Cancer affects everyone. I know
this seems obvious and self-explanatory, but I think we often forget this. My
first real memories of cancer date back to my childhood when I lost my
grandfather to lung cancer. For a long time, he was the only person I had known
with cancer, and as an eight year old girl, I just assumed that cancer is
something only old people get. As I
grew up, I became increasingly aware of how cancer touches the lives of so many
people, both young and old.
Today,
February 4, is World Cancer Day, a day where we engage in an open dialogue
about cancer by honoring those who have battled and won, remembering those who
lost the fight, and by moving forward towards the day when World Cancer Day
will be a celebration of finding the cure for this disease. In the spirit of
this year’s theme of debunking the cancer myths, I wanted to share some of my
favorite “Relay Moments” that remind me daily of Why I Relay.
Dear 16 Year Old Me
I like this video because I think it’s both powerful and
informative. Before watching this I
would have never thought that at 20 I would be at risk of malignant melanoma,
let alone from that one bad sunburn three summers ago. This video highlights the reality of who cancer
touches, the vast age range and the
infinite faces of cancer – fighters, survivors, doctors, nurses, loved ones,
etc.
Brave
This video is amazing.
You can’t help but just have the biggest smile on your face the whole time. The
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology unit at this hospital made a video to Sara
Bareilles’ Brave and that’s just what these kids are – brave. It is easy to sometimes forget or try to ignore that children
suffer from cancer, just like adults. This video demonstrates that while
some children do battle cancer, they are still able to live out a somewhat
normal childhood with a big smile and an insurmountable strength.
Last year, while perusing the internet during yet
another boring lecture, I came across this site and started scrolling through
the photo gallery instead of the lecture slides. Note to self: it becomes
pretty obvious that you aren’t reading psych slides when you start tearing up
while looking at your laptop. Anyways, this blog had a poignant message. Angelo documented his wife’s entire battle with breast
cancer through stunning black and white photographs. The photos are so
moving and powerful and I felt like I was in his place living through the highs
and lows of his wife’s entire journey,
from the diagnosis to the final snapshot of her battle.
So I
may be biased, but I think I saved the best for last. I know Shawn. In fact,
while I always Relay in memory of my grandfather, this year I Relay for Shawn. Shawn was my soccer coach for 9 years and is the older
brother I never had. This past summer, Shawn was diagnosed with Stage 4 thymus
cancer and The Washington Post followed Shawn, a former soccer player
for DC United, around for parts of his journey, interviewing him and his
family. The video exposes his true vulnerabilities, especially when he
claims, “I just want to live,” but it serves as an incredible example of the
positive outlook on life that one can live by while in the midst of adversity.
It inspires me to live my daily life with the same love of life,
passion, faith and bravery that Shawn exhibits in his fight against cancer.
PS I know that last one is hard to
watch/read. So here’s an additional video that is sure to put a smile on your
face if not make you laugh.
