"Cancer Sucks"
I have always known that cancer sucks but I didn't know exactly how much it sucks until it came into my immediate family.
This past February, I was two weeks from coming home from my mission in Montana and Wyoming when I found out my dad has cancer. I found out on accident. My mission allowed missionaries to use Facebook and it wasn't until the end of my mission that we were allowed to be friends with relatives on Facebook. One winter day, I logged on and at the very top of my feed was a post from my dad about going to the Cancer Center of America that day for radiation. (Um...WHAT?) It may seem dramatic but that's when my life changed.
My dad was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a rare, incurable form of blood cancer. That is the world I came home to. This past summer was full of trips to different hospitals, chemo pills, IV chemo and antibiotics, medical masks, tests, needles, scans, a stem cell transplant, obsessive house cleaning (for when he was in quarantine), and a partridge in a pear tree. He's now finally in remission but has to take maintenance chemo pills everyday for the rest of his life (or until he relapses) but they're $700 each. Our insurance deductible will be hit within the first two weeks of every year. But he's in remission! YAY!!!
It has impacted me and my family a lot. I never thought about my dad dying from anything besides old age- especially not from cancer in his 40s! But this is going to be in the back of everyone's minds for the rest of our lives. It makes me think of life differently. Its so fragile and precious. How much time do I really have left with my parents and siblings here on earth?
Anyway, I later joined a club on campus called Camp Kesem. My mission companion told me about it and when I heard, I just had to join. It's a free summer camp for kids of cancer patients. (I AM one of these kids!) We as counselors are responsible for raising $500 each to help fund kids to go to camp because paying for cancer treatment burns a hole in their parents' pockets. It's hard because I feel the weight on my shoulders to help these kids get to camp and have fun. However, it is SO worth it because camp allows them to just be kids for a whole week without thinking about cancer! This club means a ton to me because I can relate to these kids. I hope to be all I can for them and continue to reach out to people affected by cancer.
To learn more, watch video is about camp! It makes me cry every time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_52KaAIPXQk&feature=youtu.be
This past February, I was two weeks from coming home from my mission in Montana and Wyoming when I found out my dad has cancer. I found out on accident. My mission allowed missionaries to use Facebook and it wasn't until the end of my mission that we were allowed to be friends with relatives on Facebook. One winter day, I logged on and at the very top of my feed was a post from my dad about going to the Cancer Center of America that day for radiation. (Um...WHAT?) It may seem dramatic but that's when my life changed.
My dad was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a rare, incurable form of blood cancer. That is the world I came home to. This past summer was full of trips to different hospitals, chemo pills, IV chemo and antibiotics, medical masks, tests, needles, scans, a stem cell transplant, obsessive house cleaning (for when he was in quarantine), and a partridge in a pear tree. He's now finally in remission but has to take maintenance chemo pills everyday for the rest of his life (or until he relapses) but they're $700 each. Our insurance deductible will be hit within the first two weeks of every year. But he's in remission! YAY!!!
It has impacted me and my family a lot. I never thought about my dad dying from anything besides old age- especially not from cancer in his 40s! But this is going to be in the back of everyone's minds for the rest of our lives. It makes me think of life differently. Its so fragile and precious. How much time do I really have left with my parents and siblings here on earth?
Anyway, I later joined a club on campus called Camp Kesem. My mission companion told me about it and when I heard, I just had to join. It's a free summer camp for kids of cancer patients. (I AM one of these kids!) We as counselors are responsible for raising $500 each to help fund kids to go to camp because paying for cancer treatment burns a hole in their parents' pockets. It's hard because I feel the weight on my shoulders to help these kids get to camp and have fun. However, it is SO worth it because camp allows them to just be kids for a whole week without thinking about cancer! This club means a ton to me because I can relate to these kids. I hope to be all I can for them and continue to reach out to people affected by cancer.
To learn more, watch video is about camp! It makes me cry every time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_52KaAIPXQk&feature=youtu.be
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That really is such a touching post! Neither of my parents have gotten cancer, but when I was in high school my older brother was diagnosed with Lymphoma and it was the most difficult thing I have ever gone through. Watching them go through treatment is so difficult because they are clearly in immense amounts of pain and there is nothing you can do for them. That is a really cool camp though and I am glad it exists!
ReplyDeleteYou're awesome! I am sorry to hear about your dad, but it is so great that you are involved with this camp. One of my best friends is a counselor at the camp in Virginia and she always tells me what a great program it is. Good for you! You're awesome! :)
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