Monday, September 28, 2009

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and although September is almost over, I wanted to bring attention to this cause. In the United States over 12,000 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer every year, and approximately 3,000 will not survive. These are heart-breaking statistics. There are so many families hurting because of the effects of cancer...families who have a child battling cancer and families who are dealing with the loss of a child due to cancer. Which brings me to my reason for this post. About a year and a half ago, I stumbled by accident upon a family blog. A family who had a child battling a brain tumor. As I began reading, it was so sad to me what this family was facing. I sat there for almost two hours reading their blog from the beginning. Sadly several months after I found their blog, their son lost his fight with cancer the day after he turned four. I do not know this family, and they do not know me. I check in on their blog from time to time, but I pray for them almost every night. Gillian, Joseph's mother, has a wonderful gift...a gift of witnessing God's love for us all. In the midst of her pain, hurt, and grief she shared their life ( and suffering) with anyone who cared to read. The work of Christ in her amazes me. I urge any of you, especially mothers, to take the time to read her blog. Because of her, I realize how extremely lucky I am to be the mother to three beautiful, healthy and wonderful kids...who are not perfect, who not always easy, who are not always well-behaved, but are alive and healthy!! It really puts things in perspective and makes me so grateful for what God has given me. I am truly blessed.

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