Thursday’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy really shined a light on one of the most awful diseases ever—the “C” word that nobody likes to hear or say, but you know exactly what I’m talking about. Cancer.
This entire episode focused on Maggie’s mother’s battle with breast cancer. During the episode, we saw that Maggie was willing to do anything to save her mom. She found an advanced procedure that could potentially save her mother’s life, but the rest of the surgical team didn’t agree with going through with the procedure. Maggie was incredibly determined to follow through because she knew her mom would fight hard and eventually be cancer-free.
Spoiler alert: Her mom lost the battle. The procedure ended up making her even more sick, and she eventually passed away. As devastating as this is, I’m so happy that the episode shined a light on breast cancer. It really hit home for me because my own mother was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago. Even though my mother’s battle wasn’t as extreme as Maggie’s mother’s, it still brought with it the same emotions—because cancer is cancer.
Last night I bawled my eyes out, I’m not going to lie. During the final scene the two of them shared, Maggie’s mother gave her amazing, wise advice about how Maggie should live her life.
“Never make yourself small for anyone.”
“Be a little lazy or a little slutty. Make a mistake.”
“Tell someone off. It’s good for ’em…better for you.”
And cue the tears. This is exactly something my mother would tell me. When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, I panicked. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to her, and I had no idea how long she had left. Thankfully, she is now healthy and cancer-free, and I will forever be thankful for that because my mother won against this horrible disease. Many men and women don’t have the opportunity to talk to their moms on a daily basis because cancer won, but that’s why this week’s episode also focused on the importance of getting checked.
This episode hit me hard. It reminded me how precious my mom is and how thankful I should be that she’s still in my life. Mothers are the strongest women in the entire world, and we should remember that every single day. Sometimes we may fight and bicker with our moms, but we have to be reminded that our mothers are amazing and they deserve the world. The next time you talk to your mom, make sure you tell her how much you love her.
And know the symptoms of cancer—be sure to check out the American Cancer Society for more information.
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