Goodnight, Angel

Cancer has claimed another victim today. Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett passed away this afternoon after a long valiant battle.

On February 2, 2007 her doctors proclaimed her cancer-free. All of her hard work and battles against this horrid disease had paid off; she had beaten cancer! She left some incredible words of wisdom and encouragement for others fighting this painful battle:

“This is an extraordinarily happy day for me and my family. I have been on a
journey for the past four months and during this time received a tremendously
aggressive treatment which doctors initially warned me would be the most
difficult fight of my life. I was told they needed me to 'bite the bullet' and
that would require great courage and unfailing determination. In the face of
excruciating pain and uncertainly, I never lost hope and it never occurred to me
to stop fighting -- not ever. This experience has also humbledme by giving me a
trueunderstanding of what millions of others face each day in their own fight
against cancer.I hope that my news might offer some level of inspiration to
others who unfortunately must continue to fight the disease. So to those who are
still struggling toward their own victory, stay determined, 'fight the fight'
and I will keep you and your families in my thoughts and prayers. I am deeply
grateful to my team of physicians, my loving and supportive family and devoted friends who have sustained me as I battled this terrible disease, strengthened by my faith in God and the encouragement of so many.”

Farrah was an American actress with multiple nominations for Golden Globe and Emmy awards. Her most famous role was that of Private Eye, Jill Monroe, in the highly acclaimed television series Charlie’s Angels.

She was the envy of millions everywhere with her signature flowing hair and dazzling smile. One of her most recognizable pictures is the infamous poster of her in the red bathing suit which sold a record breaking number of copies maing her a higly recognizable internationally acclaimed sex symbol of the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Tragically, the disease returned in May of 2007 and by October she was seeking “alternative cancer treatments” in Germany.

It has been a long and excruciatingly painful journey; through it all Farrah maintained her emotional and spiritual strength. Her words spoke encouragement for those left behind to continue their stouthearted personal battles against this unspeakable foe. For this she will be remembered fondly.

Goodnight, angel.

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Grandma Kathy Has Cancer by Colleen Buckley, illustrated by Kim Sponaugle

As responsible parents and caregivers we try to shelter our kids from certain realities of life that are frightening, particularly those we are uncertain how to deal with. It’s only natural. Cancer is such a subject. With cancer numbers climbing higher, statistics show that many of us will, at some point, have to deal with this dreaded disease – either from the outside, as watching a loved one suffer through the disease, or as patients ourselves. The book, Grandma Kathy Has Cancer, by Colleen Buckley, draws on real life experiences between a young granddaughter and her grandmother with cancer, in an effort to explain and help children understand what happens when a loved one has this disease. The message the book offers is one of hope, love, and caring. The inspiration for the book was Colleen’s sister, Kathy, and her brave battle with ovarian cancer. The book is wonderfully illustrated by Kim Sponaugle.

Cancer is a very scary thing, especially for children. They see changes to their loved one both physically and emotionally and they don’t understand what is happening. This book is a wonderful way to help them understand, and perhaps, the best part about it, is that it is told from another child’s perspective.

If you know a child that has to deal with the realities of cancer affecting someone they are close to and love, this book is a must. It is a story full of hope, love and caring; it carries the message to cherish every moment and memory of one’s life.

This story deals with the days that are good as well as the rough days as the cancer patient struggles with the disease. Colleen endeavors to show children that even though their loved one is going through some drastic changes such as physical appearance and lifestyle, they are the same person they have always been.

As a cancer survivor, I am very impressed with the hope and love that fill the pages of this book and I wholeheartedly recommend this touching story to that special child in your life that is having to deal with watching someone he or she loves battle this disease.

Click on the blog title for a link to a YouTube video sample from the book. You can’t watch the video without feeling the depth of emotion ~ the love and caring between grandmother and granddaughter. Watch the video. I dare you. Just a thought…