My Parents are the Reason I Stand Up to Cancer
My Parents are the Reason I Stand Up to Cancer
#STANDUPTOCANCERDAY #REASONS2STANDUP
I am just going to say it … right here … right now … CANCER SUCKS! Today is Stand Up to Cancer Day! I stand up to cancer every day to honor my mother and father, who both tried their very best to stand up to cancer. According to the Stand Up to Cancer organization, “today alone, 4,949 people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer.” That is a chilling statistic. Here is a picture of them both with big smiles while my Dad was receiving treatment.
I encourage you all to understand the plight of cancer for the individual and their loved ones. It affects us all. My mother had breast cancer in late 1999. I always said God brought me to work in Birmingham that year because I was able to get my mother's treatment at UAB. I believe that saved her life. My father had myelodysplastic syndrome, which has to do with the progression of blood cells in the bone marrow. I watched him die from this horrible disease. Let me tell you, that is horrible to watch. You feel helpless. But, oddly, both parents were positive and upbeat during their cancer battles. Here is a sweet picture (a little blurry) I found this morning of my Dad feeding my Mom because she was too weak due to her treatments. Now, this is love.
The Stand Up to Cancer organization noted that they are about accelerating “groundbreaking cancer research that delivers the latest therapies to patients to help save lives now.” They also fund “collaboration among the best and brightest researchers to accelerate the rate of new discoveries in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. We create awareness and build broad public support for this effort.” Also, this website offers support for patients as well as caregivers.
(Source) For more about the organization, Stand Up to Cancer, click here.