Shared Circumstances Bringing Us Together

Having been diagnosed with breast cancer in Sept 2007, I am now involved in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Event held every year here in Bemidji. It will be held August 8-9, 2008 at the Beltrami County Fairgrounds. As I am new to the event, there is much I will discover as the event nears and happens. Regardless, since my diagnosis, I have become acutely aware of how cancer has touched in some way or fashion the lives of nearly every person I know. Perhaps I have been living in a bit of a bubble, but I was surprised at the number of people who approached me indicating that they had gone through cancer themselves or had a parent or other loved one who had had cancer (whether that might be past, or present). While I had originally felt a bit unique, perhaps even singled out, it became very clear to me that I was not alone in this and had many people around me whom I could lean on, ask advice, etc. Being the independent individual that I am of course, I did not lean or confide much, but I still derived strength and solace in knowing that I was far from being alone. Thank you to all of you who have shared your experiences with me. This upcoming ACS Relay For Life Event is another opportunity for us to come together to show our support. Support for who? For what? To show our support for those who have lost loved ones to cancer, for those currently undergoing treatment, for those survivors currently cancer-free, for those who care for those with cancer, for research, for solutions, for a good cause….. The list goes on and on. Cancer of any type really does affect us all. Look at breast cancer alone. The background occurrence rate in the general population is 1 in 12. That is only for breast cancer and does not reflect the higher occurrence rate of those who carry the “breast cancer” genes or other types of cancer. Men, regardless of your gender, you too are susceptible to breast cancer. Never be embarrassed and never hesitate to have that funny lump checked out by your doctor. Everyone reacts differently when confronted with a cancer diagnosis. For example, some might ask, “why me?” When having lunch with my dad one afternoon not too long after my diagnosis, he alluded to the fact that I might be asking such a question. To which I replied, “no, I do not wonder ‘why me?’ Rather, why not me. From my viewpoint, it could be anyone. Cancer is a random thing, a part of life. It is something that does not makes sense who it chooses, sometimes it chooses the most healthy person living the most healthy life we know. It doesn’t make sense. So….… why not me?” I do not mean to imply that I will give in to the cancer or take the occurrence lightly. I simply mean to make the point of how random of an event it can be. Trying to figure out why it happened to you or your loved one is, in my opinion, the equivalent to beating your head on the wall. We can only try to affect what happens to us in the future and how we handle what does occur in our lives. So, in that spirit, I invite each any everyone to come to the ACS Relay for Life Event at the Beltrami County Fairgrounds . If you would like to donate money on my behalf, go to my webpage or on my team’s behalf at our webpage. Thanks for all of your support!