The C word

This is the first in an occasional blog by Rhonda and David - parents of Mark with thoughts and comments about his health and ways we're trying to deal with it.

Learning that our son has something in his body that shouldn't be there - an alien invader - made me think.  Four years ago my side of the family had been untouched by the nasty C.

Then in late 2011 or early 2012, Dad said he was diagnosed with a form of leukemia.  He died in June.  Mom died in June 2015 of pancreatic cancer.  Now, our son is facing it.

It made me think about a lot of things.

As a sports fan I thought about ESPN.  Really.  They created a sports awards programs more than 20 years ago called the ESPYs.  In its second year, the show honored Coach Jim Valvano with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and he delivered one of the most memorable speeches of recent vintage.

In 2014, one of ESPN's own, anchor Stuart Scott received the same award for his fight that claimed his life in 2015.  I've highlighted a couple of special sentences from a portion of his speech:

I listened to what Jim Valvano said 21 years ago. The most poignant seven words ever uttered in any speech anywhere. “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up”. Those great people didn’t. Coach Valvano didn’t. So, to be honored with this, I now have a responsibility to also not ever give up.

I’m not special. I just listened to what the man said. I listened to all that he said, everything that he asked of us. And that’s to build the V Foundation. And – and let me tell you, man, it works. I’m talking tangible benefits. You saw me in that clinical trial. Now, here’s a thing about that. Coach Valvano’s words 21 years ago helping me and thousands of people like me, right now, direct benefits, that’s why all of this, why we’re here tonight, that’s why it’s so important. I also realized something else recently. You heard me kind of allude to it in the piece. I said, “I’m not losing. I’m still here, I’m fighting. I’m not losing.” But I’ve gotta amend that. When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and in the manner in which you live.”

So, live. Live. Fight like hell. And when you get too tired to fight then lay down and rest and let somebody else fight for you. That’s also very, very important. I can’t do this “don’t give up” thing all by myself. I’ve got thousands of people on Twitter and on the streets who encourage me.

Mark's fight will be like that, I suspect.  He'll fight and work and do all he can.  But it's more than him. I take comfort in knowing the Lord is with him, providing strength and comfort and peace during a tough time.  And comfort in the many encouragers around Mark who will support him in their own way along every step.

We'll know about the direction of this journey.  Today is another in series of medical procedures to determine what's next.   

So, life goes on.

David