Steps

I remember sitting at the kitchen table with my Grandmother and visiting with her while my Grandfather was taking one of his many daily naps. After fighting cancer for nearly ten years, his body could barely make it through the day without taking many naps, sometimes barely being awake for three hours at a time. 

I remember her telling me how the last ten years have been amazing, because as you can imagine, knowing you have a limited time left with the one you love can change your outlook on many things, and can make you really treasure what little time you have left. 

She mentioned how everyday was fought harder than the one before; trying to get food down enough to get the nutrients he needed to stay alive, and fighting the urge to stay in bed. But Grandpa was a fighter, and Grandma was there, every step of the way, as the two of them took on one day at a time, through sickness and in health; a vow they still took very seriously. 

This story, like many others, shows the will and determination of the cancer patient-no matter how grim or doubtful the outlook may be, on they plod, face against the wind, confronting any challenge with a will to survive and for any possibility to wake up the next day with their most precious gift-life.

When Grandpa finally awoke from his nap, he sat down next to me and in a drowsy smile said, "Did you know that you are my favorite granddaughter?" I laughed. He always told me this, because he not only meant it, but it was funny since I was the only granddaughter he had. We definitely had a special bond, but knowing that he may not be there the next time I visited Grandma, it meant even more to me.

As my family watched Grandpa deteriorate from cancer, his spirit never faltered, and his inner strength only grew stronger. Even in death, he still inspires all of us, for fighting such a long and hard fight.

Any of you who have walked beside a cancer patient, know that they walked or are currently walking a very rocky road. Various treatments sometimes not promising anything, and even those that promise a cure, make patients feel close to death because they become so ill as a side effect. Losing one’s hair, severe weight loss, severe fatigue, are only a few of the side effects.

In our world today, cancer is not only a very real disease, it is becoming more and more common. Have you ever asked someone why? Why is cancer becoming more and more common? There are various explanations, but my question is, why is cancer becoming more common, instead of becoming a part of history? With so many innovations in the world of science, new and up-and-coming doctors and scientists, can we do more to find a cure? The answer to this question is you. This is where the buck stops. To keep moving forward, these doctors and scientists cannot move forward because they need you to carry them on to the next step. They need funds to continue their research and it is an extremely expensive undertaking. The funds they need seem daunting when you look at the grand totals, but if you look at it in a more positive way, a number is made up of many little numbers.

An amazing accomplishment is made up of many little steps. Be one of those steps and help us to reach our goal-we cannot do this without you!