Each morning, I awaken with a pit in my stomach because of the events in the world. Who doesn’t feel this way? There really isn’t a place to go in my mind that doesn’t feel dangerous. People are taking sides against each other and a meeting of the minds seems further away than ever. I am reminded by many that “this, too, shall pass,” but it is so hard to think that is true. It shrouds my soul with a blanket of sadness to see so much hatred! It is easy to focus on the fact we are living in such a dangerous and difficult time.
And then I have a day like yesterday, and I want to shout WE ARE SO FORTUNATE that we are healthy and live in such wonderful times medically. I was one of close to 400 people who attended a fundraiser for the Pap Corps, the pre-eminent cancer research foundation in Florida. The strides that the incredible amount of dollars raised have provided are astounding. Cancers of all types are treated at the Sylvester Medical Center in Miami. In fact, a “new” department has been created to combat and treat neuroendocrine tumors. Patients come from all over to be treated for a cancer that until now, may have gone untreated.
The highlight of the event was a fashion show that was as unique as each of the models. Men and women, Survivors all, modeled beautiful outfits and walked the runway, escorted by very key people in their lives. These key people were the doctors, Physician’s Assistants, and Nurse Practitioners who treated the Thrivers. These oncologists and navigators, were, in many cases, the first person to map out or guide the patients through the maze of medical protocol.
Listening to each Survivor’s story, I was struck by the choice each has made to embrace and choose to live. In many cases, that meant aggressive treatment and stepping back from their lives, in order to fight as hard as they could. The beauty of what I gleaned about Sylvester, is that patients were not alone, as lonely as it might have felt as they walked through the doors the first time. The support that is provided is instrumental to a positive outcome for the journey nobody ever wants to take.
Perhaps the timing of this extremely emotional day was like a fickle feather floating in the air, but it actually came at a time when I, and perhaps, many, needed to be reminded that there is still so much to live for, so much that deserves gratitude, and that better days are always ahead. Cancer survivors can sashay down the runway, hand in hand with medical personnel. The medical personnel who so often only see patients in extremis have the opportunity to step away from the demands of their clinical or surgical efforts and bask in the glow of the joy their patients feel, returning to their precious lives. How wonderful to go to sleep last night knowing that the next patient they treat has the same potential to survive.
