Taking the Fight to Cancer

​We tell ourselves and our children that monsters do not exist. We whisper these words aloud to the darkness, hugging each other close, hoping they may come true if spoken.  Too often, we believe that heroes and heroines are just things of legend and stories, meant to keep an overactive mind occupied. That is until the day cancer enters our lives. On that day, everything we thought we knew about life is turned on its head. Suddenly the monster lurking in the shadows is no longer a whispered threat, chased away by light. The monster is very real, as is the battle that must be waged. Whether it is you or someone you know, we see the heroes and heroines of lore seemingly jump from the pages and into reality as they take the fight to this dreaded disease. These brave men and women, boys and girls, stand in the face of pain and adversity every day. They push when they have no strength to give and fight with the courage of warrior to stand their ground and force this monster back into the shadows. They whisper, “not today” through gritted teeth as they stand strong and endure. They are flanked by doctors, nurses, and scientists, all working around the clock to come up with the best weapons, strongest defenses, and to give never ending support.
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Families stand by, watching helplessly as their loved ones fight daily. They offer support and strength, trying not to show their own hurt and tears, trying to not add to the strain. Guilt tries to slip its way into their thoughts, trying to weaken them. Guilt over being healthy, guilt over being impotent in the face of such an adversary, guilt at feeling guilty when they are not the one in the battle. Yet this is all a part of the struggle, cancer finds a way to tear small pieces from the hearts of each and every person it touches or even brushes past. This monster does not care about your status, your gender, or even your age, making it all the uglier. While we may not be able to fight the battle being raged by our loved ones, and those around us affected by cancer, for them, we can continue to stand in their corner and give all the love, support, and understanding that we have. We can wipe the sweat from their brow, offer words of encouragement, and work to help find a cure. Each year, research finds new ways to attack this formidable enemy, to weaken it, to drive it back. Let’s do what we can to help fund the research, so that cancer may be defeated once and for all. Together, there is nothing we can’t do.

​I have pledged to shave my head in order to raise money for cancer research. Please follow the link below and help me in a great cause. I will be posting updates on social media and my website. Thank you very much for your time and your support.