#WorldCancerDay

I guess you can say today has been a bit of a reflecting day for me. In case you didn't know, today is "World Cancer Day"... can't say I know who founded this so-called day. According to worldcancerday.org February 4th is: 
"World Cancer Day is a chance to raise our collective voices in the name of improving general knowledge around cancer and dismissing misconceptions about the disease."

Today I got up, made a nice little breakfast, and sat down at the computer searching through old pictures of my little c adventure and all the amazing people that helped me through that time. I changed my profile picture on Facebook to a shade of purple because Chevrolet teamed up with the American Cancer Society and donated $1 to cancer research for every purple default picture, pretty amazing! My roommates probably weren't expecting to see tears start streaming down my face in the middle of breakfast but I couldn't control it. Emotions over came me and memories, good and bad, came flooding in. I hopped in the shower before class and let my tears fall in the hot water with feelings of loss and despair overtaking me. I miss Cora, I think about all the people who've lost loved ones to cancer, all people holding on to some kind of hurt from an unfair disease.

I'm not sure why it took a day to be named "World Cancer Day" for me to have a release of emotion, I guess it just came out. I also don't understand why it takes a designated "cancer day" to remember that this fight always continues. Unfortunately, we can't turn on the fight and turn it off when we don't want to think about it...cancer is around us, everyday. People are fighting, every single day. They aren'y giving up, so why should we? I believe it is part of the reason that I am still here, to help others finish their fight. If I can be some kind of encouragement, raise money for research through Relay For Life, or put a smile on one person's face, then I will go to the ends of the Earth to make that happen. 

The nostalgia of today is humbling and also a reminder that everyone is fighting some kind of battle, cancer or not, we are all fighters. Don't ever, ever give up hope. Don't ever stop fighting.
Please say a prayer and remember all people in the fight of their lives today. Prayers are twofold to you are your families. Sending all the love in my heart, hoping that one day this day won't exist...
Emily