Sorrow and Joy

Over the past few days, I had a major loss in my family unit. This evil disease call CANCER took the life of my Godmother/Aunt Janet. She fought a long hard battle. Diagnosed in Oct. 2007 and passed away on Tuesday, July 21, 2009, just 7 days after her birthday. She was 55 or 56. Too young to be taken from her devoted and loving husband and her two incredible boys.

However, I know that she's in heaven with the Lord, Jesus, and the angels. She's probably walking around right now talking to her dad, who she lost back in 1989. Twenty years almost. He passed away on Nov. 14th, 1989; his birthday was to be on Nov. 21st. Ironic isn't it? It also was the day of my first anniversary as a single woman. The date my divorce papers were signed.

I just learned today that a friend, who's triplet girls are 9 days older than my lil guy, lost one of those girls to CANCER! This one they call Leukemia. Only 6 years old and wiser than I this little girl was. She knew so much in the short little time she lived. Her sisters are grieving because they always slept together, now there's this empty space. Her mother, not accepting the fact that one of her first born is gone. Another family separated by a deadly disease!

If anyone has in their family a history of cancer, please request that your doctor take the necessary tests that might just save your life. A colonoscopy, a blood test, a MRI or CAT scan, are all ways to detect early signs.

Our family is requesting donations to be made to St. Jude's in Memphis, TN. This wonderful hospital has done great research and development in Cancer treatments and has cured some children who have walked through their doors, some never walked out, but they had the opportunity to receive top notch medical treatment that they would never had at their home hospitals due to high cost.

Thankfully St. Jude's does not turn away those who are unable to pay. That's where the donations come in. They help pay for those tests, treatments, and even for a place for their parents to stay if they need it.

Maybe your school could do the Math-a-thon. A wonderful way to sharpen math skills and to raise money for the children of St. Jude. You or your family members may never need their services; however, there may just be one child in your county or school district that will. I know in two schools that I taught at did Math-a-thon and raised significant funds for this wonderful hospital. We later found out that two or three children from those districts were at St. Jude's for treatments. What a feeling it was to help someone we didn't even know! To make their life a little more worth living.

My joy is that I know that my aunt and little Izzy are now with God and they are not being tormented by this crazy disease they call CANCER! They are whole again with those they have mourned for just a few or for many years.

God rest your souls, Aunt Janet and Izzy!

I love you!!!!