Know 39 Ways To Be Sassy?

We do — and so do a lot of you!

Thank you for your outpouring of support for the 39 for 39 campaign. If you'd like to contribute, just look to your left for our secure PayPal button. If you have already donated, thank you for your generosity.

As always, keep spreading the sassy word!

39 Bursts of Sassy

Oooh ...! Aaah ...!


Fireworks — who doesn't love them? They look, sound and feel like a whole bunch of happy exploding all over the sky.


This year as we look up at them, we'll imagine the sassy girl who loved them so much looking right back at us, watching the super-sparklers with that big, shining smile spread across her face.


Three days ago, in honor of Kimberly's birthday, we launched the 39 for 39 campaign. And just like the girl who never took just one day to celebrate, we'll be continuing the 39 for 39 party throughout the month of July. We're off to a fantastic start, all thanks to the generous support of people like you.


And — when you look up at the sky this weekend, exploding with happy colors and sounds — don't be surprised to see 39 bursts of sassy burning just a bit brighter than the rest.

Birthday Wishes For Aunt KiKi

We miss you! 

— Hannah and Sarah

39 For 39

From Lara M. Ryan:

Today, June 30th, would have been Kim's 39th birthday. It also marks six months to the day that I lost my dear sister, my best friend, to cancer. Kim was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer in August of 2008 and passed away on December 31, 2009, after a courageous 18-month battle.

It has been a difficult six months for me and my family. We have experienced many "firsts" without Kim ... the first New Year's, the first Super Bowl (Kim loved a good football game), the first Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day. Today is just one more milestone we face as this is the first birthday Kim is not with us to celebrate. It seems only yesterday that Kim was taken from us, and days like today are especially hard. It re-emphasizes the time that has passed since I last heard her voice and her laugh, shared a story, looked to her for advice, hugged her, and saw her ever-present, infamous, ear-to-ear, toothy smile.

Over the years we have exchanged many gifts with one another — toys, books, Barbies, dolls, clothes, gift certificates ... and, a blanket: a blanket that Kim carried with her to each hospital visit and chemotherapy session. It was never very far from her and we laughed that as I teased her about becoming the Peanuts character, Linus. I believe the blanket gave her far more than physical warmth. It gave her a sense of her family, a sense of her animals that she loved so dear, a sense of home, and most of all, it gave her comfort and calmness.

Before her passing, Kim's vision was to help provide that same sense of comfort to her fellow patients who were enduring chemotherapy at Fort Bragg's Womack Army Medical Center by giving each patient their own cozy blanket. Thanks to you, we were able to fulfill Kim's vision and deliver 120 blankets to Womack on January 20, 2010. With the remaining blankets donated, our goal is to expand upon her vision and bring comfort to chemotherapy patients all over the United States, which is why the Kimberly A. Hansen Comfy for Chemo Foundation was formed.

In loving memory of Kim and in honor of her 39th birthday, we have launched the 39 for 39 campaign — 39 blankets for Kim's 39th birthday. Our goal is to raise enough money to purchase at least 39 Comfy for Chemo blankets. Again, these blankets will be used to further Kim's vision of providing a sense of warmth and comfort to those undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

Please join me and make a donation to the Kimberly A. Hansen Comfy for Chemo Foundation as a tribute to Kim as we remember and honor her on what would have been her 39th birthday in a life cut all to short by cancer. Help us make life just a little more comfortable and cozy for those who are in the fight for their lives by making a donation using our new PayPal button or send a check payable to Comfy to Chemo to the following address:

Lara Ryan

13314 Queensbury Lane

Houston, TX 77079

Donation levels:

$27 — buys one blanket for a patient undergoing chemotherapy

$39 — in honor of Kim's 39th birthday

General donation — every dollar helps us in our effort to bring comfort to chemotherapy patients

Something Sassy This Way Comes

The Kimberly A. Hansen Comfy for Chemo Foundation is almost six months old, and — wow! — what an exciting time it's been.


Thank you — as always — for your continued support of Comfy for Chemo. Much has happened, and is happening, and it will take more than one post to catch up — but we'll catch you up. Just some of the news and activities we'll be reporting in the coming days, weeks and months:

• Roundup reports from the Teams LiveSassy who participated in Get Your Rear In Gear (GYRIG) events in Raleigh, Charlotte and San Antonio.
• Personal GYRIG stories and insights from Kimberly's friends and family.
• An artist's LiveSassy tribute to Kimberly.
• New friends and supporters from our Facebook fan page spreading the sassy word.
• A podcast interview with The Cancer Warrior on EmpowerRadio.com.
• Grassroots fundraising in Atlanta inspired by one woman spending time in her mother's chemo treatment center.
• Little people living sassy and making a big difference on an all-kids Relay for Life team in Kimberly's honor.

In addition to the great stories above, we'll also be rolling out more opportunities to donate, be involved and spread the word about Comfy for Chemo, in the form of a stronger online presence:

• Direct donations through PayPal — here on the blog, on Facebook, and even a widget you can put on your own site or Facebook page.
• T-shirts will be available for sale in adult and children's sizes.
• A comprehensive website — www.comfyforchemo.org — is under construction.

It's because of the support of people like you that Comfy for Chemo has already made an impact and also how we'll continue to grow Kimberly's vision. So, tell us what you think — what stories do you know that you'd like to see featured here? What ideas do you have for raising awareness? What donation or fundraising ideas do you have? How would you like to become more involved?

Talk to us. We're listening.

San Antonio GYRIG

For more information about late registration and joining Team LiveSASSY, contact San Antonio team captain Becky Norris via email today.

If you can't participate in the event, please consider a donation in honor of Kimberly's legacy. Click here to find out how to donate funds to benefit the San Antonio community.

San Antonio! Get YOUR Rear In Gear Today!

Want to Get Your Rear In Gear In San Antonio this Saturday, March 28? Online registration closes tonight at midnight EST. Follow the instructions below to join San Antonio's Team LiveSASSY, or to donate funds in Kimberly's honor.

1. Go here
2. Click on Register Today
3. Click on Register Now
4. Click on Guest Access
5. Choose Adult 5K Registration
6. Choose Agree to Waiver and add your name and birth date
7. Click on Agree and Continue
8. Select a team: LiveSassy
9. There is NO password; skip this line
10. Fill in your personal information
11. Click on Continue (if you are registering more than one person you can choose Register Someone Else on this page)
12. Fill in your billing information and click on Pay Now

You will get a confirmation page that says Registration Is Complete. For more information, including how to get your Team LiveSASSY shirt, contact San Antonio team captain Becky Norris via email today.

Can't participate in the event, but still want to donate in honor of Kimberly's legacy? Click here to find out how to donate funds to benefit the San Antonio community.