I am passionate about ending cancer. I have being a supporter of the American Cancer Society for as long as I have been able to make donations. In 2005, I unfortunately added an annual March donation in memoriam to my father who died due to cancer. Too many people are affected by this disease and any little thing I can do to help find a way to end it I am willing to do it.
In honor of my father and this post, I will give the American Cancer Society $5 for each comment I receive on this post. So please share your stories so I can make a nice donation to the American Cancer Society.
2 comments:
Very sweet of you. You are an awesome person :) Ill share my story. Ill try not to make a book, but no grantees lol. I get a little windy.
My father was diagnosed with with lung cancer in January 2009. He was 51 years old. The same day he was have a portion of his lung removed, my sister was in labor with my niece Maggie and didn't know it. She went in the next morning for her regular appointment and was dilated to 6!
My father did chemo and radiation after his lobectomy. Things were going good, so we thought. In October of 2009 we went to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America but it was too late. They tried a couple of experimental drugs on him but nothing worked.
My siblings and I through my parents a surprise anniversary party in March of 2010. It was their 31st anniversary. It was such a great time. I loved every minute of it and I would give my right arm to repeat that day again. You'll have to check out the photos on my facebook page.
We hired a photographer to take family photos at the park where the party was being held. So it was easy to get my parents to the building that the party was. The party was also the same place that they had their wedding reception 31 years prior. We recreated their cake and used their wedding colors.
A few days after the party my parents flew out west for their bucket list trip. They loved visiting the state parks. They wanted to hit as many as possible. Pictures of that trip are on my facebook as well. My dad has always talked about the Grand Canyon. He finally got to go. They took a helicopter ride over the canyon. He was so excited. His voice was so hoarse due to the location of one of the tumors. I remember everything about the call after the helicopter landed. So excited. He made my mom promise that she would take me and my brother and sister there one day and take a helicopter ride. We haven't been yet but it will happen one day.
They had to cut their trip short because my fathers health declined really quickly. They were supposed to fly back home from Reno, NV but my mom drove straight through back to Indiana with out stopping because my dad couldn't fly. The doctors wanted him to go to a hospital in Nevada but my dad refused. He was afraid it would be his last hospital stay and he didn't want to be away from us children and the grandchildren.
They made it back safely. Fortunately he was able to leave the hospital again and come home. He survived another two months. He passed away on May 29th, 2010. hings definitely haven't been the same since then.
He was such a great man. He knew everything! Well, he didnt know how to cook. When my mom went back to school when I was in middle school and my dad was in charge of dinner, we had spaghetti, sloppy joes, or mac and cheese mixed with hamburger EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. lol
He loved all things NASA and the solar system. I HUGE Colts fan and an ever bigger St Louis Cardinals fan. You couldn't watch a movie without him saying the words. So annoying, but I find myself doing the same. But its ok because it reminds me of him. His favorite band was Metallica. He ate buttered bread with almost every meal. Its the small things that bring a small to my face.
He really liked the song Life Is Beautiful by Sixx A.M. He even wanted it played at his funeral. My photography business is named Life Is Beautiful Photos by Jennifer Myers, in his memory. He always loved taking photos with his Pentax camera.
Ok Ill shut up now. Sorry lol.
Id love to hear more about your Dad.
Jennifer Brown Myers
I am very lucky that none of my immediate family has died from cancer. However, our family has still been touched by it. My great grandmother on my Dad's side died from stomach cancer, although she had lived a full life and died well into her nineties.
A very close family friend was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and after going through treatment, he died from an embolism during a routine checkup.
Cancer touches us all. Friends, family members, work colleagues, we have all had our lives touched by cancer in some way.
Thinking of you, hun, and thank God for your passions.
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