Last night I went to Relay For Life for a few hours. I had gone 2 years ago to support my friend Joyce Winter who is a survivor of Melanoma. This year I went to support her once again and also to support my mom. When I first got there and saw Joyce I just hugged her so incredibly tight and tears came to my eyes. You see, just days before she found out that her dad, Jack Poole, has been diagnosed with lung cancer. It just breaks my heart that we are both going through this with our parents. Her mother is also a breast cancer survivor. Joyce gave the luminary speech that night. It was very emotional. I have been very naive you see, like you, I have thought that stuff like cancer didn't happen in our family. Our family has never had to go through such tragedy. It was always someone I knew and prayed for. I had taken life for granted so much. I admit that I thanked God for my health each day but really I said it very passively. Are we truly thankful? Do we thank God for the very breath he has given us to wake up every morning, to kiss our family, our husband, wife or children? As I sat in my chair last night and listen to my dear friend's survival story, I PRAISED God for my life, for my friend's health and his miracle in her, and for my family's life. We need to not take life for granted. Each day is a gift. We need to stop being ignorant and start taking care of the body God gave to us. Please listen to the speech that my precious friend Joyce Winter delivered last night to hundreds of people. She is a cancer survivor and has been cancer free since this past August. Thanks to relay for life and all the donations that support cancer research that continues to find a cure for this tremendous disease. Please pray for her dad as well.
Love to all, Shannon
4 comments:
Joyce, you are an adorable young lady- a true gift of God. I am praying for your dad. I'm sure he is so grateful for family right now. I work at Relay for Life every year, reading out the names of survivors and those who have succumbed to cancer. It is a wonderful organization. I will make sure to add your dad's name (in addition to Shanny's mom's name)to our list here in Kentucky, so prayers will be lifted up for them both and for your families. I'm praying for you all.
Donna
Shanny:
Jenny says that Mammy's father, Victor Goddard died when Mammy was about 15 years old. That would have been about 1932. Jenny thinks that Victor may have died of cancer. Perhaps Vicky or Auntie Sissy could shed some light on this.
Whether that has any bearing on Vicky's condition could probably be addressed by her doctor, although it might not make a whole lot of difference.
Love, David & Jenny
Victor Goddard, Mom's grandfather, died of lung cancer April 1, 1936 at the age of 47. Unfortunately, cancer does run in the family.
Hey Shannon, thanks for sharing your friends story. Thought that you would be happy to know that Redding and Sullivan's school Oak Mountain Elementary had their annual Relay for Life Fund raiser and walk this past Friday. They raised over $10,000.00.
Down here in Alabama we are all praying and working to help find a cure. We love you and stay strong.
Love-Sandy
Post a Comment