the C word

Not that C word.

You dirty birds.

The reeeeeeeally bad C word.

The C word that is ugly, mean, and unfair.

The C word that takes things it shouldn't.

The C word that's been popping up on my blogroll a lot recently. 

The cancer word.

Blegh.

One of my friends who recently lost someone to cancer 

posted a FB status a few weeks ago

during the Great Chic-Fil-A Scandal of 2012

(you remember, the one where everyone tried to boycott Chic-Fil-A

because of something their owner said

until everyone realized their chicken is just too darn good. Yep.)

that said 

"I wish people would spend as much time talking about cancer as they do talking about Chic-Fil-A"

Well, from what I've seen lately

that is just what is beginning to happen. 

Ellen at This HIVE blogged about the ugly C word a few days ago.
And then Brie at Sophistifunk blogged about it.
And Maya has dedicated her entire blog to it.

**WARNING: The above links will bring tears, so be prepared.

All three of these amazing ladies have experienced cancer first hand
and have, unfortunately, seen the awful, horrible things it does
to the people you love.

My great-aunt died of cancer when I was little.
I remember visiting her when she was sick
and she always seemed so frail.
But she was old....and I was really little.
I didn't ever think much of it.

Then my mom's friend's husband (can you follow that) died two years ago
after battling a rare cancer two years longer than any doctor thought he would.

Scott was a fighter in every sense of the word.
He was so sick, for so long.
But he remained the life of the party, in true Scott fashion.
He left behind a loving wife, children, grandchildren, and an entire community
that continues to keep his legacy alive.

After his funeral, 

we released Carolina blue and Boston RedSox red balloons 

before playing flip cup. 

Clearly we there to celebrate the life he lived....

just like he would have wanted us to.

And every so often he reminds his loved ones that he's still around
by sending down a God wink, right when you need it the most.

While my experience with cancer is no where near
as heroic or heart wrenching as others
I just have a lot of feelings

(like this girl from Mean Girls)

and I have the up most respect for people battling cancer.

For those of you that have experienced cancer

you know, it's not just the person diagnosed with cancer that battles it.

It's a family, friend, community affair.

One that needs to get a lot bigger.

I can't even imagine the pain people must feel
watching their own mothers, fathers, husbands, children
go through something like cancer.
I can't even imagine what it would be like to go on
without your loved ones by your side.
Those are the people I look up to.

And those are the people I stand up to cancer for.
The daughters like Brie who have to grow up without their father.
The mommies like Maya who have to bury their child.
The newly married 24 year old who has to say good-bye to her high school sweetheart
before their one-year wedding anniversary.

Cancer is mean
and ugly
and deserves a big F*** OFF!
(go visit Maya for more details about this)

There are all sorts of organizations with one goal:
raise enough money to find a cure.

The Ronan Thompson Foundation is one. You can find out more about it HERE.
Relay for Life is also a big one. Not only is it so. much. fun. it's for a great cause.

More information HERE.

Last summer, one of my friends did the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk

in honor of her mom. 

Talk about a rockstar.

And there's a ton more. 

Cancer is an awful, ugly word.

But it's one we should definitely not be afraid to talk about.

Do your research, 

take a stand,

visit Maya, Brie, or Ellen 

do whatever it takes to kick cancer's tail.

I'm convinced we can. 

My rainbows tell me so. 

Hugs,