In this special season of thankfulness and giving, we often let ourselves get caught up in the stress of our to-do's instead of remembering the important reasons for the season.
We all have many things for which to be thankful and I am pleased to introduce Heather to share her story of strength and survival. It is also a reminder to be grateful for things we often take for granted and that sometimes trials are often the life events that help to grow the most.
Meet Heather....
No one thinks that he or
she will hear the words “you have cancer.” Hearing those words never
crossed my mind, but when I did hear them, I was afraid beyond belief.
When I heard those words, it was supposed to be a harmonious time for me,
for I had just had my baby.
In a short period of time, It went from one
of the best times in my life to the worst. I found out I had a cancer with a
direct link to asbestos exposure; I had pleural mesothelioma cancer.
This was so surprising
because I always thought asbestos was banned, and I did not think that I had
been exposed to it. Many people, including me, could not fathom how I
could have gotten cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Finally, I figured
it out. I got asbestos from my father’s work clothes. Since he
worked in construction and handled materials with asbestos fibers, he would
always come home covered in white dust. Little did he or we know, that
innocent white dust contained millions of asbestos fibers.
People who were 36 years old like me were not the typical mesothelioma patients. We were not the ones who had worked as plumbers, electricians, mechanics, on shipyards, or in other types of trades. We were not the wives who handled the asbestos filled clothes of the workers who worked in these types of trades.
Now, there is another
generation of people being diagnosed with mesothelioma. These are young
people like me, people in their late 20’s and early 30’s. Most of them were
like me and loved to see their daddy when he came from work when they were
younger. They would jump into his arms, pretend they were him by putting
on his work jacket to feed the rabbits, and just hang around him while he did
house repairs while still being covered in his asbestos filled clothes.
Sadly, these people are just getting their lives started; they are just
getting married, beginning new careers, and having babies. Then
mesothelioma makes these entire new experiences stop. There is always
good news, however. Treatment options for mesothelioma are steadily improving, and more people of all
ages are surviving this dreadful disease.
Hearing a physician say that you have cancer is devastating to hear, but many people, including me, continue to hold onto all hope. We are able to fellowship with one another as a community. We support one another, and we celebrate all the victories together.
Many people have asked me
why do I continue to share my story, and why do I continue to do what I do.
I tell them a simple answer. I am bringing awareness to this
disease, and I know with awareness, change will happen.
I hope my story
offers hope to someone and keeps someone from living in fear, and if it does
either of these things, then I know I am doing the right thing.
We all have many things for which to be thankful and I am pleased to introduce Heather to share her story of strength and survival. It is also a reminder to be grateful for things we often take for granted and that sometimes trials are often the life events that help to grow the most.
Meet Heather....
People who were 36 years old like me were not the typical mesothelioma patients. We were not the ones who had worked as plumbers, electricians, mechanics, on shipyards, or in other types of trades. We were not the wives who handled the asbestos filled clothes of the workers who worked in these types of trades.
Hearing a physician say that you have cancer is devastating to hear, but many people, including me, continue to hold onto all hope. We are able to fellowship with one another as a community. We support one another, and we celebrate all the victories together.
Please show Heather some love! "Like" her Facebook fan page and keep up with her journey and advocacy efforts (she also happens to have some great Elf on the Shelf ideas featured that I may just steal!).
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