When I was at SLU, I got heavily involved with Relay For Life. With a group of about 40 college students, we planned an over-night event each year for the SLU students/community to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Cancer has been a horrible word that I have known for a long time. When I was in 2nd grade, we had two close family friends lose their battles to cancer, and that's when I knew I hated that disease. Later in my childhood, my dad was diagnosed with skin cancer. Thankfully, it was caught early, and it was able to be removed. He has a crazy looking scar down his nose that is a constant reminder to us all that we are lucky he is here. My grandfather has had prostate cancer twice. About 2 years ago, one of my childhood friends was diagnosed with lymphoma. Thankfully they have both also beaten cancer.
Yesterday I went to a visitation for a 37 year old who lost his fight. He was my boss at my first full-time job, and I learned A LOT from him. He was extremely supportive of me going back to school, and I know he was a great reference when I applied. A lot changed for that man in the two years I was in school, and that is heartbreaking. Not only was he a great boss, he was a genuinely good person. He was a licensed clinical social worker who cared about the boys in the rehab center a lot. He volunteered each summer at a camp for kids whose lives had been affected by cancer. He was engaged to a woman who has two young kids, and from what I know, he loved those kids like they were his own.
Life REALLY isn't fair. I am heartbroken for his family.
People should not be dying of cancer. Especially at age 37. My involvement in Relay has faltered since I graduated from SLU, but I am getting involved more fully again. It is time to end the fight. I want to live in a world with more birthdays and less cancer!
If you could send up a prayer for his family, I would really appreciate it!
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