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Tutu Project shows marriage bonds help fight cancer

May 25, 2012 by 1 Comment

The Tutu Project is a testament to how marriages can sometimes go well despite the challenges they face throughout the years.

tutu project mygirldressIn marriage, you are usually in it for the good and the bad that come along the way.

Most couples, however, do not face as much bad as Bob and Linda Carey have faced during her battle with breast cancer. Over the past few years, Linda has gone in and out of remission, all the while having her devoted husband by her side.

In an interview with Matt Lauer on the Today show on May 24, 2012, Bob and Linda spoke candidly of how they have been able to stick together, despite having the odds stacked against them.

Social support during an illness such as cancer is vital in healing along the way. Cancer impacts a marriage at many levels, including the connection shared between partners during the medical visits and ongoing treatment.

Instead of letting cancer defeat them, Bob and Linda have been united in fighting their illness together through breathtaking moments captured through The Tutu Project.

In 2003, Bob suggested he wanted to start a collection of photos of himself wearing a pink tutu. Linda, being the ever supportive wife of an artist, went along with the idea. Years later, the two have quite the collection of photos to share, commemorating her journey over the past few years.

Using humor to get through the many treatments and questionable blood tests, the two have managed to get through Linda’s breast cancer together with The Tutu Project. While they do not know what tomorrow hold, they do not they have each other to lean on.

Emotional support from a partner or spouse can really make the difference in a patient’s ability to heal and survive cancer.

What if you are not sure how to support your partner during these times? Here are a few suggestions:

  • Offer to help them with daily chores.
  • Read to them when they are feeling down but would like to spend time with you.
  • Share a new hobby. Maybe your partner used to like mountain climbing or some other activity that was physical in nature and now they can’t muster up the energy for it. Well, find something new they can try instead. In Miami, for instance, there are many parks and local beaches that offer a host of activities for a variety of interests!

How would you show your partner you support them during a physical or psychological illness? Visit ‘The Tutu Project’ here to see Bob and Linda’s photos over the years. Connect with Bob and Linda on Facebook.

Source: TodayHealth

Related:

Dating Trends: Ability to read your partner linked to happiness

Dating Trends: Celebrities find dates via email and texting

Marriage Trends: Couples put off nuptials for other life goals

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Marriage Trends: Interracial marriage up with improved race relations

February 18, 2012 by 3 Comments

 

As of the last census, there has been a marked increased in interracial marriages in the United States. Marriage, as with any other institution, appears to be changing with the times. With so much focus on the debate of gay marriage, the notion of interracial marriage has almost taken a backseat in historical marriage trend debates. Recent figures as of the 2010 census reveals that interracial marriages have increased, so much so that as many as 1 in 12 marriages are now considered interracial. What can account for these changes in marriage trends?

One article posted in chron.com cites an improvement in race relations over the past few decades as well as an increased flow of Asian and Hispanic people into the United States has factored into the change in marriage trends.  Another factor mentioned in this increase is based on the growing trend for black men and women becoming more accepting of marrying white men and women. In the past, different races were discouraged from marrying one another. Now, it appears the debate of whether to marry someone of a different race has changed into whether you should or shouldn’t marry someone of the same sex – times change!

Sociology professor Daniel Lichter from Cornell University shares the following insights:

“The rise in interracial marriage indicates that race relations have improved over the past quarter century,”

“Mixed-race children have blurred America’s color line. They often interact with others on either side of the racial divide and frequently serve as brokers between friends and family members of different racial backgrounds,” he said. “But America still has a long way to go.”

Interestingly, something else to consider in this marriage trend is that the younger generations are also playing a role in changing the face of marriage. Both in the political sense and societal aspect, younger men and women are making attitudinal changes that are resulting in the changing face of the healthy American family. At the end of the day, it’s important that parents get along and set a solid foundation for their family, regardless of their race or sexuality.  Have you noticed this increase in interracial marriage over the years? What are your thoughts on this marriage trend?

Source: chron.com,  latimes.com

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Marriage Trends: Couples put off nuptials for other life goals

January 24, 2012 by 2 Comments

As dating trends change, so do marriage trends. Research is indicating that couples are waiting longer to get married. In the past, couples were having significantly shorter courtships. Now, engagements are lasting a few years while the couple realizes other goals in their lives, both personally and professionally. Research findings indicate ideas about marriage have changed in terms of where it stands in life goals. University of Iowa researcher Christie Boxer, specialist in marital trends notes couples are changing their overall view of marriage, relationship goals, and growth as individuals and couples.

Boxer comments on her findings related to marital trends to date:

“[Marriage has] become a middle-class ideal,” she said. “A lot of people are postponing marriage until they feel like they hit a financial point. Now, people feel like they want to have financial stability before they combine with a new partner.”

“Women are more educated than they were in the past, and not only do they have degrees, they are more likely to go into the workforce,” Boxer said. “Men and women are now sort of equal in that they go to college and go to work.”

As a result, the mean age of women and men getting married has increased, women being 26.5 and men being 28.7 years of age. Getting your life goals in order before getting married is important for staying on a path of both individual and couple growth over the years. This is not to say that you will not have new goals along the way. It is essential to discuss what your priorities in life are prior to getting marriage or entering a dating relationship. The clearer you are on your goals and expectations, the less likely you will have disparity in these areas of your intimate relationships in the long-run. If you are marriage, how old were you when you tied the knot? Do you think it was a good age for you and your partner? Source: Daily Iowan

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