Cancer Claims Another

I wrote a week or so about my friend Faith, and how her two year remission from Hodgkin's Lymphoma had ended. 90% of people getting Hodgkin's survive at least five years. With great sadness, I learned today that Faith will not be among them. Less than three years from her diagnosis, Faith passed away this weekend. Her sister Leigh has been with her this week as Faith's health declined. Having lost my own sister last May from breast cancer, I have at least some sense of what she is feeling.

I really hate cancer. In 13 months, it has claimed my friend Judy, my sister Ann, and now my friend Faith. I think back of first meeting Faith in the fall of 2009. She and I had met online and had exchanged emails for some months about dealing with cancer and Hodgkin's in particular. I finally met her in person at the Light the Night walk, joining her team "Faith's Hope". We walked again the next year, and she also joined me and several others in 2010 to cheer for the Shamrock Team. Now, here I am, preparing for Shamrock, and Faith is gone. She was a wonderful person, and will be missed very much by so many. I will honor Faith's memory in three weeks by wearing her photo during my run.

In two months, I will be a 10 year Hodgkin's survivor. Why couldn't Faith have had more time? If when you hear about Hodgkin's lymphoma, you think "Oh, that's a curable cancer," please remember that it is not always so. There is plenty more to do.

Dear Faith, rest well in peace. I shall miss you, and so much wish things had been different.

Faith and her beloved pal Henry In 2009, hoping for remission, Faith visited the Caicos with a friend to get some enjoyment after a tough fight with stage 4 Hodgkin's. It was great to see this photo of her enjoying life!