Cancer can affect anyone, anywhere and at any time.
What was once thought to be an “old person’s disease” has become a reality for many young people and families.
My family is no different; we have felt the pain and feelings of hopelessness brought on by a cancer diagnoses, and with World Cancer Day being celebrated, I am once again reminded of how easily we take for granted a clean bill of health.
My closet experience with the disease was when my husband was diagnosed with cancer when we had been dating for only two years (2010).
The day started out as a normal Friday and ended in the emergency room of the hospital with doctors giving us several possibilities of what was causing the pain.
Sonar revealed the worst case scenario and we began prepping for surgery to have the cancer removed.
Before we could catch our breath, the second cancer growth was discovered and this time it wasn’t operable.
This meant we planned our wedding from the comfort of an oncology office, filled with young and old, all with the same wish – to be rid of the disease destroying their bodies.
We said our “I Dos” less than a month after the last chemotherapy session and thought it would be smooth sailing from here on out.
But, though the disease seemed to be gone for good, the emotional effects were just beginning to surface.
We had been so focused on getting through the treatment we hadn’t dealt with what we had been through, both as a couple and individuals.
Bi-yearly visits to the oncologist still cause sleepless nights; something that hasn’t diminished over time.
The need to educate people on the disease that has so many forms is of vital importance in my opinion and campaigns such as World Cancer Day, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Choc Tattoo-a-thon and the Cansa Shave-a-thon are key stepping stones to getting the word out on a variety of different platforms to all walks of life.
We are all human after all…
