Cancer awareness month is personal now.
For a while, it wasn’t.
To me, cancer was a horrible disease,
but it was distant.
Cancer happened to other people.
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia became personal.
I saw the words when I closed my eyes.
I heard them when everyone was quiet.
I tasted them in my mouth,
when I went to visit you at the hospital for the first time.
I never imagined it would feel like this.
To think that three words, meant you had cancer.
And right then, it was personal.
Still to this day, when you are in remission,
writing this is makes my heart ache
and tears threaten to fall.
Because it’s personal.
This month is personal.
Mostly because, on every day of this month and beyond,
I’m thankful.
Thankful for the strength, bravery and courage you had
to keep a smile on your face.
Thankful that you are here with us.
Thankful that we celebrated a year of your remission.
Thankful that you are achieving all your dreams.
I’m sure you know, that I loved you before
but you should know that I admire you now.