Tuesday, December 7, 2010

When Cancer wins.


Today, Elizabeth Edwards died from Breast Cancer.


I never knew her. I never voted for her husband. I remember when I heard she had Breast Cancer after the 2004 election, I thought how hard that must have been to deal with Cancer at the same time your husband is running for President. What I didn't know until today was that she hid her Cancer from her husband during this time. She didn't begin her treatment until after the campagin was over.


Reading about Elizabeth Edwards today, I find in her so much that is familiar. Especially the comment she made:

" Either you push forward with the things you were doing yesterday or your start dying" she said . "If I had given up everything my life was about... I would let the Cancer win before it needed to. But eventually it will win, I want to be sure it is not before it is suppsoed to."


And I suppose, someone would have to think Cancer needed to win now. But I do not agree.

We can and will find a cure for this disease. We will end this disease in our lifetime. Cancer doesn't need to win ever. It needs to be gone from the faces of women and men forever - out of our lives. The time has come for this thief to be banished forever.


The thing is, about being a survivor, despite your political, social, economic, philosophical background you know what it feels like to be told Cancer has plans for you. Women like Elizabeth Edwards fight a courageous fight. Each time another woman dies of Breast Cancer, I find that I feel I owe them a debt. As though I carry the story of their fight in me. It is a fight for all of us. And it is up to each an every one of us to carry the standard for those who cannot. The time has come for the war to be over.


DONATE today for Elizabeth, for Brittany the stage four survivor still fighting her fight with the funds from Susan G Komen. Donate for your children. Donate for yourself. Become a warrior pick up the battle standard of those who have fallen.

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