When I was looking through the news this morning and what was going on in the world, one story immediately jumped out to me, “Canadian Researchers Say They’ve Made a Breakthrough in Breast Cancer Research”.
I think everyone’s natural hope is that the breakthrough is going to mean a ‘cure’. The news today is no cure, but they’ve found a way to decode tumors and in the immediate time, be able to save some women from unnecessary treatment, because everyone’s cancer is like a fingerprint. No one fits into a mold and everyone truly goes through their own set of trials.
Breast Cancer is a disease that will bring a diagnosis to more than 190,000 U.S. women, this year alone. One of those women who lost their struggle this year is my grandmother.
We buried her on President Barack Obama’s inauguration. A day I will never forget, but at least it gave us all something to talk about. My Grandma fought for years, in and out of remission, but ultimately it was her time. Even before she passed she told the doctor, “I’m ready to go, but my family is not ready for me to leave.”
She is one of those people whose cells mutated so incredibly, the Mayo Clinic had never seen it and were seemingly creating experimental treatments just to test on her, but she was willing to fight.
Hopefully with today’s breakthroughs my Grandmother wouldn’t have suffered through these intense treatments, even if she was meant to lose her struggle, the end may not have been so bad, because it could have been tailored to her.
Just last week I lost another woman, very dear to my life; my first Spanish teacher, who taught me everything I know, and she peaked my interest for the language. She was far too young to leave this planet. Her cells as well, had metastasized and it became too much for her petite body to fight through.
When my roommate was comforting me she said, “The interesting thing about cancer is that it seems to always strike those who already know how good life is. They are already the best, most positive people, who don’t need to be taught a lesson.”
And she is so right. Anybody whose family has been struck by some form of cancer knows how unfair life can seem at times. Why did this person have to leave?
But this morning at least there was some glimmer of hope for all of those struggling with cancer and unrecognizable tumors, and their families. Maybe the treatments women are subjected too won’t come with uncertain benefits. Good Luck Canada, and thanks for giving my morning a bright spot!
If you ever have anything you’d like to pass on to me or talk about, email me at gsiewert@kimt.com and we’ll make it happen!
