A Family United...when will this nightmare end?

As much as cancer can and does destroy, in its wake we as a family unite and become that much stronger.

Just as my cancer treatment ended one month ago, cancer continues to challenge our entire family.

I haven't mentioned this previously, but with all that has transpired in the last two months, and in the last week in particular, I feel compelled to share with you how cancer has brought our family together; a true united front. You see, we have two very dear, very special relatives who have just been diagnosed with cancer, one two months ago and one just this week. Both have advanced cancer.

My thoughts this week have been "how much more can this family take?" "When will this nightmare end?"

Cancer is like a thief in the night who storms in, takes us by surprise and steals so much from us. My heart aches for those members of our family enduring and persevering in the face of a storm that is all too consuming. It is not fair. Cancer is cruel, indiscriminate, the one true equalizer.

We have all been asking ourselves "why is this happening?", "how can this be happening?" "when will this all end?" There are no answers to such questions.

I had my annual mammogram on Thursday and it took everything in me not to fall apart emotionally during the procedure. Especially knowing that just two blocks up the street, laying in hospital is someone who I care deeply about, who I love and respect, fighting for their life.

Having just come through a year long cancer battle of my own, emotions are raw for me, they are for all of us. I lost my father to lung cancer 23 years ago. We have had a multitude of family members and friends who have fought and won, and some who have lost and others who continue to fight against their cancers and now, most recently, we have two extended family members fighting fresh new battles simultaneously.

It has been said that the Universe, or God if you prefer, does not give us more than we can handle. If there is any truth to this then we must be considered exceptionally strong, possessing a level of endurance and perseverance unique to us as a family.

Cancer has been known to tear families apart; it can conquer, divide and extinguish. However, what I have experienced and what I have seen is the contrary. Cancer has brought our family closer together, an ever strengthening, loving, supportive united front. We will persevere. We will all learn from and grow from this time off unrelenting adversity.

That said, we are all only human and this is all extremely overwhelming emotionally and psychologically. I am a strong believer in all things happen for specific reasons. We may not understand or be able to fathom what such reasons could possibly be, but I am certain there will be a positive purpose served through all of this. There has to be.


We are all in this together. In light of the fight for human lives, all else seems trivial at best. Just as these two special people stood with me and my family through my fight, it is my turn to stand with them and their families through theirs.


I refuse to allow cancer to steal from me my sense of positivity. I will not allow cancer to destroy me, nor will we as a extended family allow it to destroy what binds us together, our love for one another, our determination, our compassion, our empathy, and our passions for life itself.


I'm tired now. It's been a long week. I have more on my heart that I want to say, but I will save that for another day.