Cancer survivor focuses on what she can control

At first, Kris Carr longed for a cure to the incurable sarcoma slowly growing in her body; now she focuses on being healed.

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Jackie Ricciardi/Staff

Claudette Morgan, of Augusta, looks over the silent auction items during Tuesday night's Think Pink banquet.

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Jackie Ricciardi/Staff

Claudette Morgan, of Augusta, looks over the silent auction items during Tuesday night's Think Pink banquet.

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Jackie Ricciardi/Staff

Kris Carr, author of the book Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, talks about her "adventure story" involving cancer.

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Jackie Ricciardi/Staff

Kris Carr, author of the book Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, talks about her "adventure story" involving cancer.

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"A cure is for the body. Being healed is for your entire being and your spirit," said Ms. Carr, a cancer survivor and author who was the guest speaker at Tuesday's Think Pink banquet at the Savannah Rapids Pavilion, sponsored by The Augusta Chronicle and University Health Care System.

She delivered a humor-filled message of hope.

The former actress and model learned she had cancer in February 2003 after thinking she had overexerted herself in a yoga class. The excruciating pain in her abdomen wasn't from too much exercise, though.

Her doctor first thought it was her gallbladder, but an ultrasound showed something else.

"He said, 'There are lesions all over your liver,' " said Ms. Carr of the rare sarcoma, which made her liver look like "Swiss cheese."

Twenty-four tumors were evident in her liver and lungs.

For Ms. Carr, there have been no conventional treatments, no chemotherapy and no surgeries.

Her doctors are taking a wait-and-see approach to the slow-growing cancer, while Ms. Carr has attacked her disease with good nutrition, exercise and a positive attitude.

"How I got over fear was I changed my focus, and I got involved," said Ms. Carr, who developed a documentary called Crazy, Sexy Cancer about her "adventure story" and has published two books, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips and Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor. She's working on a third about nutrition.

The Think Pink Banquet also benefited The Lydia Project, an Augusta organization that provides support to women with cancer. Don Bailey, the president of The Chronicle, and Tony Bernados, the director of sales and marketing, presented the organization a check for $10,300. Most of the donation was funded by the newspaper's special pink edition Oct. 1 -- which Ms. Carr praised in her remarks.

"A lot of people whisper about cancer. The Augusta Chronicle roars," she said.

Proceeds from the silent auction at the banquet also went to The Lydia Project.

Cancer patients receive a handmade bag from The Lydia Project, but they also receive a support system that can include financial assistance for medication, rent and utilities. Volunteers make hospital visits, write notes and make the bags.