Today, I will stay quiet. Today is about you. And here is one of the stories that was sent to me by one of my readers. Feel free to comment, offer support, cheer on and any other way you’d like to communicate. And can I just say, I’m completely blown away by the response this giveaway has had…blown…away.

Thank you to Rhonda Darbro for sharing this:

Cancer has effected me in a huge way over a lot of years. And it continues to do so.

I lost a Grandmother to ovarian cancer in the ’70’s.

In 1978, my mother, at age 45, was admitted to the hospital on CHRISTmas Day, for surgery the following morning. On CHRISTmas evening, the surgeon came in to see us. At that time, he informed me that testing indicated that we were probably looking at breast cancer. Sure enough, it was confirmed cancer and Mom had a radical mastectomy with removal of lymph nodes. Mom never really recovered from it. The next 4 years were filled with radiation and chemotherapy and a 2nd surgery. She passed away in February 1982, at the young age of 45.

In 1981, at the age 50, my Dad started having trouble with his vision in one eye. After a trip to the eye doctor, he found out that he had a detached retina. He was referred to a surgeon who scheduled him for surgery repair. However, during surgery, the surgeon came out and informed us that Dad had cancer of the eye and it couldn’t be saved. Pathology reports came back saying that it was melanoma. In the fall of 1986, my Dad started feeling ill most of the time. The doctor never could really figure out exactly what was wrong with Dad. After visiting another doctor and more testing, it was determined that he had melanoma of the liver. The oncologist that Dad was sent to told us that once you have melanoma, it will always recur at some point in time. And that at some time it will show up in the brain or the liver. We found out in February 1987. The oncologist said that once it hits the liver, there wasn’t any hope, only prayer. I was pregnant with my 1st child with a due date of April 30th. The oncologist told us that chances were Dad would not be around to see his 1st grandchild. Dad volunteered for an experimental program at M.D. Anderson in Houston in the hopes of a miracle. I guess Dad did get that miracle in the way of getting to see his 1st grandchild…..a grandson named after him, born on May 3rd, 1987. In September of 1987, my Dad passed away at the young age of 56.

Late last year, that 1st grandchild, my oldest son, now 24, came down with a persistent sore throat. Then early this year he finely went to a doctor that finally did some testing for him, we found out that he had cancer in the throat…..lymphoma. He had surgery followed by treatment. The surgeon said that the cancer was caught early because if his persistence of going to doctors trying to find out why his throat wouldn’t quit hurting. My son’s prognosis is good right now.

I peronally had a breast cancer scare 5 years ago, but when the surgeon went in to remove my tumor, the biopsy came back, precancerous, but benign……Thank You God……the POWER OF PRAYER!!!!! What a wonderful thing!

Wow. Thank you so much, Rhonda, for sharing. I will be sharing more stories throughout the month. If you wish to share yours, go ahead and send it to me, and I’ll post it throughout the month. This has been an amazing learning experience for me, and it has opened my eyes.

Thank you.