic creatures. We relish the expansive salt marsh and are continually grateful for the sight of Bottlenose Dolphins and Great White Egrets. We are stewards of our environment, because we appreciate all that is beautiful in our backyard.

The routes for LoCo Motion, a 30-mile, three-day breast cancer walk/run fundraiser, will take participants from the beaches on Hilton Head Island to historic old town Bluffton. The first 10 miles on Sept. 30 start on Folly Field Road and end at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa beachfront. On Oct. 1, the route begins and ends at the Calhoun Street Promenade in Bluffton. On Oct. 2, the route begins and ends at the Coligny Beach Circle on Hilton Head.