I started today being able to share some happiness with a woman currently fighting breast cancer. Sharing happines is also sharing hope. Unbeknownst to her, a friend wrote to ME STRONG to tell us how receiving some financial support would alleviate stress on her journey. We were able to give her the gift in honor of another woman who recently won the battle against breast cancer. Her name is Dawn and she is the woman I recently wrote about and prayed for at the hospital.

Being able to give to others makes my heart smile. There were tears of happiness in the room but more importantly, there were smiles. The patient smiled from the time that she walked into the time I left.

Right now her days aren’t fun. In addition to the side effects of chemo that you are aware of, her hands are burned from the chemo she recently received. To the point that she can’t drive because she can’t hold the steering wheel, but she was smiling.   When I left I thought to myself, she is going to be ok. I don’t have any medical knowledge to support that statement but in my heart, I feel that she will beat cancer. Whatever “beating cancer” means in her situation, she will.  She will because of the smile that brightened her face and in turn brightened my day.

Always Have Hope

A special word between Dawn and me is HOPE. When she was first diagnosed and we talked on the phone I told her that there is hope. When you’re diagnosed with cancer it’s obviously downright scary. It’s important to me that people don’t give in when they hear the diagnosis.  They need to have hope. Dawn has given me a beautiful cross with the word “hope” on it and today a bracelet.  Without hope, cancer wins

The Important Lesson I Learned From Constance

I haven’t heard from my friend Constance in a week which is uncommon. Constance is the woman I met in Houston during my last scan and have mentioned her in a few blogs. She is the woman I prayed would find peace because she had decided to stop treatment. She told me that I could use her name if I wrote about her again. She also said “Remember, there is always hope. In my case, hope that my death will be peaceful and as pain-free as possible.”

We were emailing daily and sometimes more than once a day.  I sent Constance a message last Sunday and didn’t hear back. I know her strength has been limited so wasn’t concerned that I had not heard from her. I sent another message on Wednesday. After my meeting this morning I had a feeling that I needed to contact Constance’s son to check on her. He responded to me quickly that “Constance passed away peacefully last night.” He thanked me for being her friend. I am thankful for the gift of her friendship and her peace.