Saturday, November 8, 2008

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and the loss of a loved one...

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. This blog is meant to document volunteerism, but this has not been a good year, thus hard to post on a regular basis and equally hard to always be positive and uplifting, so please understand my need to just state fact.
I just attended the funeral of my father-in-law, Jack Ward. On May 14th, I was in Washington, DC, volunteering as a Lobbyist for Lung Cancer Awareness, when I got the call about my father-in-law. He had just been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, on the anniversary of my mother's death, YES - how is that for ironic! I know the pain my husband, Tony, is suffering and it isn't easy to lose a loved one this way.
When I told someone, they said something odd - "well, you have another cause now!" An odd thing to say, and yes I have another reason to reach out and help others, and yes, 1 in 3 people are directly affected by cancer. SO, why have I been touched by cancer so much? - with my mom, my father-in-law, my aunt, my great uncle to name a few, and I have watched both my parents die as I held their hand. I don't know why I have been touched more by this dreadful disease, but my quest is to find the answer to that question, and to do anything and everything I can to help raise awareness, funding and education along the way.
Please visit www.nationallungcancerpartnership.org or www.lungcanceralliance,org to see how you can help; also visit the American Cancer Society. thanks for allowing me to share. blessings!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I can tell you why you've been touched by cancer so much - it's not you, but it's patterns in your family. Patterns of deep hurt, longstanding resentment, deep secrets, grief eating away at the self and carrying hatreds. Please read Louise L. Hay's book "You Can Heal Your Life" so YOU can break the pattern and be cancer free. Fear, resentment, criticism and guilt can kill you.